Exploring Water Quality as a Determinant of Small-Scale Fisheries Vulnerability

Abstract

Water quality is a fundamental indicator of coastal ecosystem health. Maintaining appropriate levels of water quality is critical for the growth of aquatic species and the livelihoods of dependent small-scale fishery (SSF) communities. However, natural (e.g., cyclones, floods) and hu-man-induced (e.g., hydrological changes, varied fishing techniques) factors create cumulative stress on these systems, leading to environmental and socioeconomic challenges. This often manifests as food insecurity, occupational displacement, and biodiversity loss. Despite existing research on coastal sustainability and resilience, the intricate connection between water-quality variations and social–ecological vulnerabilities remains understudied. This paper addresses this gap, focusing on the interplay between water quality changes and the vulnerabilities faced by SSF communities. Using the Chilika Lagoon in India as a case study, this synthesis paper examines water-quality processes and their impact on community vulnerabilities over three decades. It analyses various coping and adaptive responses of the fisher communities and the potential of their actions for creating viable small-scale fisheries. Our findings suggest ways in which SSF communities can respond to these vulnerabilities and help foster knowledge for their transition to viability.

Phylogenetic group distribution and antibiotic resistance of <i>Escherichia coli</i> isolates in aquatic environments of a highly populated area

“…Moreover, excessive bacterial load in water indicates high BOD5 levels, which can result from the consumption of dissolved oxygen, leading to a decrease in DO concentration values. Consequently, fish and other aquatic organisms of Lebanese rivers may struggle to survive in such water conditions [34] . The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) is a statistical tool used to assess the relationship between different water quality parameters by measuring the strength and direction of the linear relationship between variables [35] .…”

Growth and survival of milkfish (Chanos chanos), tiger prawns (Panaeus monodon), and oysters (Crassostrea sp.) in integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) system with varying stocking densities

“…The availability of sufficient food and the quality of the supporting water greatly affects the survival rate of fish. Water quality also affects the survival and growth of cultured aquatic organisms (Nair & Nayak, 2023). Tiger prawns have a high tolerance to temperature changes and can still grow and develop in the temperature range of 26-32 °C.…”

Linking Land Use and Precipitation Changes to Water Quality changes in Lake Victoria Using Remote Sensing

“…However, the downside is that excessive algae growth leads to oxygen depletion due to the decomposition of organic matter, limiting further growth and resulting in a reduction in Chl-a concentration (Varadharajan & Soundarapandian, 2014). Furthermore, excessive rainfall and runoff also reduce light penetration due to heightened turbidity as well as altering water temperature and salinity, further impacting phytoplankton growth, and resulting in decreased chlorophylla levels (Acharyya et al, 2020;Nair & Nayak, 2023). We also note that built-up areas dominate the IMB, likely having a modest impact on Chl-a concentration.…”