Climate Change is Putting Ocean Fish Stocks in Danger

    Fish are among the most sought-after food resources in the world. So much so that nearly 48 million tons of fish are caught each year, which creates over $77 billion USD according to research done by the University of British (UBC) Columbia. Nations from all over the world enjoy eating fish, creating a very high demand. To help countries maintain the large supply, the United Nations stablished Exclusive Economic (EEZ) Zones. An EEZ gives a sovereign state rights over marine resources that extend 200 nautical miles from the states coast. These zones are crucial to many countries, but climate change is changing EEZs forever.

    While people are capable of following territorial boundaries, fish are migratory in nature and do not abide by EEZs or human boundaries. This leads to major issues as warming waters are changing the distribution patterns of transboundary fish. Researchers from UBC found that, “…some countries get over 80 per cent of their catch from transboundary species”. With such a high supply coming from transboundary fish, the altered patterns impose risks for many countries, but especially ones in tropical regions.

    Pacific Island countries like Palau and Solomon Islands could see a 10 to 40 per cent drop in yellowfin tuna and skipjack catches by 2050 due to their redistribution. With their most exported fish being redistributed, these islands economies could be affected tremendously. Even the USA, Canada, Iceland, and Norway have had conflict dealing with the allocation of Atlantic mackerel, a transboundary fish that has been changing locations. While some countries EEZs are hit negatively, certain places have seen an increase in catches. For instance, UBC Professor Rashid Sumaila states, “catches are expected to increase by 15 to 20 per cent in Kiribati and the Cook Islands”.

    Due to the unpredictability of transboundary fish, global cooperation is required. Without cooperation, certain fish species could become extinct to ocean mismanagement. Improper assessment of the worlds shared waters and marine species will put many countries economies and wellbeing in jeopardy. Proper cooperation would allow the world to maximize the economic and ecological qualities of Earth’s waters. Global coordination would most importantly provide future generations with a vital food resource and monetary security.

Works Cited

https://oceans.ubc.ca/2020/10/21/transboundary/

https://phys.org/news/2020-08-impact-climate-tropical-fisheries-ripples.html