Impact of Climate Change on Fishery Resources and the Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector

The fisheries and aquaculture sector faces significant challenges due to climate change. Fish consumption is an essential component of the global diet and represents a primary source of livelihood for many coastal communities. However, according to a recent study by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), fish stocks could experience a significant decline due to global warming. This scenario poses serious concerns for commercial fishers and coastal communities that depend on fish production for their survival. Warming oceans reduce the flow of nutrients from deep waters to surface layers, compromising the basis of the marine food web. This phenomenon not only reduces the abundance of phytoplankton but also affects fish size and growth. "Exploitable fish biomass," or the total weight of fish between 10 g and 100 kg, could dramatically decline in many Mediterranean countries by 2100. To mitigate the impacts of climate change, it is essential to develop strategies capable of managing changes in fishing activities. Furthermore, it is crucial to support fishermen by valorizing their catches, offering alternative employment opportunities, and implementing management measures. The fishing sector therefore faces significant challenges due to climate change, and now more than ever it is necessary to advance sustainable development models capable of adapting and becoming more resilient. Collaboration between countries, institutions, the scientific community, and national stakeholders is necessary and fundamental for the adoption of common sustainable management strategies and the commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which are crucial to ensuring a sustainable future for marine fisheries.

Session Chair

Massimo Bellavista, Project Manager, Legacoop Emilia-Romagna

Program

Speech by Anna Montini, Councilor for the Blue Economy of the Municipality of Rimini

Focus on the fishing and aquaculture sector in Emilia-Romagna
Arianna Silvestri, Legacoop Emilia-Romagna Sector Manager

Warming of the Adriatic Sea and new species established
Pero Tutman, Scientific Advisor, Split Oceanographic Institute

“BRAVE Project: The strategic cross-border initiative of the Interreg Italy-Croatia program to protect and improve the health of the Adriatic Sea”
Piergiorgio Vasi, Project Manager, Emilia-Romagna Region

FARCLIMATE: Climate change adaptation solutions for fisheries and aquaculture
Maria Caldeiro, Project Manager, FUNDAMAR Foundation

Capacity-building initiatives of GALPA Costa dell'Emilia-Romagna
Angela Nazzaruolo, Director, Delta 2000

Final conclusions
Nikos Zampoukas, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission