Changes in environment: Implications for fisheries in Indian waters

The coastal and marine ecosystems are dynamic and the seasonal and inter-annual fluctuations of the abiotic ecological parameters reflect on the biological functioning of the plankton, nekton and all other biota. Apart from the natural variations, anthropogenic impacts including climate change and habitat degradations and alterations have affected the sustainability, productivity and diversity of almost all critical habitats like the mangroves, sea grasses and the coral reefs. Each critical habitat has its own unique characteristics and the biota which depend on these have suitable adaptive characters to survive, grow and reproduce in these. However, variations which are significantly wide and large lead to mis-matches ecobiological links. These affect the recruitment of the species which cascades down the food web and the fisheries