Attempt recently asked essay questions

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Hyderabad: Today, we will discuss the questions asked in the recent UPSC Mains – 2022 GS – 1 paper. Decoding and solving recent questions will help us in understanding the most important areas in the syllabus and the recent trends of the examination. Focusing more on these areas/topics will help in the upcoming State PCS mains examination too. Because if we observe the recent mains questions in other State PSCs, a few themes are repeating from the UPSC Mains exam. This answer will serve as a guiding light, thus helping you in writing answers to similar topics you come across.

The topic for today is “Ocean Currents and their role in the fishing industry of the world.” Now, we will see how to address this topic in question-and-answer format. This question is related to Geography part of GS – 1 Syllabus in the UPSC examination. It is been asked in the recent Mains – 2022 question paper in the UPSC examination (GS – 1 Paper was conducted on September 17).

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What are the forces that influence Ocean Currents? Describe their role in fishing industry of the world. (2022)
Approach:
Introduction: Define Ocean Currents

Body: i) Discuss the forces that influence Ocean Currents.
ii) Discuss the role of Ocean Currents in fishing industry of the world.

Conclusion: Conclude using related data.

Introduction: The general movement of a mass of ocean water in a definite direction is called ocean current. Ocean currents are more or less similar to water streams draining on the land surface on the earth.

Body: Forces that influence Ocean Currents :
1) Primary forces:

i) Planetary winds: Planetary winds are permanent winds that blow from one pressure belt to the other. They are probably the dominant influence on the flow of ocean currents.
ii) Insolation: Heating by solar energy causes the water to expand. That is why, near the Equator the ocean water is about 8 cm higher in level than in the middle latitudes. This causes a very slight gradient and water tends to flow down the slope.

iii) Atmospheric circulation: Wind blowing on the surface of the ocean pushes the water to move. Friction between the wind and the water surface affects movement of the water body in its course. For example: Monsoon winds are responsible for the seasonal reversal of ocean currents in the Indian Ocean.

iv) Coriolis force: The Coriolis force intervenes and causes the water to move to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere.
2) Secondary forces:
i) Density: Differences in water density affect vertical mobility of ocean currents (vertical currents).
ii) Salinity: Water with high salinity is denser than water with low salinity and in the same way cold water is denser than warm water. Denser water tends to sink, while relatively lighter water tends to rise.

iii) Temperature: Cold-water ocean currents occur when the cold water at the poles sinks and slowly moves towards the Equator whereas warm-water currents travel out from the Equator along the surface, flowing towards the poles to replace the sinking cold water.

Role of Ocean Currents in fishing industry of the world:

1) Mixing of water: Mixing of cold and warm ocean currents bear richest fishing grounds in the world.

Ex: Grand Banks around Newfoundland, Canada and North-Eastern Coast of Japan.
2) Growth of Planktons: The mixing of warm and cold currents helps to replenish the oxygen and favour the growth of planktons, the primary food for fish population.
Ex: Gulf Stream carries planktons from Mexican Gulf to the coasts of Newfoundland and north-western Europe.

3) Helping the fisherman to ship: Currents also help the fisherman to ship and make the ship go faster to the open ocean rather than sailing without the help of the ocean current.

4) Identification of fish location: Currents help us knowing the habits of fish such as salmon. During the breeding time, they will swim and go somewhere which is against the current.
5) Provides nutrient balance: With the existence of currents, the decomposed nutrient can be distributed equally in the ocean. So the living beings in the ocean can get the nutrient and stay alive.

Conclusion: As per Annual report 2021-2022 by Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, the marine fishery potential in the Indian waters have been estimated at 5.31 MMT constituting about 43.3% demersal, 49.5% pelagic and 4.3% oceanic groups.

Do make note of the important points from the above model answer and make your answers enriched. We will discuss a few more questions related to recently asked questions in the upcoming articles in this series.