83195 WORLD BANK AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT SEPTEMBER 2009 Climate Change KEY POLICY MESSAGES Fisheries and aquaculture in a changing climate (i) The oceans are on an irreversible path of chemical and biological change and there Profound climate-driven changes in aquatic ecosystems, fisheries and is a high level of uncertainty with regard to aquaculture will affect the food security and livelhoods of billions of fishers, the consequences of this change for fish fish farmers, and coastal inhabitants. With several international partners, stocks, for coastal peoples and for the world's climate; PROFISH has developed a joint policy brief to highlight the key issues. The brief enables policy makers and climate change negotiators to (ii) Emissions reduction is fundamental; consider aquatic ecosystems, fisheries and aquaculture both in (iii) Healthy aquatic ecosystems may buffer international climate change initiatives and in their national programs. and be more resilient to these changes. Efforts to create and maintain healthy Fishers, fish farmers and coastal inhabitants Specific adaptation and mitigation measures aquatic ecosystem (including rebuilding of will bear the full force of these impacts are also needed to: 1) improve the fish stocks) makes environmental and through less stable livelihoods, changes in the management of fisheries and aquaculture and economic sense in addition to addressing availability and quality of fish for food, and the integrity of aquatic ecosystems; 2) CC adaptation and mitigation; rising risks to their health, safety and homes. respond to the opportunities and threats to (iv) In particular, responsible fisheries Many fisheries-dependent communities food and livelihood security due to CC management is a 'no regrets' approach that already live a precarious and vulnerable impacts, and 3) create the opportunities for will build resilience to CC for the fish existence because of poverty, lack of social fisheries, aquaculture and ocean ecosystems populations, for sensitive habitats (such as services and essential infrastructure. The to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. coral reefs) and for dependent fishing and fragility of these communities is further coastal communities. It has the added undermined by overexploited fishery resources HEALTHY AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS bonus of creating wealth and economic and degraded ecosystems. The implications of CONTRIBUTE TO FOOD SECURITY growth; climate change for food security and AND LIVELIHOODS (v) Investment decisions (whether for fishing livelihoods in small island states and many Fisheries and aquaculture depend on healthy vessels, landing sites, or aquaculture) developing countries are profound. aquatic ecosystems. They contribute require greater awareness of the trends in significantly to food security and livelihoods, CC; the vulnerabilituy of investments to Climate change (CC) is altering ocean but these benefits are often unrecognized and the impacts of CC; and the options for low temperatures and acidity, and the patterns and undervalued. cost ‘climate proof’ solutions; intensity of tropical cyclones. It is modifying the distribution and productivity of marine and - Fish (including shellfish) provides essential (vi) In international climate change freshwater species and is already affecting nutrition for 3 billion people and at least 50% negotiations it is important to ‘leave the biological processes and altering food webs. of animal protein and minerals to 400 million door open’ to the future use of carbon The consequences for sustainability of aquatic people from the poorest countries; financing in relation to fisheries, ecosystems, fisheries and aquaculture, and the aquaculture and oceans. people that depend on them, are uncertain. - Over 500 million people in developing (vii) Increased investment is required to countries depend, directly or indirectly, on improve the scientific knowledge on the Investments are urgently needed not only to fisheries and aquaculture for their role of the oceans in CC, for example to mitigate these growing threats and adapt to livelihoods; raise ocean carbon accounting to the level their impacts - but also to build our knowledge - Aquaculture is the world’s fastest growing of forest or soil carbon accounting (both of complex ocean and aquatic processes. included in carbon finance mechanisms) – food production system, growing at 7% annually; the ocean carbon sink is almost five times The overarching requirement is to reduce all other sinks combined. global emissions of greenhouse gasses – the - Fish products are among the most widely primary human driver of climate change. traded foods, with more than 37% (by volume) of world production traded internationally. www.worldbank.org/fish 2 CLIMATE CHANGE change SUSTAINABLE AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS waters. In contrast to the potential declines in Mitigation solutions require innovative ARE CRUCIAL FOR CLIMATE CHANGE agricultural yields in many areas of the world, approaches such as the recent inclusion of ADAPTATION climate change opens new opportunities for mangrove conservation as eligible for REDD aquaculture as increasing numbers of species funding. Another approach is to link vessel Healthy