Wednesday, December 28 2005 15:18 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Madurai: There is a need to develop databases on the marine ecosystem of the continental shelf with a view to understanding and responding to the dynamic system, especially after the tsunami, according to a United Nations official.

Unseen events had taken place in the ocean that had changed the ecosystem in the fragile continental shelf, which served as the connecting point for the coast and the people, M N Kutty, Advisor, Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations, said here yesterday (Dec 27,2005).

Participating at the inaugural function of the three-day national commemorative conference on tsunami organized by the School of Energy, Environmental and Natural Resources, Madurai Kamaraj University, he stressed the need for data analysis on fish capture and projects for long-term monitoring of coastal productive ecosystems.

Stating that it was not possible for fishery experts alone to carry out intensive and extensive researches without the involvement of other marine experts, he suggested a long-term study to understand tsunami's total impact on the aquaculture.

India was not exploiting the coastal strength despite huge potential for marine development and lacked off-shore establishment. Fish stock, migration of biological creatures were some of the areas which require study.

"Even China promoted sea-weed culture on the continental shelf," Kutty said.

Stating that biological productivity could be high in the coastal area, he said algae and seaweeds need to be cultured for the benefit of the fishing community. Coastal farms also should be developed without damaging the coastal geography.

The disaster prevention strategies should be developed. Though at present, the government was taking measures to develop tsunami warning systems, awareness about the calamities were more important.

Having had the bitter experience of tsunami, the people should prepare themselves to face the same in future. Tsunami had made 'us think together and undertake macro-level measures to support the coastal community.'

Madurai Kamaraj University Vice-Chancellor P Maruthamuthu said the objective of the conference was to assess the status of mitigation measures initiated by the Government and the NGOs on the one hand and to plan for the future strategies to end the sufferings of human beings in a sustained manner to face future calamities.

The Vice-Chancellor gave away certificates and cash awards to A Priyadarshini and R Umamaheswari of Fatima college who won the elocution and essay competitions respectively on ecology.