Article Author:
Reuters
SUVA — Karen Vusisa finds the right catch of her favorite Fijian edible seaweed amid concerns that ocean temperatures are affecting yields and threatening the livelihoods of fishermen like her. I am struggling with
Like many others, Ms. Vusisa, 52, can collect only about half her nama, which is seaweed, as before. She has to spend more time at sea and hunt it in wider areas.
She "has a hard time finding places where she can catch a lot of catfish," another Fijian fisherman, Serah Balaysasa, told Reuters.
Catfish, found primarily in waters off Fiji, resemble small green grapes. It is part of the daily diet of Pacific island nations and is usually dipped in coconut milk and served in salads.
It is also important to the livelihood of hundreds of fishermen who earn about $10 to $20 for a 10 kg (22 lb.) bag.
When harvesting, they leave the seaweed roots intact to aid regrowth and move to collection in regenerated patches. they say
Marine biologist Alani Twivsileb blames warmer seas for undermining the growth of catfish, which are "extremely sensitive to heat". It's sad because this was their way of life," said Tui Vushi Lev, a research group at Fisheries Network Fiji. “The depletion of the supply of raw fish means the erosion of the way of life and, to some extent, the erosion of culture and traditions.”
2021 was the warmest year for the world's oceans since records began in the late 2000s.
Climate scientists have warned that Pacific island nations are more vulnerable to climate change because they depend on the ocean for resources. , edited by Bradley Perrett)
