SIBER SPIS sept 2011.pdf - IMBER

SIBER
Science Plan and Implementation Strategy
Ap p e n d i x V.
Re g i o n a l p i r a c y u p d a t e
From the Indian Ocean Piracy Discussions at the IOP-8, SIBER-2 and IRF-2 Joint Meeting in
Chennai, India from 25-29 July 2011.
Piracy is a global problem, but heavily concentrated in the northwestern Indian Ocean (Fig.
A5.1). Piracy in this region is extremely serious, and it is becoming impossible to arrange
research cruises in the northwestern region of the basin. Piracy is adversely impacting Indian
Ocean climate research, observations, modelling and consequently the world’s ability to
address the impacts of climate variability and climate change.
There have been several press reports recently on the Indian Ocean piracy problem and
specifically how it is impacting science in the region, for example:
●● “Pirates Scupper Monsoon Research”, Nature, 7 July, 2011.
“Piracy is stopping oceanographers and meteorologists from collecting data vital to
understanding the Indian monsoon…”
Fi g u r e A5.1 Indian Ocean piracy events in 2011
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