Trump Administration’s National Climate Assessment Shows Major Impacts for Oceans

(WASHINGTON – Nov. 26, 2018) The newly released National Climate Assessment (NCA) clearly demonstrates the major impacts that human-caused warming is having, and will have, on our oceans and marine fisheries.

“Our nation’s fishermen are on the front lines of climate change. This report provides careful documentation for what they already know: that the combination of ocean warming, acidification and deoxygenation is disrupting key marine ecosystem services and jeopardizing their future.

“The NCA underscores that the marine fisheries sector, which contributes $200 billion annually to our economy and accounts for 1.6 million jobs, is at high risk from climate change.

“Unless we act now on the twin imperatives of reducing emissions and creating more resiliency in the system through climate adaptive fisheries management, we will experience increasing disruption and degradation to our nation’s valuable fisheries, corals and marine ecosystems. The scientists at the 13 federal agencies who compiled the report – citing established research on the impacts of climate change to our oceans, including research from EDF – have left no doubt about the choices we face.

“EDF is on the leading edge of scientific inquiry into these changes, as well as developing innovative techniques to incorporate climate resiliency into fisheries management. Our research and on-the-water experience shows that by limiting human-caused emissions and instituting better fisheries management, we can create positive change for our marine environment and the millions of people who depend on it for their livelihoods.

“But much more needs to be done. The NCA strengthens our resolve to continue our work to ensure we are protecting our natural environment while creating healthy and resilient fisheries, even in the face of climate change.”

·         Matt Tinning, Associate Vice President, Oceans