Abstract
WHAT IS ALREADY HAPPENING?
Increases in warm-water fish species in UK waters continue to be observed, along with local declines of some cold-affinity species.
Research continues to support the hypothesis that temperature changes are affecting fish growth and age at maturation in UK waters.
New experimental studies have shown that fin-fish larvae may be sensitive to changes in ocean acidification, but different species have shown a variety of responses.
Several species of cephalopods have shown noticeable increases in abundance and geographical spread in UK waters, a change consistent with warming waters.
Recent evidence supports the hypothesis that reproductive success in Atlantic cod is negatively impacted at temperatures above 9.6°C.
WHAT COULD HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE?
Ocean temperatures are expected to continue to rise and will affect species composition and abundances, particularly in shallower areas such as the southern North Sea.
Shifts in food-webs may occur due to changes in species composition and abundances affecting predator-prey relationships.
For important commercial species, such as cod, areas such as the northern North Sea will remain suitable habitat throughout the coming century but more southern areas will become less suitable.
Such sub-regional effects will need to be taken into account in fisheries management plans and advice, and this may require changes in the spatial scales at which data are collected, reported and analysed in the coming decades.
By end of century, conditions could become favourable for warm-water species such as Mediterranean horse mackerel and bogue as far north as the middle of the Irish and North Seas.
Experiments have suggested that effects from ocean acidification and oxygen depletion could lead to stress in some species under conditions expected by end of century but impacts on wild fish populations are hard to predict as only a limited range of species have been studied so far.
Increases in warm-water fish species in UK waters continue to be observed, along with local declines of some cold-affinity species.
Research continues to support the hypothesis that temperature changes are affecting fish growth and age at maturation in UK waters.
New experimental studies have shown that fin-fish larvae may be sensitive to changes in ocean acidification, but different species have shown a variety of responses.
Several species of cephalopods have shown noticeable increases in abundance and geographical spread in UK waters, a change consistent with warming waters.
Recent evidence supports the hypothesis that reproductive success in Atlantic cod is negatively impacted at temperatures above 9.6°C.
WHAT COULD HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE?
Ocean temperatures are expected to continue to rise and will affect species composition and abundances, particularly in shallower areas such as the southern North Sea.
Shifts in food-webs may occur due to changes in species composition and abundances affecting predator-prey relationships.
For important commercial species, such as cod, areas such as the northern North Sea will remain suitable habitat throughout the coming century but more southern areas will become less suitable.
Such sub-regional effects will need to be taken into account in fisheries management plans and advice, and this may require changes in the spatial scales at which data are collected, reported and analysed in the coming decades.
By end of century, conditions could become favourable for warm-water species such as Mediterranean horse mackerel and bogue as far north as the middle of the Irish and North Seas.
Experiments have suggested that effects from ocean acidification and oxygen depletion could lead to stress in some species under conditions expected by end of century but impacts on wild fish populations are hard to predict as only a limited range of species have been studied so far.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publisher | MCCIP Science Review 2023 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Sept 2023 |
