In a report published in the journal Fish and Fisheries, it is mentioned that the world’s fish stocks will soon suffer major upheaval due to climate change. Changing ocean temperatures and currents will force thousands of species to migrate polewards, including cod, herring, plaice and prawns. Scientists have observed by 2050, US fishermen may see a 50 percent reduction in Atlantic cod populations.
Lead author Dr William Cheung, of the University of East Anglia in the UK, said that the impact of climate change on marine biodiversity and fisheries is going to be huge. He added that it is high time all should act to adapt new fisheries management and conservation policies to minimise harm to marine life and to our society. He also told that it is necessary to improve the design of marine protected areas which are adaptable to changes in distribution of the species.
It is fact that the world’s oceans are already experiencing changes in temperature and current patterns are changing due to climate change. To quantify the likely impact on sea life, Dr Cheung and his team developed a new computer model that predicts what might happen under different climate scenarios. Dr Cheung said that they have found that on average, the animals may shift their distribution towards the poles by 40km per decade. He also said that Atlantic cod on the east coast of the US may see a 50% reduction in some populations by 2050.
The researcher warns that the invasion of new species into unfamiliar environments could seriously disrupt ecosystems. If it continues like this then the socio-economic impact could be devastating. Scientists from the World Fish Centre said that thirty-three nations in Africa, Asia and South America are highly vulnerable to the impact of climate change in fisheries.
