Marine Policy

Volume 34, Issue 1, January 2010, Pages 170–177

How will climate change alter fishery governanceʔ Insights from seven international case studies ☆

  • a National Marine Science Centre, The University of New England and Southern Cross University, PO Box 4321, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, Australia
  • b Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-3601, USA
  • c Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska, Anchorage 3211, Providence Drive Anchorage, Alaska 99508, USA
  • d Université de Brest, Université Européenne de Bretagne, UMR Amure 2 rue de l’université, 29334 Quimper, France
  • e Department of Economics, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3C5
  • f National Oceans and Atmosphere (NOAA) Fisheries Service, Pacific Island Fishery Science Centre, 2570 Dole Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA
Received 4 June 2009, Accepted 8 June 2009, Available online 2 July 2009

Abstract

We examine the implications of climate change for fishery governance using seven international fishery case studies in low, mid and high latitudes, including eastern Australia, the western Pacific Ocean, Alaska, west coast United States, Hawaii, west coast Canada and France. Climate change adds uncertainty about fish stock productivity, migratory patterns, trophic interactions and vulnerability of fish populations to fishing pressure.

Fishery governance has to address additional uncertainty from climate change in both the system being governed and the governance systems. The case studies reveal governance issues that indicate adaptation will involve more flexible fishery management regimes, schemes for capacity adjustment, catch limitation and alternative fishing livelihoods for fishers.

Where fishery governance systems have been less developed, fisheries are less able to adapt to climate change impacts. Adaptation involves addressing some of the most intractable allocation issues of fisheries management.

Keywords

  • Climate change;
  • Fishery governance
☆

This paper derives from the Special Session “Climate Change As An Emerging Issue In Fishery Governance”, at the International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade (IIFET) 14th Biennial Conference, Nha Trang, Vietnam, July 22-25, 2008. We thank session participants for their constructive comments. The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not represent the views of their employing organizations.

Corresponding author. Tel.: +61 2 6648 3900; fax: +61 2 6651 6580.
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