Fisheries Expert at AU-IBAR Dr. Mohamed Seisay says climate change poses threat to aquatic ecosystems
Posted by JUDITH DORA AKOLO on 09 December 2021 5:35 PM CAT
By Judith Akolo
An Expert in fisheries at the African Union – InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) Dr. Mohamed Seisay has expressed worry over threats to aquatic biodiversity in Africa. He says the rising temperatures in the water bodies is forcing many species of fish to move deeper into the ocean, seas and lakes.
Speaking at the Conserving Aquatic Biodiversity in African Blue Economy meeting held in Naivasha, Dr. Seisay urged African Union member states to work towards increasing vegetation cover through planting trees as a mitigation measure in reducing carbon emissions.
“We need to implement strategies in order to encourage African Union member states to use nature based solutions like planting trees, so when you plant trees you minimize the effect of climate change on the wildlife and the aquatic ecosystems,” he said.
Dr. Seisay who is a fisheries expert notes that certain fish species have started moving deeper into the oceans, seas and lakes due to the warming temperatures in the shallow waters, a matter he said could complicate sustainable fisheries on the continent. “Climate change is one of the issues we are trying to address under this project, in order to have resilient aquatic ecosystems,” he said and added, “some of the fish species have a particular temperature that they can accommodate, if the temperature is very high due to climate change effect, when the species of fish moves, then it means the fisherfolk have a way of reaching them, at times is through have to use motorised boats.”
Dr. Seisay called for zonation of Lake Victoria in order to reduce conflicts among fisherfolk who use boats and canoes to fish and those that are engaged in fish farming using the cages. Dr. Seisay urged member states to also put in place guidelines and regulations that will guide fish farmers on sustainable ways of growing the fish without interfering with the ecosystem. “There is need to look at the kind of feed being used to feed the fish in terms of the density, so that it does not percolate into the entire ecosystem,” he said.
Studies by AU-IBAR have shown that overexploitation of living species, pollutions from several sources including land-based municipal, oil, gas and agricultural activities poses a threat to aquatic biodiversity. The report further indicates that, uncontrolled introduction of exotic species in aquaculture systems, effluents from mining activities are also among threats to sustainable aquatic ecosystems.
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