The Impacts of Changing Climate on the Local Seafood Industry

The Impacts of Changing Climate on the Local Seafood Industry

The Ocean s Importance Regulates the Earth System Holds 97% of our Earth s Water Produce more than half of the oxygen in our atmosphere Absorb some 93% of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere Worldwide half of the population live in coastal zones and a billion people rely on fish as their main source ofprotein Supports the greatest biodiversity on the planet Economic Importance: US - $199 Billion Dollar Industry supporting 1.7 Million Jobs California: $201 Million Dollar Ex-Vessel Revenue and 120,000 Jobs California: 357 Million Pounds Landed in 2014 227 Million Pounds ofsquid 18 Million Pounds of Dungeness Crab 17 Million Pounds ofpacific Sardine In San Diego alone approx. 130 Commercial Fishermen fish for rockfish, rock crab, urchin, sheepshead, albacore, swordfish, yellowfin/bluefin tuna, and opah

The Blob Fall 2013 abnormal weather system of high pressure formed over the Pacific Northwest Coast. Shut down ocean-stirring winds and slowed the heat exchange between the atmosphere and the ocean. Created a blob of warm water in the Gulf of Alaska. Spring 2014 ocean warms rapidly off Baja and Southern California due to persistently weak winds Fall 2014 due to a shift in the wind patterns, the blobs merged Water is warmer by 5-10 degrees Fahrenheit which dampened Wind driven upwelling typically brings cold, nutrient rich water to the surface, spurring the growth of algae essential to the food chain. But in 2014 & 2015 week wind meant this only occurred in Northern California & further north. Even there Upwelling only occurred close to the coastal strip.

The Blob + El Nino Summer water temperatures. The impacted area of the California North Coast is circled. Credit: California Department of Fish and Game March 30, 2016

California Dungeness Crab Microscopic Algae stressed by high water temperatures produced Damoic Acid. Due to upwelling only occurring by the coast, animals like the CA Dungeness Crab looking for phytoplankton close to shore, also ingested high amounts of Damoic Acid. Blooms of these algae usually only last a few weeks in Early Spring & Autumn. In 2015, rather than tapering off the algae remained for months at record levels from Southern California to Alaska. Prolonged exposure of the Dungeness Crab to this neurotoxin allowed it to seep into their flesh Fishery was closed for harvest from December 2015 through March 2016 as a result $67 Million Dollar Fishery in CA

California Sardines Population has plunged by over 90% since 2007. Due to a combination of factors: Overfishing coupled with Cold waters preceding El Nino caused lower spawning rates among the species. All commercial sardine fishing within 200 miles of the US West Coast has been banned for 2 years beginning in 2015 by the Pacific Fishery Management Council. Average $4 million dollar fishery annually. Many Fishermen switched to fishing squid and anchovies. Effects higher up the food chain ex Sea Lion pups starving and washing up onca beaches.

California Sardines Source: Thayer et al. (2013), unpublished data; "California Current Predator Diet Database: Predators on Forage Species."

California Squid El Nino conditions will generally produce lower squid landings. 2014 114,000 tons landed, $72 Million October 2014 107,000 tons landed YTD October 2015 34,000 tons landed YTD Higher water temperatures alter the numbers of krill and other small crustaceans squid thrive on. Fishermen typically catch squid in the shallow, nearshore areas where they spawn. Squid are diving deeper for food, deeper than the nets can reach. Concern that if squid eggs are deposited in waters too cold, it will throw off the spawn cycle if hatchlings emerge inthe wrong season. Fishermen reporting to us that squid they have been catching are too small to clean and not commercially viable. California Department of Fish and Game

Bull Kelp & Sea Urchin Perfect Storm 2013 Sea Star Wasting Disease killed large numbers of sea stars off the North American West Coast. Sea stars are important predators of the invertebrates that live in Kelp forests. Loss of these predators would later create a purple sea urchin boom. Purple urchins density is now 60 times greater than their historic density in Northern California. Purple urchins are voracious consumers of kelp. Large amounts of purple urchins can wipe out entire kelp beds removing habitat for animals like Ling Cod, Lobster, and Rockfish. 2014/2015 Water temperatures rise and many species of kelp die in water 63 degrees and higher because of the lack of nutrients in the water. Since Kelp are weakened by lack of nutrition, they are more susceptible to dislodgment by El Nino storms. In 2015, the Red Sea Urchin fishery experienced a 66% drop in catch and economic value due to the poor quality of the roe. Red Urchin are higher prized than the purple since they are larger and more marketable. Sea Urchin divers have reported poor meat fill of the urchins. Sea Urchins are a $9 million industry state-wide with particular effort in San Diego & Santa Barbara

El Nino A Harbinger of Stranger Things to Come? A map of recent interactions between humans and sea creatures in areas where they aren't normally found. Credit: Leaflet/Tiles Esri Esri, DeLorme, NAVTEQ, TomTom, Intermap, ipc, USGS, FAO, NPS, NRCAN, GeoBase, Kadaster NL, Ordnance Survey, Esri Japan, METI, Esri China (Hong Kong), and the GIS User Community Fisheries Scientists have observed in the last 2 years: Ocean Sunfish & Skipjack Tuna offthe coast of Alaska Green Sea Turtles usually found in Mexico in the San Francisco Bay Entire School of Juvenile Sheepshead found in the kelp forests of Carmel & Monterrey Sub Tropical Fish like Marlin, Bluefin Tuna, Pygmy Killer Whales of Southern California Many of these sightings are consistent with 82-83 and 97-98 El Nino effects Fisheries Management Scientists are concerned El Nino weather patterns may be a harbinger of the future of fisheries given Climate Change is expected to produce: Water Temperature Rise Ocean Acidification Rising Sea Levels

Ocean Acidification & Oysters

Ocean Acidification & Oysters National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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