Fisheries are affected by climate change in many ways: marine aquatic ecosystems are being affected by rising ocean temperatures,[2]ocean acidification[3] and ocean deoxygenation, while freshwater ecosystems are being impacted by changes in water temperature, water flow, and fish habitat loss.[4] These effects vary in the context of each fishery.[5]Climate change is modifying fish distributions[6] and the productivity of marine and freshwater species. Climate change is expected to lead to significant changes in the availability and trade of fish products.[7] The geopolitical and economic consequences will be significant, especially for the countries most dependent on the sector. The biggest decreases in maximum catch potential can be expected in the tropics, mostly in the South Pacific regions.[7]: iv
The impacts of climate change on ocean systems has impacts on the sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture, on the livelihoods of the communities that depend on fisheries, and on the ability of the oceans to capture and store carbon (biological pump). The effect of sea level rise means that coastal fishing communities are significantly impacted by climate change, while changing rainfall patterns and water use impact on inland freshwater fisheries and aquaculture.[8] Increased risks of floods, diseases, parasites and harmful algal blooms are climate change impacts on aquaculture which can lead to losses of production and infrastructure.[7]
It is projected that "climate change decreases the modelled global fish community biomass by as much as 30% by 2100".[9]
^ abcManuel Barange; Tarûb Bahri; Malcolm C. M. Beveridge; K. L. Cochrane; S. Funge Smith; Florence Poulain, eds. (2018). Impacts of climate change on fisheries and aquaculture: synthesis of current knowledge, adaptation and mitigation options. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN978-92-5-130607-9. OCLC1078885208.