Impact of climate change and other anthropogenic stressor on wetland fisheries

The data on climatic parameter like rainfall and air temperature was taken from IMD to study climate trend over the study site. The analysis of monthly average temperature revealed a warming trend over the last few decades. The grid data of annual average rainfall pattern over the last 4 decades is highly fluctuating and did not show any trend at the study site.

                                                                                      Air temperature trend (yearly average) at Beledanga wetland

 

                                                                   Annual rainfall trend (yearly average) at the study site at Beledanga wetland

 

Climatic parameters including temperature and rainfall have profound impact on fisheries directly or indirectly. As climate change is prevalent and the occurrence of extreme climatic events has increased in recent years, assessing the impact of climate change on fish production is an important component in inland open waters such as floodplain wetland.

The GAM model indicated a wide range of optimum window of rainfall for the fish production. The temperature had a slight negative relationship with the fish production in the wetland as per the GAM model.

Jute retting is the most significant anthropogenic stressor which impacts the aquatic environment of the floodplain wetland. It deteriorates the water quality by depleting the dissolved oxygen which in turn impacts the fish as well as the other aquatic biota.

 

                                                                                                                    Jute retting in floodplain wetland