Climate Change Threatens Marine Fisheries

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

An aerial photo of fishing vessels at the Nizam Zachman Ocean Fisheries Port (PPS), Muara Baru, North Jakarta, Saturday (11/08/2018). Data from the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry shows that the total value of fishery product exports during the first quarter of 2018 was recorded at US$1.15 billion. It increased 22.8 percent from the same period the previous year, which reached $962,583 million. The biggest increase in the export value was in the commodities of squid, cuttlefish and octopus.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Climate change has become a real threat to the marine and fisheries sector. In addition to coral bleaching, climate change is also forcing the migration of deep-sea fish to subtropical regions. This phenomenon requires immediate adaptation to reduce its social impact.

Climate change reduces the quality of marine habitats, in both shallow waters and deep seas. The warming surface temperatures in shallow waters have begun to damage and kill coral reefs, where many species of fish live. The uncontrolled clearing of peatlands releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere that then dissolves in shallow seas, which ultimately kills coral reefs.