Scientists warn vital food source may vanish from dinner plates amid supply disruptions: ‘Threatening food security’

The Bay of Bengal has been a lifeline for coastal communities across South Asia for generations.

It makes up less than 1% of the world’s oceans but produces nearly 8% of global fish stocks — a staggering amount of food and income for millions. 

However, as Outlook Planet explained, research has warned that the waters that sustain these communities may be on the verge of a major collapse, with troubling implications for families that depend on them.

What’s happening?

According to a study published in the journal Nature Geoscience, rising temperatures and shifts in India’s summer monsoon are weakening the bay’s ability to sustain life. 

Scientists studied fossil shells of plankton called foraminifera — natural recorders of ocean conditions — to track changes over the last 22,000 years. 

They found that ocean productivity is declining as weather patterns shift. And that spells trouble for the food chain. 

“The productivity of these waters — the ability of the ocean to support plankton growth — is the foundation of the marine food web. If ocean productivity declines, it will powerfully affect the ecosystem, ultimately reducing fish stocks and threatening food security for coastal communities,” Yair Rosenthal, a professor at Rutgers University and co-author of the study, said in a statement.

A separate study published in the journal The Science of the Total Environment revealed that a rise in sea surface temperature of 4 degrees Celsius could reduce fisheries productivity by 5%, translating to a projected $1.7 billion loss in gross domestic product per capita by 2050.

Why is this concerning?

Nearly 200 million people live along the Bay of Bengal’s coasts — many of whom rely on fishing for both protein and income. 

As monsoon rainfall patterns grow more erratic and ocean temperatures climb, the microscopic organisms that support the food chain are dwindling. 

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Fewer plankton mean fewer fish. And fewer fish mean rising grocery costs and growing hunger for some of the world’s most vulnerable populations.

This isn’t just about disappearing fish. It’s about what that loss means for dinner tables, economic stability, and affordable access to nutritious food.

What’s being done about it?

Efforts are underway to mitigate the cascading effects of ocean warming. International agreements such as the Paris accord aim to curb heat-trapping pollution, while regional governments are being urged to invest in sustainable fishing practices and marine conservation.

Individuals can support seafood sustainability at home by choosing lower-impact seafood and reducing plastic waste that harms ocean ecosystems. And to help offset rising grocery costs, planning meals and shopping smarter can make a real difference. 

If nothing changes, the bay’s decline could ripple out across borders. However, with the right policies and individual actions, there’s still time to chart a better course.

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