Shahhen reported in a student paper in 2016 that the sea floor of the Indian Ocean and the continental margins bordering the ocean are covered by a wide variety of marine sediments and biogenous or anthigenic mineral deposits. The humid tropical climate of some of the land areas bordering the Indian Ocean accelerates weathering of the source rocks. This coupled with the large river runoff and wave and current conditions favor the formation of a variety of placer deposits. The biogenous deposits comprise the corals on shallow banks and on the continental shelves and then oozes in the deep sea. The anthigenic deposits in the Indian Ocean comprise the phosphorites and the polymetallic modules.
Occurrences of phosphorite deposits have been found both along continental margins and around seamounts. The mineral wealth of Indian Ocean is enormous and of greatest value. Being surrounded by developing countries, the Indian Ocean is being exploited far less as compared to minerals of other oceans. However, the ocean is under pressure from human activities. These challenges are set to continue for the foreseeable future, with atmospheric CO2 predicted to reach 430 ppm by 2030 and 750 ppm by 2100. The cycling of biogeochemical elements has proved sensitive to each of these effects, and it is proposed that synergy between stressors may compound this further. The challenge, within the next few decades, for the marine science community, especially in Indian Ocean is to elucidate the scope and extent that biological processes can adapt or acclimatize to a changing chemical and physical marine environment. Other dynamic trends that relate to the various industries include the IO’s growing prominence in the world energy trade, piracy attacks that have led to challenges in maritime security, and environmental stresses brought on by marine and land-based waste and pollution.
The author concluded that although Indian Ocean is rich in natural resources and this is the very reason of its strategic significance for the global and regional powers in particular, yet the environmental pressures are leading the ocean to a number of misperceptions. Within inshore fisheries, challenges include over-exploitation and related issues of stock collapse and change of inshore habitats, such as coral reefs and sea-grass beds. Conflicts between resource users, pollution of near-shore habitats, and global warming are the major threats. Of immediate concern are national and regional coordination in regulation, monitoring, and surveillance; the development and implementation of an early warning system for extreme events; and the enhancement of regional preparedness to deal with ocean-based disasters. Reduced productivity of fisheries and its negative impact on food security and economic activity are likely to increase cross-border conflicts and illegal marine economic activities, such as smuggling, piracy, and human trafficking, as those employed in the fishing industry seek other alternatives. The region is ill prepared to manage and adapt to the impacts of climate change and extreme events which threaten all coastal economic sectors, especially fisheries.
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