Global Warming Effects on Fish

Climate change is a growing issue that threatens fish populations across the globe. The journal Science published a study that describes how the warming of oceans has led to a 4% decline in catches that are sustainable. This study further emphasizes how global warming has significantly reduced fish stocks, which could potentially affect the food supplies of millions of people worldwide.

In Asia's coastal regions such as Japan's Kuroshio Current and the East China Sea, the fish stocks decreased by 15% to 35% over eighty years also according to the journal. This shrink in the fish population is very concerning since these fish stocks actually supply the world's fastest growing population, which have a large demand for seafood. Overfishing has also exacerbated this issue since it diminishes fish's reproductive capabilities, which make these fish more vulnerable to the changes caused by global warming.

However, the warming of oceans due to climate change has also benefited some species of fish. In light of global warming in the last decade, the population of Black Sea Bass has increased in according to the Long Island Sound Study since the ocean warming must have killed off other species that live in similar areas, which has caused the Black Sea Bass to increase their territory. Nevertheless, climate change is still an issue that needs to be resolved since the productivity of these species that are surviving due to climate change is not sustainable.

Some solutions that governments around the world should take to address this urgent issue are eliminate overfishing and establish trade agreements with other nations to share the supply of fish around the world so that countries do not have to overfish on their own territory when there is already a surplus somewhere else. Countries should also continue enforcing policy that will allow them to meet the goals set forth in the United Nations 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, which calls on nations around the world to help limit global warming.

It is still possible to reserve the course of climate change and bring stability to the world. However, we are on the edge of not being able to come back from the effects of global warming if we continue on the path that we are today. Significant policy changes need to be made in order to ensure the success of the future generations that we will leave this planet to take care of and enjoy.