Tags: Sea Around Us
Global climate target could net additional six million tons of fish annually
If countries abide by the Paris Agreement global warming target of 1.5 degrees Celsius, potential fish catches could increase by six million metric tons per year, according to a new study published in Science.
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The researchers also found that some oceans are more sensitive to changes in temperature and will have substantially larger gains from achieving the Paris Agreement.
“The benefits for vulnerable tropical areas is a strong reason why 1.5 C is an important target to meet,” said lead author William Cheung, director of science at the Nippon Foundation-UBC Nereus Program and associate professor at UBC’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries.
“Countries in these sensitive regions are highly dependent on fisheries for food and livelihood, but all countries will be impacted as the seafood supply chain is now highly globalized. Everyone would benefit from meeting the Paris Agreement.”
The authors compared the Paris Agreement 1.5 C warming scenario to the currently pledged 3.5 C by using computer models to simulate changes in global fisheries and quantify losses or gains. They found that for every degree Celsius decrease in global warming, potential fish catches could increase by more than three metric million tons per year. Previous UBC research shows that today’s global fish catch is roughly 109 million metric tons.
“Changes in ocean conditions that affect fish stocks, such as temperature and oxygen concentration, are strongly related to atmospheric warming and carbon emissions,” said author Thomas Frölicher, principal investigator at the Nippon Foundation-UBC Nereus Program and senior scientist at ETH Zürich.
“For every metric ton of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere, the maximum catch potential decreases by a significant amount.”
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Climate change is expected to force fish to migrate towards cooler waters. The amount and species of fish caught in different parts of the world will impact local fishers and make fisheries management more difficult.
The findings suggest that the Indo-Pacific area would see a 40 per cent increase in fisheries catches at 1.5 C warming versus 3.5 C. Meanwhile the Arctic region would have a greater influx of fish under the 3.5 C scenario but would also lose more sea ice and face pressure to expand fisheries.
The authors hope these results will provide further incentives for countries and the private sector to substantially increase their commitments and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“If one of the largest carbon dioxide emitting countries gets out of the Paris Agreement, the efforts of the others will be clearly reduced,” says author Gabriel Reygondeau, Nippon Foundation-UBC Nereus Program senior fellow at UBC. “It’s not a question of how much we can benefit from the Paris Agreement, but how much we don’t want to lose.”
The study “Large benefits to marine fisheries of meeting the 1.5 °C global warming target” was published in Science.
Tags: climate change, faculty, Gabriel Reygondeau, IOF postdoctoral fellows, marine catches, Nereus Program, William Cheung
Rashid Sumaila named a Hokkaido University Ambassador
Dr. Rashid Sumaila has been appointed as a Hokkaido University Ambassador. He will hold this appointment from 2016-2019.
The Hokkaido University Ambassador program was created so that the university could connect and partner with eminent scholars and researchers from across the globe, as well as to raise the university’s profile.
Dr. Sumaila has an international reputation in the economics, environmental and fisheries fields. A prolific scholar, he is at the forefront of producing knowledge and data about the status and trends in global fisheries, and has made a number of fundamental contributions to understanding the economics of global fisheries. He has also made important contributions on the effectiveness of fisheries management, fishery subsidy programs, fleet buybacks, conservation, marine protected areas, sustainability, discounting, among other topics.
Congratulations, Dr. Sumaila.
Tags: awards, faculty, Rashid Sumaila
Japan Prize
The Japan Prize is awarded annually to scientists and engineers from around the world who have made significant contributions to the advancement of science and technology, thereby furthering the cause of peace and prosperity of mankind.
Each year two fields of scientific endeavour are honoured. The Japan Prize laureates receive a certificate of merit and a prize medal. A cash prize of 50 million yen is also awarded for each prize field.
Deadline: Usually end of February
Eligible Fields for the Japan Prize between 2026-2028
Below are the fields eligible for the Japan Prize that have been decided for the two research areas. The fields rotate in a three year cycle.
| Physics, Chemistry, Informatics, Engineering – Eligible Fields | Year | Life Science, Agriculture, Medicine – Eligible Fields |
| Electronics, Information, and Communication | 2026 | Life Sciences |
| Resources, Energy, Environment, and Social Infrastructure | 2027 | Medical Science and Pharmaceutical Science |
| Materials Science and Production | 2028 | Biological Production, Ecology/ Environment |
Past IOF winners
Timothy R. Parsons (2000), in Marine Biology.
Seafood consumption 15 times higher among Indigenous than non-Indigenous people
Coastal Indigenous people eat on average 15 times more seafood per person than non-Indigenous people in the same country, according to new research from the University of British Columbia. The findings highlight the need to consider food sovereignty and cultural identity as part of fisheries policy and Indigenous human rights.
Mothers and children handlining for fish in the evening in Kavieng, Papua New Guinea. Image by Colette Wabnitz
In the first global-scale analysis of its kind, the study estimated that coastal Indigenous people consume 74 kilograms of seafood per capita, compared to the global average of 19 kilograms.
“This global database shows the scale and significance of seafood consumption by Indigenous people,” said lead author Andrés Cisneros-Montemayor, program manager with the Nippon Foundation – UBC Nereus Program and research associate with the UBC Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries. “For Indigenous people who are not recognized at the state level, this type of resource helps quantify the resources they depend on.”
