Latest news with #coastalCommunities
Zawya
02-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
The evolving face of Oman's fisheries sector
Oman launched its National Fisheries Development Strategy (2013–2020) under its broader goal to diversify away from hydrocarbons. Oman's fisheries industry, a pillar of the country's economic diversification efforts, stands at a strategic crossroads, balancing the preservation of its traditional artisanal sector with ambitions to modernize and expand its industrial and aquaculture capabilities. The sector is divided into three distinct streams: artisanal, industrial, and aquaculture. Among them, the artisanal or traditional fishery dominates, accounting for a staggering 89% of the Sultanate of Oman's marine capture production in 2023. According to official data, more than 60,000 licensed full- and part-time fishers operated over 27,000 vessels, landing around 706,000 tonnes of fish valued at nearly $1.14 billion that year. The artisanal fleet mainly targets small and large pelagic species—such as sardines, anchovies, kingfish, tunas, and Indian mackerel—alongside demersal fish like sea bream and groupers. Fishers also harvest sharks, rays, and crustaceans including spiny lobster and shrimp. Their tools range from fixed and drift nets to hand lines and beach seines. However, the sector faces mounting challenges: low education levels, limited income, and rising competition from illegal and unlicensed operators. While artisanal fishing remains an open-access activity aligned with national welfare goals—supporting employment in coastal communities—it is increasingly strained. Overfishing of species such as kingfish, abalone, lobster, and shrimp has pushed stocks to unsustainable levels. Despite legal protections and regulatory frameworks, enforcement remains weak. Illegal trawling within restricted zones and the continued use of banned gear such as encircling nets persist, often unchecked. The industrial fisheries sector, once dominated by foreign trawlers, saw a dramatic shift after 2011 when the government banned these vessels over repeated regulation breaches. By 2023, Oman's industrial fishing fleet had rebounded modestly to eight locally operated longliners, and fishing nets producing 76,480 tonnes of primarily large pelagic fish such as yellowfin tuna. Oman launched its National Fisheries Development Strategy (2013–2020) under its broader goal to diversify away from hydrocarbons. The total fish production, however, still exploits just around 40% of the sustainable yield from Oman's waters, suggesting untapped potential. The Arabian Sea, in particular, holds promise—not only for traditional fish species but also for lanternfish, offering opportunities in fishmeal and fish oil production. In response to fluctuating global oil markets and dwindling reserves, Oman launched its National Fisheries Development Strategy (2013–2020) under its broader goal to diversify away from hydrocarbons. With oil and gas comprising over 68% of national revenue in 2015, the urgency to develop non-oil sectors became clear. The fisheries sector was identified as a key growth area, and the Eighth and Ninth Five-Year Plans emphasized foreign investment, infrastructure development, and private sector participation. The government's vision included an expanded aquaculture industry, new offshore fisheries, and greater control over fish stock sustainability. Export controls introduced in 2020 aimed to stabilize domestic prices and reduce import reliance—resulting in fish exports (including aquaculture) dropping to 34% of total production, down from 60% during 2011–2016. Still, implementation hurdles remain. Inadequate port infrastructure, inefficient inshore fleets, underdeveloped markets, and the artisanal sector's limited offshore capacity are major impediments. Despite ambitious goals, the hybrid policy that emerged reflects a compromise: promoting both a wealth-maximization model via industrialization and a welfare-maximization model through sustained artisanal support. This pragmatic dual-track strategy aims to modernize the sector without abandoning its socio-economic roots. While the original goal of fully transforming artisanal fisheries into a high-tech industrial powerhouse has been tempered, Oman continues to build a more diversified and resilient fisheries economy, anchored by tradition, but steering toward innovation. 2022 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Japan Times
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
NOAA budget cuts to gut U.S. climate research and slash jobs
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is proposing cutting about 18% of its workforce and slashing $1.5 billion from its budget, including terminating programs to protect coastal communities and research that supports better forecasts and natural disaster prediction. At least 2,256 positions, out of 12,596, have been targeted for elimination, according to a budget estimate released Monday. NOAA's Oceanic and Atmospheric Research office, described as "the engine that drives the next-generation' of science and technology, will be eliminated, with some of its functions going to other departments. The string of cuts and eliminations outlined in the budget include the termination of the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, aimed at helping sustain coastal communities and economies. The budget would also terminate a program that provides research grants to academic institutions and nongovernmental organizations. "This is the big one, it would be catastrophic,' said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles. "Even if only half of it happens it would still be catastrophic.' The budget comes amid U.S. President Donald Trump's cuts to climate research and federal weather forecasting agencies, reductions that critics say will diminish the ability to predict weather and erode the quality of weather models as fewer observations are made. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick pushed back against some of these criticisms in a congressional hearing earlier this year, saying the agency will use automation and artificial intelligence to cover the gaps. NOAA is responsible for forecasting weather through its National Weather Service, as well as protecting U.S. oceans. It is a sweeping agency under the Department of Commerce, which has its own uniformed service and operates a fleet of aircraft, ships and satellites. A wide range of industries depend on NOAA data, especially energy and commodity markets as weather impacts demand and crop yields. Hurricane forecasting will suffer, said James Franklin, a retired atmospheric scientist at the U.S. National Hurricane Center. Progress on building better models to track and forecast nature's most powerful storms would "come to a near stop,' he said. A recent study showed forecast improvements since 2007 have saved the U.S. economy $5 billion per storm that makes landfall, Franklin said. "That's four times the annual National Weather Service budget and we had five landfalling U.S. hurricanes last year.' The cuts would not just affect climate change research, but also many aspects of long-term weather, Swain said. A number of high-profile labs, including the National Severe Storms Lab that was made famous by the movie Twister, would be impacted. "It would mark the end of the era when the American government had the best and the brightest,' Swain said. The agency will continue to oversee U.S. fisheries. However, it will transfer its responsibility for enforcing parts of the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the document said. NOAA will prioritize marine mining and energy production. The new reductions are in addition to cuts and retirements made early this year. The proposed 2026 fiscal year budget represents about a $1.5 billion reduction from 2025 funding. "For a trivial cost savings we're now going to start turning the clock back,' Franklin said. "Stopping the progress we've made and instead start watching forecasts degrade as things break and there's no one to keep them running.' Franklin said once the labs are closed down, the decision can't simply be reversed by the next election. "It would take years or decades to recover,' he said. NOAA referred all requests for comment to the White House, which did not immediately respond.
