ADAPTATION. fisheries ABOUT BIG FACTS

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1 ABOUT BIG Big Facts is a resource of the most up-to-date and robust facts relevant to the nexus of climate change, agriculture and food security. It is intended to provide a credible and reliable platform for fact checking amid the range of claims that appear in reports, advocacy materials and other sources. Full sources are supplied for all facts and figures and all content has gone through a process of peer review. Big Facts is also an open-access resource. We encourage everyone to download, use and share the facts and graphic images. We believe that by sharing knowledge we can aid the type of interdisciplinary understanding and collaboration necessary for meeting the challenges posed to agriculture and food security in the face of climate change. The Big Facts project is led by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). CCAFS is a strategic partnership of CGIAR and Future Earth, led by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). CCAFS brings together the world s best researchers in agricultural science, development research, climate science and Earth System science, to identify and address the most important interactions, synergies and tradeoffs between climate change, agriculture and food security. We are well aware that this field is progressing rapidly, and that science is always open for reevaluation. We welcome your suggestions for improvements, updates and corrections at ccafs@ cgiar.org. Acknowledgments Project leaders: Simon Bager, Bruce Campbell, Lucy Holt Sonja Vermeulen

2 Fishery adaptation strategies will vary considerably across the globe from changing locations to shifting the timing and species targeted depending on the local impacts of climate change (Cochrane et al. 2009; Grafton 2009). There is huge potential to expand aquaculture (raising of fish in captivity in the sea or freshwater) even in the face of climate change (Cochrane et al. 2009). Aquatic species that do not migrate extensively and that have wide environmental tolerances can be used in aquaculture and targeted by capture to help adapt to new climatic conditions (FAO 2013 p. 93). Improving the general resilience of and aquaculture systems will reduce their vulnerability to climate change. For example, biodiversity-rich are less sensitive to climate change than those that are overfished and have little biodiversity. Healthy coral reef and mangroves systems, for example, provide natural barriers to physical impacts such as storm surges. Communities that are dependent on and aquaculture have strong social systems and a portfolio of livelihood options that have higher adaptive capacities and lower sensitivities to change. Larger-scale production systems that have effective governance systems and high capital mobility tend to be more resilient to change than smaller-scale systems or those with weak governance systems (De Young et al p. 9). Technical innovation provides some adaptation options. Such innovations include: breeding aquaculture species that are tolerant of saline water to confront sea-level rise; development of storm-resistant fish farming systems (e.g. sturdier fish cages); and the widespread use of information technology to share weather and market information (De Young et al p. 10). Governance of affects the range of adaptation options available and will need to be flexible enough to accommodate changes in stock distribution and abundance. Governance aimed at supporting equitable and sustainable, that accommodates inherent uncertainty and that is based on an ecosystem approach, as currently advocated, is thought to generally improve the adaptive capacity of (Daw et al p. 108). Strategies that make the fishing system more sustainable and economically rewarding are essential to help small-scale adapt to climate change. Specific adaptation interventions should build on fishers current strategies for dealing with risk, shocks and change to avoid maladaptation. They should recognize places where climate change will benefit local as well as those places where climate change will have a negative impact (Badjeck et al. 2010). An effective means to build resilience of ocean systems would be to tackle other stressors such as pollution, overfishing and trawling that are already degrading ecosystems and exacerbating vulnerability to climate change (Nellemann et al. 2008).

3 Examples of measures to adapt to climate impacts on Impact on Potential adaptation measures Reduced productivity and yields Increased variability of yield Change in distribution of Reduced profitability Increased vulnerability of coastal, riparian and floodplain communities and infrastructure to flooding, sea level and surges Increased risks associated with fishing (e.g. safety at sea) Trade and market shocks Displacement of population leading to influx of new fishers Various Access higher-value markets Increase effort or fishing power* Diversify livelihood portfolio Insurance schemes Precautionary management for resilient ecosystems Implementation of integrated and adaptive management Private research and development and investments in technologies to predict migration routes and availability of commercial fish stocks* Migration* Reduce costs to increase efficiency Diversify livelihoods Exit the fishery for other livelihoods/investments Hard defences* Managed retreat/accommodation Rehabilitation and disaster response Integrated coastal management Infrastructure provision (e.g. protecting harbours and landing sites) Early warning systems and education Post-disaster recovery Assisted migration Private insurance of capital equipment Adjustments in insurance markets Insurance underwriting Weather warning system Investment in improved vessel stability/safety Compensation for impacts Diversification of markets and products Information services for anticipation of price and market shocks Support for existing local management institutions Publicly available research and development

4 Examples of measures to adapt to climate impacts on aquaculture Impacts Adaptive measures Temperature rise above optimal range of tolerance Increased growth rates as a result of temperature change; higher production Increased virulence of dormant pathogens Limitations on fishmeal and fish oil supplies/price Coral reef destruction Loss of agricultural land Indirect influence on estuarine aquaculture through changes in brood stock and seed availability Impact on calcareous shell formation/deposition Limitations on water abstraction Water retention period reduced Availability of wild seed stocks reduced/period changed Destruction of facilities; loss of stock; loss of business; large-scale escapes with the potential to affect biodiversity Better feeds Selective breeding for higher temperature tolerance Increase feed input and better management None; monitoring to prevent health risks Fishmeal and fish oil replacement New forms of feed management Shift to non-carnivorous species None, but shifting from harvesting to breeding of coral reef species may improve reef resilience by reducing fishing pressure and harmful fishing practices Promote aquaculture to provide alternative livelihoods Capacity building and infrastructure None None Improve efficacy of water usage Encourage non-consumptive water-use aquaculture, e.g. cage-based aquaculture and/or mariculture Use of fast-growing fish species Increase efficacy of water sharing with primary users e.g. irrigation of rice paddy Shift to artificially propagated seed (extra cost) Encourage uptake of individual/cluster insurance Improve design to minimize mass escape Encourage use of indigenous species to minimize impacts on biodiversity. De Young et al. (2012 p. 11) after Cochrane et al. (2009).

5 SOURCES & FURTHER READINGS Badjeck MC, Allison EH, Halls AS, Dulvy NK Impacts of climate variability and change on fishery-based livelihoods. Marine Policy 34: Cochrane K, De Young C, Soto D, Bahri T, eds Climate change implications for and aquaculture: overview of current scientific knowledge. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper no Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (Available from (Accessed on 5 November 2013) De Young C, Soto D, Bahri T, Brown D Building resilience for adaptation to climate change in the and aquaculture sector. In: Meybeck A, Lankoski J, Redfern S, Azzu N, Gitz V, eds. Building resilience for adaptation to climate change in the agriculture sector. Proceedings of a Joint FAO/OECD Workshop, April Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (Available from (Accessed on 5 November 2013) Daw T, Adger WN, Brown K, Badjeck MC Climate change and capture : potential impacts, adaptation and mitigation. In: Cochrane K, De Young C, Soto D, Bahri T, eds Climate change implications for and aquaculture: overview of current scientific knowledge. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper no Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. FAO Climate-smart agriculture sourcebook. Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (Available from docrep/018/i3325e/i3325e.pdf) (Accessed on 5 November 2013) Grafton RQ Adaptation to climate change in marine capture. Environmental Economics Research Hub Research Report No. 37. Canberra: Australian National University. (Available from research_units/eerh/ pdf/eerh_rr37.pdf) (Accessed on 5 November 2013) Nellemann C, Hain S, Alder J, eds In dead water merging of climate change with pollution, over-harvest and infestations in the world s fishing grounds. Arendal, Norway: United Nations Environment Programme.