Marine and Fisheries

Key messages

Climate change is compounding existing anthropogenic pressures on marine and coastal areas, with significant consequences for fisheries, aquaculture and marine ecosystems. Changes in ocean conditions are already affecting fish stocks, yields, species distribution and fishing grounds, while the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are expected to impact all sectors of the blue economy.
The EU is addressing these challenges by strengthening the marine knowledge base through initiatives such as the Copernicus marine service and the European Marine Observation and Data Network, which provide free and open access to high-quality marine data and information worldwide. The EU also promotes climate change adaptation through the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. It aims to protect the marine ecosystem and biodiversity upon which our health and marine-related economic and social activities depend.
The European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund 2021-2027 supports innovative projects that contribute to the sustainable management and use of aquatic and maritime resources. It covers initiatives that strengthen resilience and adaptation to climate change across the fisheries, aquaculture and wider maritime sectors.

Why climate change adaptation matters for the Marine and Fisheries sector

Climate change is fundamentally altering marine ecosystems. Ocean waters are becoming warmer, more acidic and less oxygenated, with far-reaching implications for biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and the services that marine environments provide.

Rising sea temperatures are driving shifts in species distributions and altering the growth, reproduction and abundance of fish populations. Ocean acidification reduces the capacity of calcifying organisms, including shellfish, corals and certain plankton species, to form and maintain their shells and skeletons, with consequences that can reverberate throughout marine food webs. At the same time, declining oxygen levels are affecting species distribution and increasing the occurrence of hypoxic and anoxic conditions, particularly in enclosed seas such as the Baltic Sea and in estuarine environments. These changes threaten species survival and undermine ecosystem health.

Climate change also interacts with nutrient pollution to increase the occurrence and severity of harmful algal blooms, with adverse effects on marine ecosystems, fisheries, tourism, economic activities and human health.

The Arctic is experiencing some of the most rapid climatic changes on the planet, with temperatures rising at a rate well above the global average. These changes contribute to sea-level rise and alter ocean circulation patterns, affecting marine primary productivity and ecosystem dynamics. Combined with increasing human activities in the region, these developments pose growing risks to Arctic biodiversity, fisheries and local livelihoods.

The impacts of climate change do not occur in isolation. They are compounded by other human-induced pressures, including overfishing, habitat degradation and marine pollution, both offshore and in coastal areas. The cumulative effects of these stressors are placing increasing pressure on marine ecosystems and the essential services they provide.

Fisheries and marine aquaculture are already experiencing the consequences of a changing climate through altered productivity, shifts in target species and changes in fishing grounds. Looking ahead, the intensification of extreme weather events and increasingly challenging conditions at sea are expected to affect the entire blue economy, including maritime transport, port operations, coastal tourism and offshore renewable energy production.

The first European Climate Risk Assessment identified the degradation of marine ecosystems resulting from the combined effects of climate change and other anthropogenic pressures as one of Europe's most urgent climate risks. It also highlighted the interconnected nature of ecosystems. It noted that climate impacts on terrestrial and freshwater environments can cascade into coastal and marine systems, amplifying risks across sectors and regions.