ABC News
23-05-2025
- Science
- ABC News
A disaster has been unfolding on Australia's coast
A toxic algal bloom is having a devastating impact on sea life and coastal communities and scientists warn with climate change, events like these may become more frequent.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists sound alarm over massive underwater force threatening to accelerate city collapse: 'Potentially double or triple the effects'
Rising sea levels and subsiding shorelines are putting New Zealand's coastal communities at risk. A new study revealed that human activities heighten and expedite the risks of sinking cities. As Forbes reported, a group of New Zealand researchers studied how the island's cities and shorelines are sinking. This is concerning because sinking cities may be affected by rising sea levels sooner than previously anticipated. In New Zealand and globally, sea levels are rising due to our warming climate and melting ice in polar regions. Meanwhile, localized instances of human activity, such as groundwater extraction, land reclamation, and dredging, are causing coastal lands to sink. Kyoto University researcher Jesse Kearse said these activities can "potentially double or triple the effects of sea-level rise in certain places." The researchers determined that coastal infrastructure is at risk because of this sinking effect and rising sea levels. In their study, they used satellite-based mapping and radar images to assess the physical properties of surfaces and measure ground deformation. Focusing on vertical land movement at urban coastal strips between 2018 and 2021, they observed coastal strips decreasing in all of New Zealand's major population centers. Some areas are experiencing subsidence rates of over 15 millimeters per year. This revelation is significant because billions of people live near coastlines. No coastal city, in New Zealand or elsewhere, is immune to rising sea levels. With supercharged weather events becoming more common as our climate warms, people living along the coast face considerable danger. This study also stands out because it highlights humans' impacts on at-risk coastlines. The researchers noted that areas of reclaimed land in New Zealand are particularly vulnerable to the land's stability. What would you do if natural disasters were threatening your home? Move somewhere else Reinforce my home Nothing This is happening already Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Land reclamation involves filling water-submerged areas with soil, rock, or other materials to create new land where water once flowed. The researchers concluded by pointing out many unanswered questions regarding subsidence rates and how long they will persist. They also warned about the risks of future development in coastal areas due to vertical land motion patterns. Research studies like this one raise public awareness about coastal community risks and the threats of rising sea levels, especially when extreme storms hit. Fortunately, governments and businesses are working on technologies to adapt and plan ahead. For example, innovators use predictive artificial intelligence and smart reefs to protect residents from floods. Architecture firms have designed floating homes as practical solutions for people living in flood-prone areas. Meanwhile, officials have developed plans to protect coastal lands by planting mangroves and adding sand piles. If you live along the coast, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your home. Preparing for hurricanes and floods is crucial, so keep a go bag packed if you need to evacuate. To prepare for future power outages, you can install solar panels or sign up for a community solar program. (Solar is also a type of clean energy. In other words, the photovoltaic panels don't generate any troublesome heat-trapping pollution when turning sunlight into power.) Hurricane-proofing your house by raising it and installing a custom seawall can help as well as reinforcing your home with durable materials to boost its resilience and give you peace of mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Exmouth interactive art trail explores life by the sea
A new interactive art trail aims to tell the stories of Devon families with a strong connection to the Voices of the Exe Trail, created by the University of Exeter's Resilience of Coastal Communities project, features 10 markers across marker tells a different story and uses audio clips accessible by scanning a QR code.A mural to celebrate the trail was designed and painted by Exmouth artist Gary "Garf" Cook on the side of The Strand Inn pub in the town. The launch event for the trail will take place from 15:00 BST at Bumble and Bee in Exmouth's Manor trail will be in place until October 2026 and it is wheelchair accessible, said organisers. Dr Louisa Evans, from the university, said: "Our coastal communities are vital for the UK's island identity but also hotspots of deprivation and at the forefront of risks from climate change."We spoke to families who represent the resilience of coastal communities, but these oral histories often get parked in a museum and forgotten."The trail was a partnership with Exe Estuary Management Partnership, Exmouth Town Council and Mindfully Wired was funded by the Sustainable Management of UK Marine Resources programme. 'Amazing impact' The family of Debra Quine, who runs cafes in Exmouth, is one of those featured in the Quine said: "I've met people in my cafes who have never seen the sea before and the look on their faces and the impact it has is amazing."I'm delighted to be part of the Voice of the Exe Trail and hope these stories give people an insight into what life by the water is like."
