On June 6, 2024, the NOAA Climate Program Office and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute launched Climate Adaptation Resource Hub for Fishing Communities, an online platform designed to support adaptation planning efforts in fishing communities in the coastal U.S. Northeast region (New England and the Mid-Atlantic), strengthening local economies and livelihoods.
The hub provides a wealth of resources for the coastal Northeast:
- Description of the current and future climate hazards that impact fisheries
- Community-specific information and projections on climate-driven shifts in distribution and availability of marine species
- Information and strategic steps for individuals, businesses, and communities to adapt their fisheries in the face of climate change impacts
- Information focuses on three main stages of the adaptation process: understanding, planning, and managing
- Guidance and resources useful for building community-scale climate resilience in fisheries
“The tools and information available on the Climate Adaptation Resource Hub provide fishing communities, municipalities, and community leaders with important resources to advance their adaptation planning for climate stressors that may have profound effects on their livelihoods, economies, and cultures,” said Jennifer Dopkowski, Program Manager, Climate and Fisheries Adaptation Program.
Northeast fisheries are on the frontlines of climate change. According to the Fifth National Climate Assessment, ocean warming, more frequent and intense marine heatwaves, sea level rise, and ocean acidification are harming aquatic ecosystems and ecosystem services, and these impacts are expected to be exacerbated by future climate change. Fish stocks are shifting northeastward along the shelf and into deeper waters. Traditional Mid-Atlantic fish species (e.g., black sea bass) are increasing, and subarctic species (e.g., northern shrimp and Atlantic cod) face declines in the Gulf of Maine. Warming is changing the distribution of bottom-dwelling species, including American lobster, Atlantic surf clams, and sea scallops.
“These species shifts affect fishing opportunities at different locations, and as harvesters adapt to these changes, the types of fishing activities pursued and waterfront infrastructure needed may change. Our goal with the resource hub is to provide localized information that can support fishing communities as they plan for and adapt to climate impacts,” said Dr. Kathy Mills, Gulf of Maine Research Institute senior scientist and lead investigator for the project.
This resource hub is the culmination of a multi-year project funded and supported by the NOAA Climate Program Office through its Climate and Fisheries Adaptation Program (formerly called Coastal and Ocean Climate Applications Program).
The Climate and Fisheries Adaptation (CAFA) Program is a partnership between the NOAA Climate Program Office, and the National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Science and Technology that supports targeted research to promote adaptation and resilience of the nation’s fisheries and fisheries-dependent communities in a changing climate. By bringing together NOAA scientists with many partners, CAFA addresses priority needs for information and tools identified in the NOAA Fisheries Climate Science Strategy, Regional Action Plans, and other sources.
For more information on how to use the resource hub, visit a recent webinar recording.
