University of Southern California’s Post

We endure and directly experience land heatwaves, often overlooking the escalating frequency and severity of marine heatwaves due to climate change. These events will significantly impact fisheries, food sources, and livelihoods, rendering artisanal fishers even more vulnerable, and "cause a cascade of ecosystem changes". "The world’s oceans have absorbed 90 percent of the heat trapped in the atmosphere by greenhouse gasses", but "a heat wave in the ocean is not like one on land. What happens on the 70 percent of the planet covered by saltwater is mostly out of sight." https://lnkd.in/gvm6fxUa

Climate change may impact fish immunity. A new study evaluates the evidence around disease outbreaks in fish, associated with climate change. The team examines the available literature on the effect of temperature rise, salinity, low oxygen and increasing acidity on wild and farmed fish. The findings include that “acute and chronic changes in temperature and dissolved oxygen can compromise fish immunity which can lead to increased disease susceptibility.” The authors note that there are not enough studies on the matter, particularly when it comes to “multi-stressor” studies. https://loom.ly/MSWd0B8 #Fish #Fisheries #ClimateChange #BlueEconomy #Oceans

Focusing on the biocomplexity of fish reproduction in response to climate change, adaptive strategies can help mitigate reproductive risks:

To assist fisheries scientists assess fish stock health our fisher reporting apps capture essential catch and effort data. Increasingly, fisheries scientists now need to monitor climate change effects, such as marine heatwaves and their impact on ecosystems and fish stocks. Link: https://lnkd.in/gQ-F9wGi #fisheries #fisheriesmanagement #climatechange #spatialvision #lapis

Fisheries play a vital role in global food security and nutrition, providing over 20% of the animal protein intake for nearly 3 billion people worldwide. This makes the worsening climate crisis concerning, as climate change will also change fish production. Climate change will have a significant effect to fish and their habitats. Warmer temperatures will influence the abundance, migratory patterns and mortality rates of wild fish stocks, which in turn will bring social and economic consequences from people in the fisheries sector - both workers, coastal communities, to consumers of fish. In celebration for World Fisheries Day, let us be reminded of the importance of fisheries and how we should fight for our climate goals for us to support our fisheries sector and maintain the integrity of the marine ecosystems and the whole planet. It is possible for the Philippines to reach the 1.5 °C climate goals according to a report done by Climate Analytics. Read more here https://lnkd.in/d5jbYRTR

Scientists’ predictions about the impact of #climatechange could not prepare us for what is now happening. Dangerously low oxygen levels on the Pacific Northwest continental shelf during the “upwelling season” threaten important fisheries and the entire ecosystem. This was practically absent at 2% from 1950 to 1980, increased to 1/4 from 2009 to 2018, and now affects half of the area.

An interesting article in The Conversation discusses the economic value of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean's ecosystem services, including fisheries, tourism, and regulating functions like carbon storage. It estimates the total annual value at around US$180 billion, aiming to emphasise the significance of these natural resources for human wellbeing and to advocate for their conservation, particularly in the face of climate change. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dwzkHePW

“As extreme heat scorched the oceans, land and skies, it affected our food system underwater, on the ground and in the air. But the ways that it did so were unpredictable – not every crop suffered, though many certainly struggled, and not every region was affected equally. If there was any takeaway, it may have been that previous scientific models for extreme heat failed to capture the full scope of what heatwaves of this magnitude could cause – and that farmers, fishers and pollinators should be prepared to adapt to an uncertain future.” The Guardian Erin Coughlan de Perez Experimental Farm Network Cecilia Nowell #climateaction #organicfarming #agroecology #soilhealth #pollinators #sustainablefoodsystems

Extreme Plankton Bloom Creates Marine 'Dead Zone' Off Eastern Thailand Reuters | Sep 20, 2023, 08:42 IST An unusually dense plankton bloom off the coast of Thailand is causing an aquatic "dead zone", threatening the livelihood of local CHONBURI: An unusually dense plankton bloom off the eastern coast of Thailand is creating an aquatic "dead zone", threatening the livelihood of local fishermen who farm mussels in the waters. Marine scientists say some areas in the Gulf of Thailand have more than 10 times the normal amount of plankton, turning the water a bright green and killing off marine life. "This is the first that I've seen it so bad," said marine scientist Tanuspong Pokavanich. "It is very severe." Plankton blooms happen one or two times a year and typically last two to three days, experts say. They can produce toxins that harm the environment, or they can kill off marine life by depleting the oxygen in the water and blocking sunlight. Chonburi's coasts are famous for their mussel farms, and more than 80% of the almost 300 plots in the area has been affected, said Satitchat Thimkrajong, president of the Chonburi Fisheries Association. Fisherman Suchat Buwat's plot was one of those impacted. He said the bloom had caused him losses of more than 500,000 baht ($14,000), with his peers also racking up "unfathomable" losses. While the cause of the intense plankton bloom remains unclear, scientists believe pollution and the intense heat caused by climate change are to blame. "El Niño causes drought and higher sea temperatures," said Tanuspong. "Everything will get worse if we don't adjust how we manage resources, water waste and how we live." Earlier this year, a plankton bloom caused thousands of dead fish to wash up along a stretch of beach in Thailand's southern Chumphon province, with experts blaming climate change for stimulating the natural phenomenon. Worldwide, marine heatwaves have become a growing concern this year, with thousands of dead fish washing up on beaches in Texas and experts warning of algal blooms along the British coast as a result of rising sea temperatures. #algalbloom #deadzone #hypoxia https://lnkd.in/g-6awvWH