The document summarizes a news article about how rising water temperatures in the North Sea are negatively impacting popular fish species in the UK like plaice, haddock, and lemon sole. Scientists have found that the North Sea has warmed 1.3 degrees Celsius over the past 30 years, causing fish populations to migrate to cooler northern waters that are less suitable habitats. Studies predict catch declines and a potential collapse of fishing industries for these species as North Sea temperatures are expected to increase another 1.8 degrees Celsius in the next 50 years. The article emphasizes how climate change is affecting fish behavior and fisheries management, and that catches must be carefully regulated to avoid overfishing and allow fish populations to be sustained.
Original Description:
Paper requirement for Bio 164 (Conservation Biology)
The document summarizes a news article about how rising water temperatures in the North Sea are negatively impacting popular fish species in the UK like plaice, haddock, and lemon sole. Scientists have found that the North Sea has warmed 1.3 degrees Celsius over the past 30 years, causing fish populations to migrate to cooler northern waters that are less suitable habitats. Studies predict catch declines and a potential collapse of fishing industries for these species as North Sea temperatures are expected to increase another 1.8 degrees Celsius in the next 50 years. The article emphasizes how climate change is affecting fish behavior and fisheries management, and that catches must be carefully regulated to avoid overfishing and allow fish populations to be sustained.
The document summarizes a news article about how rising water temperatures in the North Sea are negatively impacting popular fish species in the UK like plaice, haddock, and lemon sole. Scientists have found that the North Sea has warmed 1.3 degrees Celsius over the past 30 years, causing fish populations to migrate to cooler northern waters that are less suitable habitats. Studies predict catch declines and a potential collapse of fishing industries for these species as North Sea temperatures are expected to increase another 1.8 degrees Celsius in the next 50 years. The article emphasizes how climate change is affecting fish behavior and fisheries management, and that catches must be carefully regulated to avoid overfishing and allow fish populations to be sustained.
Out of plaice: popular UK fish at risk from rising temperatures
This time, I went to the online site of The Guardian a popular British daily newspaper to check some news related to the course. Under the environment tab, there is a section named wildlife where I was able to see this article. Honestly, the witty headline of the news article was a major factor why I chose this one. The fact that I am taking Bio 119 (Fish Biology) this semester also factored in as I finalized my decision to make a paper on said article. The article is basically about the issue concerning the popular fishes of Britain plaice, haddock and lemon sole. Scientists from said country had warned about the rising temperatures of the North Sea where majority of the fish stocks are harvested. Wifishes. th this rise in water temperature is also a rise in the migration of said fishes to cooler water bodies. In the past 30 years, the North Sea has warmed by 1.3 C. Flatfishes such as lemon soles have already been driven further north where water is cooler. The problem is, seas in the north are deeper and much rockier making them unsuitable habitat for flatfishes who are bottom feeders. This results to a decline in the harvest of said fishes. Studies on haddock and other fish species have also predicted a general trend of decline which led a team of scientists from Exeter University to the belief that the fishing industry for said species will likely collapse especially that North Sea temperatures are set to increase another 1.8 C in the next half century. The style of writing was good such that a systematic flow was followed. The main problem was introduced in the first part followed by the several studies conducted by groups such as Exeter University and UKs Marine Conservation Society. At the last part, the impacts of the changes in the temperature was highlighted thereby allowing readers to think about the issue critically. Another good thing about the article is that it presented data such as the actual increase in temperature for the past 30 years as well as the predicted increase in North Sea temperature in the next half century. Lets face it: unlike the super cute mammals, fishes dont usually take the spotlight when it comes to conservation efforts. In fact, I remember a lecture from Sir JA about how reports on fish populations (or lack thereof) have never reached national television when typhoon Yolanda hit the southern Philippines. The focus was always on land animals and hinestly, I find this bias really strange mostly because of all the benefits we get from fishes. For example and as stated in the news article, fisheries in UK contribute billions in the UK economy. It will be a great loss if we dont take care of these fisheries especially that climate change is now affecting fish behavior. Las Angus Garrett from Seafish said, temperature change is clearly influencing fisheries and ought to be considered in fisheries management. So with these changes in fish behavior, it is a must that we take extra caution in harvesting fishes. Government agencies as well as private companies must always follow scientific advice and set total allowable catches in order to not completely deplete seas of fishes. We should always remember taht impacts of climate change do not only affect us humans but also these fishes of the seas and oceans. Therefore it is necessary that we adjust in order to enjoy said benefits we get from fishes for a much longer time. ( Article from http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/apr/13/plaice-fish-risk-depletion-rising-temperatures )