Climate change may lead to shifts in vital Pacific Arctic fisheries

Climate change poses a major threat to the world’s fisheries. As Science Daily reports, the problem is particularly acute in the Pacific Arctic, where significant climatic shifts have already led to the collapse of two important species: snow crab and Pacific cod.

• A research team from Hokkaido University, The University of Tokyo, and the National Institute of Polar Research used bioeconomic modeling to study how the abundance and distribution of eight commercially important marine fish and invertebrate species might change under a range of climate scenarios.
• The study found that under low to moderate levels of climate change, well-managed marine ecosystems may experience only limited economic impacts until 2040. However, more extreme warming, including the loss of sea ice, would have more severe impacts, with all species studied predicted to shift northward due to the loss of sea ice habitat and warmer water temperatures.
• The researchers stressed the importance of climate-smart solutions to protect and preserve marine fisheries in order to support food security. Marine fisheries are crucial for global protein supply, supporting 390 million livelihoods and a $141 billion industry.