• Ocean

Climate Change and Brexit Upsetting EU Fishers and Markets

• Boris Johnson
• Brexit
• cod
• fisheries
• fishing

The United Kingdom is threatening to close its waters to fishers from other countries in Europe once it leaves the European Union next week, and if it does, the impact would be immediate and severe on fishing communities in neighboring nations that are now seeing their local fish stocks decline due to climate change.

Why This Matters:  One of the key issues in the Brexit negotiations that will begin after the U.K. formally leaves the EU on Friday is bound to be fisheries – right now all EU nations have free access to the U.K.’s lucrative fishing grounds.

• Ocean

One Fishy Thing: The “Codfather” Is Banned From Fishing But Will Keep Millions

• cod
• National Marine Fisheries Service
• overfishing

Carlos Rafael, a New England fishing captain who is currently serving time in federal prison for massive fishing and tax fraud violations and for smuggling the proceeds out of the country, settled his civil fraud violations with the National Marine Fisheries Service, including more than $3 million in fines and a lifetime fishing ban.  As a […]

• Ocean

Climate change is an increasing challenge for fishing industry

• climate change
• cod
• communities
• fish
• fisheries
• Gulf of Mexico
• management
• ocean acidification
• ocean warming
• oysters

Warming ocean temperatures are causing massive changes for fishermen, some of which may force them out of business, according to several recent stories examining the impacts of climate change on the fishing industry. 

Why This Matters:  Warming waters that shift fish populations make a barely viable business downright impossible for many small and medium-sized fishing operations.  Not to mention the additional fuel and time it takes to chase fewer fish, that are now found farther from ports.  Watching this play out is painful in U.S. fishing communities, but for many parts of the world, it could become a real food security crisis.  The U.S. government currently is very lethargic in changing its fisheries management schemes even as the evidence of shifting fish populations grows.  Given the challenges of climate change, a more engaged approach to fisheries management that takes climate change into account is needed.  It will benefit the fishermen and the fish populations as well.