aquatic ecosystems are critical for are cultured; as the sea encroaches on coastal decommissioning with emissions reduction production of wild fish, for some of the ‘seed’ and lands; as more dams and impoundments are funding schemes. Other opportunities incude: much of the feed for aquaculture. The constructed in river basins to buffer changing development of environmentally safe ways to productivity of coastal fisheries is closely tied to rainfall patterns; and as urban waste demands sequester carbon in aquatic ecosystems; the health of coastal ecosystems, which provide more innovative disposal using biological biofuels from algae (seaweeds); and food, habitats and nursery areas for fish. processes. development of low-carbon aquaculture Estuaries, coral reefs, mangroves and sea grass production systems. beds are particularly important. In freshwater Fisheries and aquaculture need to be blended systems, ecosystem health and productivity is into national climate change adaptation linked to water quality and flow, and the health of strategies. Without careful planning, aquatic OCEANS OF CARBON wetlands. ecosystems, fisheries and aquaculture can potentially suffer as a result of adaptation The vast scale of the ocean carbon sink - Coastal ecosystems that support fisheries also measures applied by other sectors, such as some five times all other sinks combined - help protect communities from the impacts of increased use of dams and hydropower in means that even minor unpredicted changes natural disasters and hazards such as coastal catchments with high rainfall, construction of In ocean function could render insignificant erosion and saltwater intrusion. artificial coastal defenses or marine wind and devalue the efforts made to reduce farms. terrestrial emissions. Mangroves create barriers to destructive waves from storms and hold sediments in place within In international climate discussions the their root systems, reducing coastal erosion. . oceans have remained a peripheral policy Healthy coral reefs, sea grass beds and wetlands issue. It is time that the global community provide similar benefits. Climate change imperils took a closer look at this vital carbon store. the structure and function of these already stressed ecosystems.  to consider a healthy and resilient ocean as an instrument of climate policy; FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE CAN  to raise the awareness of the climate SUPPORT MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION change community regarding the global threats posed by the loss of vital Adaptation measures are well known by managers functions of an increasingly fragile ocean; and decision makers, but political will and action  to place a true value on maintaining a is often lacking. To build resilience to the effects healthy ocean; and of climate change and derive sustainable benefits, Crucial Role of Oceans in CC  to draw on a more robust ocean science fisheries and aquaculture managers need to adopt for policy guidance. and adhere to best practices such as those - Oceans and coastal ecosystems are the described in the FAO Code of Conduct for earth’s main buffer to climate change and Responsible Fisheries. These practices need to be will likely bear the greatest burden of PROFISH, THE WORLD BANK AND integrated more effectively with the management impacts; CLIMATE CHANGE of river basins, watersheds and coastal zones. - Oceans have removed about 25% of PROFISH will continue to work with key Many capture fisheries and their supporting carbon dioxide emitted by human activities international partners (FAO, WorldFish ecosystems have been poorly managed and the from 2000-2007; Center, UNEP, SPC and others) to develop a economic losses due to overfishing, pollution and collaborative program of work including: habitat loss are estimated to exceed $50 billion - Oceans provide 'every second breath we per year. Improved governance, innovative breathe' as the ocean's plankton produce  contributions to major technical technologies and more responsible practices can half the earth's oxygen; meetings; generate increased and sustainable benefits from  a focus on key policy issues and fisheries. Currently there are more fossil fuel - Oceans absorb more than 95% of the financing of relevant climate change consuming fishing vessels operating than sun’s radiation, making air temperatures activities in the marine, fisheries and necessary to catch the available fish resources tolerable for life on land; aquaculture sectors; efficiently. Reducing the fleet overcapacity will  the inclusion of aquatic and fisheries CC not only help rebuild fish stocks and sustain - Oceans provide 85% of water vapor in the initiatives into Bank projects and global catches, but can substantially reduce atmosphere, these clouds are key to processes as appropriate. carbon emissions from the sector. regulating climate on land and sea; By focusing on herbivorous species aquaculture can provide nutritious food with a small - Ocean health influences the capacity of ecological footprint. Farming of shellfish, such as oceans to absorb carbon. oysters and mussels is not only good business, but also helps clean coastal waters, while culturing aquatic plants helps remove wastes from polluted 1818 H STREET, NW WASHINGTON, DC 20433 WWW.worldrldbank.org/fish