New Delhi: Marine heatwaves, which are prolonged periods of unusually high sea surface temperatures, are posing a growing threat to human physical and mental health, researchers said.
Extreme ocean temperatures can contribute to more intense weather systems, increasing the risks of injury, death and displacement from storms and flooding.
Writing in a comment for the journal Nature Sustainability, researchers from the University of Adelaide and the University of Hong Kong outlined how marine heatwaves can trigger a cascade of effects, worsening extreme weather events, reducing seafood supplies and increasing mental health challenges for coastal communities, ultimately affecting human health.
As the planet continues to warm, marine heatwaves have become more frequent, longer-lasting and more intense.
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The extreme events have already been linked to mass mortality events affecting marine life, widespread coral bleaching, harmful algal blooms and major disruptions to fisheries and aquaculture.
The researchers said these environmental changes can have profound consequences for people, which receive far less attention.
Lead author Laura Falkenberg, from the University of Adelaide’s School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences, said, "Marine heatwaves are no longer just recognised as an environmental issue; they are increasingly also perceived as a human health issue."
"Our paper highlights that these events can influence people's health in many different ways, both directly and indirectly. They can intensify storms and atmospheric heatwaves, affect the availability and safety of seafood, disrupt livelihoods and contribute to anxiety, grief and other mental health impacts in communities that depend on healthy oceans," Falkenberg said.
Harmful algal blooms, which are expected to become more common due to marine heatwaves, can contaminate seafood and pose serious health risks, the paper added.
In the long term, declining fish stocks and reduced seafood production threaten food security for billions of people worldwide, the researchers said.
The paper also highlighted the psychological impacts of witnessing the loss of marine ecosystems and the stress experienced by people whose livelihoods and cultural identities are closely connected to the ocean.
The authors argued that governments and public health agencies should begin treating marine heatwaves in much the same way they prepare for land-based heatwaves.
This means incorporating marine heatwave forecasts into public health planning, considering health impacts in marine and coastal management decisions, and improving collaboration between ocean scientists, health authorities and resource managers, they said.
Falkenberg said taking action before crises occur would help communities become more resilient as marine heatwaves continue to intensify.
"When marine ecosystems suffer, the impacts ripple through communities. We are seeing increasing evidence that these changes can contribute to eco-anxiety, grief and other mental health challenges, particularly for people who feel deeply connected to the marine environment," the lead author said.
"Recognising these health impacts is the first step towards better protecting communities," she said.
