Pacific Ocean Marine Heat Waves' Impact On Key Fisheries Will Double In Next 30 Years
A new study co-authored by a University of B.C. researcher predicts increased death rates for Pacific fish stocks from marine heat waves like the mysterious "Blob" that disrupted the marine ecosystem from 2013 to 2015.
The research, released in the journal Scientific Reports, concludes that by 2050 the large masses of warm water may double the impact of climate change on species that are highly valued for fisheries.
"So, for example, for sockeye salmon we may be seeing a decrease in potential catch for more than 30 per cent," co-author and UBC associate professor William Cheung told CBC Radio West host Sarah Penton on Tuesday. "The Blob" was the nickname given to a large marine heat wave that occurred in 2013 and affected marine life on the West Coast from Alaska to Baja California for several years.
Since then, similar marine heat waves have developed off the Pacific coast. "This is not a one-off event," said Cheung, who is the Canada research chair in ocean sustainability at the UBC Institute for Oceans and Fisheries.
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