International climate targets good for global fisheries: B.C. researchers

A new study from the Nippon Foundation – UBC Nereus Program about the impact of international climate targets on global fisheries was covered by the Canadian Press.

The study finds that potential fish catches would be six million metric tons per year higher if the global temperature goes up by just 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared with a jump of 3.5 C.

Lead author and associate professor at the UBC Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, William Cheung, explained that tropical waters around countries like Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines are especially sensitive. Fish stocks are already declining and will drop substantially if global temperatures warm by more than 1.5 C.

The story also appeared in The Independent, Globe and MailCBCVancouver Sun, AFP, Channel News Asia, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Regina Leader-PostSan Diego Union-Tribune, El Mundo, Gizmodo, Science Daily, Yahoo News Canada, Metro News, Castanet and others.