Socio-economic Impacts—Fisheries

Abstract

Fishers and scientists have known for over 100 years that the status of fish stocks can be greatly influenced by prevailing climatic conditions. Based on historical sea surface temperature data, the North Sea has been identified as one of 20 'hot spots' of climate change globally and projections for the next 100 years suggest that the region will continue to warm. The consequences of this rapid temperature rise are already being seen in shifts in species distribution and variability in stock recruitment. This chapter reviews current evidence for climate change effects on fisheries in the North Sea-one of the most important fishing grounds in the world-as well as available projections for North Sea fisheries in the future. Discussion focuses on biological, operational and wider market concerns, as well as on possible economic consequences. It is clear that fish communities and the fisheries that target them will be very different in 50 or 100 years' time and that management and governance will need to adapt accordingly. IntroductionThe North Sea remains one of the world's most important fishing grounds. In 2013, around 3.5 million tonnes of fish and shellfish were taken from the region (2.6 million tonnes by EU countries), approximately 55 % of the total for EU countries as a whole. European fisheries are very diverse, ranging from highly industrialised distant-water fisheries to small-scale artisanal fisheries that typically operate near the coast. EU citizens consume large quantities of seafood each year (currently around 23.3 kg on average per person), and rely on fisheries for health and well-being, as well as for supporting more than 120,000 jobs directly and a further 115,000 in fish processing (STECF 2013). There has been

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