Climate change is already significantly affecting U.S. fishing communities, sometimes with devastating consequences. In January 2024, two major storms hit New England, causing $70.3 million in damage to Maine’s public infrastructure and prompting federal disaster declarations and aid. This incident highlighted the broader impacts of climate change on the seafood industry.
At the Seafood Expo North America in March 2024, NOAA Fisheries officials discussed their efforts to predict and manage these impacts. Species like black sea bass have shifted their ranges northward, prompting NOAA to adapt its scientific and management approaches. Alaska, in particular, faces rapid changes affecting its fisheries. Robert Foy of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center emphasized the significant and unprecedented impacts of climate change on both long-term patterns and short-term extreme events, such as marine heatwaves, which have led to massive shifts in species populations and distribution.
While some fisheries suffer, others, like sablefish and sockeye salmon, are thriving under changing conditions. These mixed outcomes underscore the complex and varied effects of climate change on the fishing industry.