Global Warming Could Devastate Fish Stocks

December 14, 2006

Release from: Becky W. Evans
Standard-Times

Global warming holds "massive implications" for New England's coastal communities and economies, including warmer water temperatures that could increase stress on already dwindling Georges Bank fish stocks, according to a report released yesterday by the Conservation Law Foundation.

In the 15-page report, the environmental group calls for immediate action to curb global warming and endorses renewable energy projects — such as the proposed 130-turbine Cape Wind farm in Nantucket Sound — that would reduce U.S. dependence on fossil fuels.

Scientists believe the burning of fossil fuels by automobiles and power plants is speeding up global warming by releasing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, where they trap heat. Global warming — the gradual heating of the Earth that causes changes in global climate patterns — is predicted to bring floods, drought, food and water shortages and other catastrophic events.

Priscilla Brooks, director of the foundation's ocean conservation program, said the purpose of the report is to inform the public that global warming could have "staggering" impacts on the ocean environment. The report, which was partially funded by a $4,000 grant from the Norcross Wildlife Foundation, draws together information from government reports and peer-reviewed science articles.

Rising water temperatures and sea levels triggered by global warming could affect "the abundance, distribution and interaction among organisms that live in the marine environment," according to the report.

Warming surface waters could reduce the production of phytoplankton, an important source of nutrients for fish and other marine animals. The report notes there is evidence that low food availability has hampered the growth rates of larval cod and haddock on Georges Bank and "warming waters will probably exacerbate these conditions."

If water temperatures increase by 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit in fall and winter, migratory routes for summer flounder, bluefish, mackerel, herring and certain squid species could shift between 29 and 57 miles father north and to shallower areas, according to the report. Meanwhile, changes in ocean current circulation patterns could throw off the transport of non-swimming fish larvae from spawning grounds to favorable nursing grounds.

With fish and shellfish landings contributing $176.2 million and $292.6 million to the New Bedford and Massachusetts economies respectively, the study points out that altered marine environments could have large economic consequences for coastal communities.

Global warming also threatens to raise sea levels due to melting glaciers and ice caps. On Cape Cod, approximately 33 acres of land are lost to the sea each year, according to the report. Current estimates show the sea is rising about 12 inches per century in coastal marshes along southern Massachusetts. As sea levels continue to rise "beloved New England coastal homes" could disappear, according to the report.

"I think we all need to consider that there are going to be massive and irreversible impacts to our coastal lands," Ms. Brooks said. "We need to act now to prevent that from happening."

Recommended actions include smart growth development plans that limit vehicle miles traveled, investment in renewable energy projects, incentives for consumers to purchase fuel-efficient vehicles and the establishment of a network of marine protected areas that prohibit fishing and other human activities.