Fri Nov 22 18:18:15 UTC 2024: ## INCOIS Launches Priority Research to Improve Coastal Current Predictions
**Hyderabad, November 23, 2024** – The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has initiated crucial research to enhance the accuracy of short-term coastal current predictions. Currently, the accuracy of these predictions, vital for industries like fisheries, shipping, and oil exploration operating in shallow coastal waters, is insufficient to meet user needs.
According to scientists T. Srinivasa Kumar and P.A. Francis, this inadequacy stems from a lack of understanding of the processes driving short-term coastal current variations. Their research, published in *Current Science*, highlights the growing need for improved predictions, driven by the expansion of marine tourism, energy sectors, and the increasing impact of climate change.
The demand for precise predictions extends beyond existing industries. The burgeoning renewable energy sector, planning to utilize coastal waves and currents for power generation, requires highly accurate ocean condition forecasts. Similarly, the tourism sector needs predictions of water quality, rip currents, and surf conditions for safety and recreational planning. Accurate habitat suitability forecasts for fisheries and long-term sea-level rise projections for coastal zone management are also critical.
INCOIS plans to address these needs by developing a unified ocean modeling system, improving projections of sea-level changes and extreme weather events, establishing an advanced ocean observation network, and creating impact-based forecast and advisory services. These initiatives aim to significantly expand operational oceanographic services and support the growth of India’s blue economy.
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