Nature & Environment
Climate Change May Drastically Cut First Nations' Fish Catch with Warmer Waters
Catherine Griffin
First Posted: Jan 18, 2016 09:48 AM EST
It turns out that fisheries in First Nations may be in trouble due to climate change. Scientists have found that the catch could decline by nearly 50 percent by 2050.
"Climate change is likely to lead to declines in herring and salmon, which are among the most important species commercially, culturally and nutritionally for First Nations," said Lauren Weatherdon, one of the researchers, in a news release. "This could have large implications for communities who have been harvesting these fish and shellfish for millennia.
Many studies examine the impact of climate change on large, commercial fisheries. In this latest study, tough, the researchers focused on indigenous communities. They modelled how climate change is likely to affect 98 culturally and commercially important fish and shellfish species between 2000 and 2050. The study examined the impact of changes in ocean conditions such as temperature and oxygen levels on habitat suitability for these species under two possible scenarios: a low-emissions scenario where sea surface temperatures increase by .5 degrees Celsius, and a high-emission scenario where sea surface temperature would increase by one degrees Celsius.
The scientists found that most of the 98 species they looked at would be impacted by climate change. These fish would move away from their current habitats and toward cooler waters nearer the pool at an average rate of 10.3 to 18 kilometers per decade.
"With unmitigated climate change, current fish habitats are expected to become less suitable for many species that are culturally important for British Columbia's coastal communities," said William Cheung, one of the researchers. "Limiting global warming effectively to 1.5 degree Celsius by the end of the 21st century, as represented by the low emission scenario considered by our study, can substantially reduce such impacts."
The findings are published in the journal PLOS One.
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First Posted: Jan 18, 2016 09:48 AM EST
It turns out that fisheries in First Nations may be in trouble due to climate change. Scientists have found that the catch could decline by nearly 50 percent by 2050.
"Climate change is likely to lead to declines in herring and salmon, which are among the most important species commercially, culturally and nutritionally for First Nations," said Lauren Weatherdon, one of the researchers, in a news release. "This could have large implications for communities who have been harvesting these fish and shellfish for millennia.
Many studies examine the impact of climate change on large, commercial fisheries. In this latest study, tough, the researchers focused on indigenous communities. They modelled how climate change is likely to affect 98 culturally and commercially important fish and shellfish species between 2000 and 2050. The study examined the impact of changes in ocean conditions such as temperature and oxygen levels on habitat suitability for these species under two possible scenarios: a low-emissions scenario where sea surface temperatures increase by .5 degrees Celsius, and a high-emission scenario where sea surface temperature would increase by one degrees Celsius.
The scientists found that most of the 98 species they looked at would be impacted by climate change. These fish would move away from their current habitats and toward cooler waters nearer the pool at an average rate of 10.3 to 18 kilometers per decade.
"With unmitigated climate change, current fish habitats are expected to become less suitable for many species that are culturally important for British Columbia's coastal communities," said William Cheung, one of the researchers. "Limiting global warming effectively to 1.5 degree Celsius by the end of the 21st century, as represented by the low emission scenario considered by our study, can substantially reduce such impacts."
The findings are published in the journal PLOS One.
Related Articles
Frozen, Wounded Mammoth Gives a New Timeline for the Arrival of Humans in the Arctic
Weather-Worn Lizards Adapt to New Climates, Study Reveals
For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone