Implications of climate change for Australian fisheries and aquaculture: a preliminary assessment

• Main Authors: Alistair J. Hobday, Elvira S. Poloczanska, Richard J. Matear
• Format: Report
• Language: unknown
• Published: Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency 2008
• Subjects: Climatic changes; Atlantic salmon
• Online Access: http://apo.org.au/node/1589

This review finds that there are likely to be significant climate change impacts on the biological, economic, and social aspects of Australian fisheries and that there is little consolidated knowledge of the potential impacts of climate change. Both positive and negative impacts are expected, and impacts will vary according to changes in the regional environment: south-east fisheries are most likely to be affected by changes in water temperature, northern fisheries by changes in precipitation, and western fisheries by changes in the Leeuwin Current. There may be new opportunities for some wild fisheries where tropical species shift southward. There will also be many challenges, such as that faced by the Tasmanian salmon aquaculture industry due to Atlantic salmon being cultivated close to their upper thermal limits of optimal growth. Nevertheless, the report also highlights that there is potential for adaptation measures to be employed by the industry. The report also notes the need for fisheries and aquaculture management policies to better integrate the effects of climate variability and climate change in establishing harvest levels and developing future strategies. This will enhance the resilience of marine biodiversity and the adaptive capacity of the fisheries and aquaculture industries.