Climate-related impacts on fisheries management and governance in the North East Atlantic

Climate change is a present and growing threat, creating significant shifts in the range, distribution, and productivity of key commercial species. Given the impact climate change is having on the distribution and range of fish stocks in the North East Atlantic region, and the associated management and governance challenges that these changes present, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) set out to explore these core issues, and possible solutions to them, through a two-day collaborative workshop titled: ‘Climate-related Impacts on Fisheries Management and Governance in the North East Atlantic Region’. The workshop was held on the 30th and 31st of August 2017. Main objectives were to:

• Provide a common grounding on the latest research and trends relating to changes in fish stock distribution and productivity as a result of climate change, and to discuss these changes as they relate to the North East Atlantic region;
• Examine the role of science in identifying climate-related risks and impacts, and assess the current science-policy interface;
• Consider possible implications of climate-related impacts on fisheries management and governance in Europe and the wider North East Atlantic region now and in the future; and
• Explore possible tools and approaches that can best manage fisheries in the face of these impacts.

The report details the discussions and findings of the workshop and identifies overarching themes, as well as possible next steps for advancing research and building future partnerships.