Adaptation Opportunities to Climate Variability and Change in the Exploitation and Utilisation of Marine Living Resources

Because they contribute little to climate change, fisheries, aquaculture and other uses of marine renewable resources and environment have limited means to mitigate climate impacts. Adaptation is, therefore, critical. Though likely effects on oceans and fisheries can be identified, few can be quantified and, thus, priorized. Consequently, adaptation strategies should aim at enhancing the resilience of marine renewable resources and their uses and the current capacity to respond to surprises. Already, these uses are characterized by massive over-capacities, excessive resource exploitation, and pervasive conflicts within and between uses. Two complementary adaptation strategies are available. The first consists in adjusting conventional management systems to the new conditions of resource scarcity. The second aims at reducing the current resource constraint by promoting the development of aquaculture and a better utilization of fishery and aquaculture harvests. In this respect, small-scale and large-scale production systems, and developing and developed countries, have different capabilities. In summary, climate change does not modify, but enhances, existing priorities of environment and fisheries management and aquaculture development.