The authors collected observed data and worked with local researchers to build a database of more than 1,900 communities who altogether consume 2.1 million metric tonnes of seafood per year. The communities studied include recognized Indigenous groups, self-identified minority groups, and small island developing states. These groups all share similar histories of marginalization and deep social and cultural connections to marine environments.
“Having access to a global database that quantifies fish consumption specifically by coastal Indigenous peoples is a critical contribution to Indigenous struggle on a number of fronts,” said Sherry Pictou, former Chief of L’sɨtkuk (Bear River First Nation) and member of the World Forum of Fisher Peoples Coordinating Committee. “Most significantly, the generation of information about the consumption of fish as food shows that food security and sovereignty must also be part of the conversation about Indigenous issues.”
Local fish on sale at the Saturday market in Kavieng, Papua New Guinea. Image by Colette Wabnitz
The ocean provides a vital source of food and economic security for these communities, while also shaping their cultural heritage and spiritual values for millennia. This new research highlights the reliance of indigenous communities on marine resources and the increasing vulnerability of these people due to climate and ecosystem changes.
“For a lot of these communities, the practice of fishing forms a link to their culture that defines them as a people. It’s not just about eating fish, it’s about maintaining an identity as a distinct culture,” said co-author Yoshitaka Ota, Nippon Foundation – UBC Nereus program director of policy and research associate at UBC’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries. “Not only must fish and ecosystems be protected, but also those lives and cultures that depend on the ocean.”
The study “A global estimate of seafood consumption by coastal Indigenous peoples” was published in PLOS ONE.
Tags: Andrés Cisneros-Montemayor, Indigenous fisheries, IOF Research Associates, marine catches, Nereus Program, Yoshitaka Ota
BC Marine Mammal Symposium
The 24th Annual BC Marine Mammal Symposium will be streamed on YouTube Live this Saturday, November 26 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
Join us for short presentations as well as discussion on issues pertaining to killer whales, porpoise, sea lions and other marine mammals. This all-day event is open to students, researchers, educators, businesses and others involved with marine mammals. Anyone in one or more of these categories is welcome to attend.
There are no more seats available to attend the Symposium in person. However, the entire event is being broadcast live on YouTube, where you are welcome to ask questions and join the discussion. Tune in at any time during the event. Please bookmark or go to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tu-Zm6b_pA
We hope you will join us on line!
Find other stories about: faculty, Marine Mammal Research Unit, Andrew Trites, David Rosen, marine mammals, seminars and events
Aerial drone offers insights into bowhead whale behaviour
The bowhead whale is the longest-living marine mammal in the world, yet many answers remain about the biology and feeding behaviour of this elusive animal.
Recently, a research team undertook what is believed to be the first intensive effort to study bowhead whales with the use of an aerial drone in the Eastern Canadian Arctic.
Using drone technology, the team captured rare high-quality images and videos of Eastern Canada-West Greenland bowhead whales during their summer feeding period in Cumberland Sound, Nunavut (just a few kilometers shy of the Arctic Circle).
“We can observe their underwater behaviour like never before, providing new insights into their feeding and social activities.”
“Much of what we know about their behaviour has come from boat-based or aerial observations from small planes,” said UBC researcher and zoology PhD candidate Sarah Fortune. “Now, thanks to the availability of drone technology and the clear water in Cumberland Sound, we can observe their underwater behaviour like never before, providing new insights into their feeding and social activities.”
Fortune, who was stationed in Pangnirtung, an Inuit hamlet, partnered with local community members who have expertise in guiding, fishing and hunting for this project.
The drones provided a safe, affordable method to obtain aerial images and video of the bowhead whales, without disturbing them in their natural habitat. The technology allowed the researchers and community members to observe behaviours in real-time, something that they would not have been able to do using conventional tagging methods and boat-based observations.
It was the social behaviour that most fascinated Fortune. “Although it is common to find small groups of whales traveling together, we hadn’t observed how often they swim in coordinated patterns, constantly touching or rubbing one another. The team was also able to watch the whales’ daily activity patterns and found that they spent the early morning feeding in deep water and then rested, often in large groups, in shallow, coastal waters during the afternoon.”
“Not only were we able to make important observations about their foraging strategy, we were also able to collect data to help with species conservation,” said Fortune. “The pilot, Thomas Seitz (VDOS Global LLC), took thousands of images of the encountered whales, which will be used by Bill Koski (LGL Limited) to determine population size (using individual markings), age-structure, and body condition. This information will be essential to monitoring population status and health over time.”
Fortune’s research is supervised by UBC professor Andrew Trites, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, and Mark Baumgartner, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and supported by LGL Limited (Bill Koski), and VDOS Global LLC (Brian Whiteside and Thomas Seitz), Fisheries and Oceans Canada (Steve Ferguson) and WWF-Canada (Brandon Laforest).
Video footage available here
Images available here
Please credit: LGL Limited, UBC, VDOS Global, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and WWF-Canada when using this media.
Permits: Special Flight Operation Certificate File Number 5812-11-682, University of British Columbia Animal Care Amendment A14-0064-A002, Department of Fisheries and Oceans License to Fish for Scientific Purposes S-16/17 1005-NU and Animal Use Protocol FWI-ACC-2016-09.
Tags: Andrew Trites, Arctic, bowhead whales, cetaceans, faculty, IOF students, Marine Mammal Research Unit, marine mammals, whales