States » SouthPosted at: Nov 5 2026 8:13PM


Regional ocean research network launched to strengthen fisheries management in Bay of Bengal

Kochi, Nov 5 (UNI) India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Maldives have joined hands to strengthen scientific fisheries management and address the challenges posed by climate change in the Bay of Bengal region with the launch of a regional research initiative, the Bay of Bengal Network of Ocean Researchers for Fisheries (BOB-NOR).
The network was formally launched at an international meeting held at the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) here on the sidelines of an international symposium on fisheries and remote sensing. The meeting brought together representatives from the four participating countries, along with leading oceanographers and marine scientists from the USA, Brazil, Chile, Portugal, the UK and Greece.
The initiative aims to integrate oceanographic observations, climate information and fisheries data to improve understanding of changes in fish populations, their distribution and abundance across the region. It will bring together ocean researchers, fisheries scientists and experts from participating countries to facilitate collaborative research and promote evidence-based fisheries management.
Under the network, satellite observations, oceanographic surveys, climate indicators and fisheries data will be analysed collectively to assess how changes in sea surface temperature, monsoon patterns, salinity, ocean productivity and ocean currents affect fish distribution, migration, recruitment and abundance.
The initiative is expected to promote a shift from conventional catch-based assessments towards predictive and climate-informed approaches to fisheries management, enabling countries to develop sustainable strategies and provide timely scientific advisories to fishing communities.
The network will be coordinated by the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO). Unveiling the initiative, BOBP-IGO Director Dr P Krishnan said BOB-NOR would bridge the gap between oceanographic research and fisheries management by bringing together researchers and experts from the Bay of Bengal countries.
The meeting was hosted by the union Fisheries Department with the support of GEO Blue Planet and the Trevor Platt Science Foundation.
In a message, union Fisheries Joint Secretary Dr Surabhi Rai said the initiative in the Bay of Bengal region could serve as a model for evidence-based fisheries management for the rest of the world.
Dr B Meenakumari, former Deputy Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), was the chief guest at the launch. Emphasising the importance of science-based fisheries management in a changing ocean environment, she said reliable and timely advisories based on key oceanographic parameters, particularly sea surface temperature, were essential to help fishers make informed decisions.
Prof Shubha Sathyendranath, Principal Scientist at the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UK, and CMFRI Director Dr Grinson George also spoke.
UNI DS.
Tags: #Regional ocean research network launched to strengthen fisheries management in Bay of Bengal
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