Fish losses because of climate change

According to new projections published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in July 2024, the potential climate risks to exploitable fish biomass are high for almost all regions of the world's oceans, including major producing countries and countries that rely heavily on aquatic foods.

Global projections of exploitable fish biomass show declines of more than 10 per cent, particularly under the high-emissions scenario, by mid-century for many regions of the world.

By the end of the century, under the high-emissions scenario, which projects global warming of 3-4.0 °C, declines worsen to 30 per cent or greater in 48 countries and territories.

In contrast, under the low-emissions scenario, which projects global warming of 1.5-2 °C, changes stabilise between no change and a decrease of 10 per cent or less across 178 countries and territories by the end of the century.

Notable declines include those for top fish producer nations, which worsen towards the end of the century under the high-emissions scenario, for example 37.3 per cent for Peru's and 30.9 per cent for China's Exclusive Economic Zones, but stabilise under the low-emissions scenario.

A comparison of the losses projected under both scenarios by the end of the century reveals that lowering emissions has marked benefits for nearly all countries and territories.

This includes Small Island Developing States, where people rely heavily on fisheries for food and income and where the ecological and socioeconomic risks posed by climate change are highest. For example, among the Pacific Islands States, 68–90 per cent of the extreme end-of-century losses projected under high emissions are averted by the low-emissions scenario for the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

(FAO/ile)

Read more on the FAO website