The Food and Agriculture Organization has issued a caution on the repercussions of climate change on fisheries and aquaculture. It is this climate change that is seen in the oceans and seas will have direct implications for food security. This is particularly relevant to developing countries, where about million people work directly in the sector and 2.8 billion depend on fish products for 20% of animal protein.
Although the impact of higher temperature is more pronounced in certain geographical location and more intense in surface waters. A study on the oceans has confirmed that warning in the ocean can go deeper than 700 meters. This would have adverse effect on the ocean ecosystem.
The warming of surface water has already led to changes in species composition the northern hemisphere as warm water species replacing cold water fishes, ice bound regions being invaded by aquatic species and fresh water species taking the place of marine species. The warming has also led to algae blooms in the hostile northern hemisphere oceans, raising alarm signals for the survival of fish.
The changes in the ocean salinity and acidity are also affecting fisheries and aquaculture. There is also emerging evidence that marine organisms are responding faster to global warming than previously.
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According the FAO, climate change will increase uncertainties in the supply of fish. Owning to changes in fish species, the impact of climate change will mainly be felt in the availability and access to food. Already, the United States and Canada are negotiating access to certain fish species whose spatial distributions are determined by environmental variations. However, the major contributor of aquaculture Asia will be most vulnerable region. All these suggest the fact that cutting emission becomes more urgent than ever.