By Jenny Lehmann

As climate change threatens ecosystems and economies, scientists and fisheries work together to manage imminent changes.

Rising water temperatures, acidification, and deoxygenation are disrupting marine ecosystems worldwide. These changes threaten culturally and economically significant species, ultimately endangering the livelihoods that depend on them. To manage marine species struggling with climate change, it is essential to identify the most vulnerable ecosystems and species.

A study conducted by the University of California, Santa Cruz, aims to help Californian fisheries adapt by developing climate-ready management strategies. The research team collaborated with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), fisheries scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and experts from the Nature Conservancy and the California Ocean Protection Council to assess the climate vulnerability of 34 key aquatic species.

«The results are striking,» said Timothy Frawley, an assistant project scientist at UC Santa Cruz’s Institute of Marine Sciences and lead author of the study, in a press release. «Some of California’s most economically and culturally important fisheries are among the most vulnerable to projected environmental changes.»

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