Rick Crawford
We just experienced the warmest September in recorded history, and 2018 was the hottest year on record for our oceans. The bottom line is that our planet getting warmer due to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, and our oceans are absorbing much of this heat, which has serious implications for the fish we love to pursue. In fact, the IPCC recently released a Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, which was authored by 104 experts from 36 countries, and thought I’d share some insight into how climate change is impacting marine species.
1. Migratory Patterns
As our planet warms, the ocean absorbs much of the heat from climate change due to the greenhouse effect, and ocean warming is causing shifts in migration patterns. According to the IPCC Report’s Headline Statements:
It is virtually certain that the global ocean has warmed unabated since 1970 and has taken up more than 90% of the excess heat in the climate system (high confidence). Since 1993, the rate of ocean warming has more than doubled (likely).
In fact, according to National Environmental Education Foundation, “more than 80% of earth’s marine life is migrating to different places and changing their breeding and feeding patterns due to warming waters.” It is troublesome that marine species are changing their migratory patterns because many people are reliant on certain fish species as their main source of protein, and when combined with a growing population, how far will anglers have to travel to hunt the fish species they depend on?
2. Crustacean & Shelled Animals
Our oceans are not only getting warmer, but they are also becoming more acidic as the oceans absorb the overwhelming amount of CO2 that is emitted due to burning fossil fuels as greenhouse gasses get trapped in our atmosphere. According to the IPCC Report’s Headline Statements:
By absorbing more CO2, the ocean has undergone increasing surface acidification (virtually certain).
The reason that more acidic oceans is a problem is that the acidity makes it difficult for crustaceans and shelled animals to survive because it is more difficult for them to form their shells and protect themselves from predators, and has consequential ripple effects throughout entire ecosystems. Guess what marine species love to eat crustaceans and shelled animals? That’s right! Your favorite flats species like redfish, bonefish, tarpon and permit.
3. Stressed Fish
In addition to warming and more acidic oceans, we are also experiencing increases in marine heat waves, which puts a tremendous amount of stress on fish. According to the IPCC Report’s Headline Statements:
“Marine heatwaves have very likely doubled in frequency since 1982 and are increasing in intensity (very high confidence).”
Warming oceans are also causing marine heatwaves, and when combined with the decline of sea ice in the Arctic and the ice sheet loss in Greenland and the Arctic you also get areas of the ocean that are deoxygenated. I shouldn’t need to explain further that these are all bad signs for marine species, the human population that depends on them for sustenance and any business that is remotely tied to the ocean and marine life because no fish = no customers.
I am no scientist, but I do firmly believe in the scientific method, and the climate science is overwhelmingly clear. If you don’t believe in the science behind climate change then you simply don’t understand data (borrowed this line from Paul Hawken) because climate change is the greatest threat to our planet, fisheries, and our very own survival, and according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), worldwide global emissions will need to be cut 55% by 2030 and carbon neutral by 2050. Some immediate questions come to mind: Is solving climate change too big of a task? How do we do solve climate change? Can we save the planet?
Is solving climate change too big of a task?
Well, as Yvon Chouinard says, “the answer to depression is action” and I couldn’t agree more! Even though solving climate change is certainly a daunting task, I believe we can and I think Paul Hawken sums up my sentiments:
“When asked if I am pessimistic or optimistic about the future, my answer is always the same: If you look at the science about what is happening on earth and aren’t pessimistic, you don’t understand data. But if you meet the people who are working to restore the earth and the lives of the poor, and you aren’t optimistic, you haven’t got a pulse. What I see everywhere in the world are ordinary people willing to confront despair, power and incalculable odds in order to restore some semblance of grace, justice and beauty to this world.”
How do we do solve climate change?
There are literally hundreds of ways we can solve climate change and the book, Project Drawdown (www.drawdown.org) provides 100 solutions to solve climate change, and some of the solutions are quite surprising. It’s not just about transitioning to a renewable energy economy. There are lots of natural solutions that involve land use and carbon sequestration, as well as educating women and more. I’d encourage anyone reading this to visit: www.projectdrawdown.org and educate yourself.
Can we save the planet?
Of course we can! As an individual one of the most powerful actions you can take is call your elected officials and let them know that climate action is a critical issue your vote depends on it. As a business, one of the most powerful actions you can take is to set a goal to go carbon neutral and take steps to achieve carbon neutrality. If you’d like to learn more about how to achieve carbon neutrality, let’s talk.