Bay of Bengal: depleted fish stocks and huge dead zone signal tipping point

Long treated as a bottomless resource pit, over-exploitation of the ocean, pollution and rising sea levels are having a catastrophic impact on life in the bay

The Bay of Bengal's basin contains some of the most populous regions of the earth. No less than a quarter of the world's population is concentrated in the eight countries that border the bay¹. Approximately 200 million people live along the Bay of Bengal's coasts and of these a major proportion are partially or wholly dependent on its fisheries².

For the majority of those who depend on it, the Bay of Bengal can provide no more than a meagre living: 61% of India's fisherfolk already live below the poverty line. Yet the numbers dependent on fisheries are only likely to grow in years to come, partly because of climate change. In southern India drought and water scarcity have already induced tens of thousands of farmers to join the fishing fleet³. Rising sea levels are also likely to drive many displaced people into the fishing industry.