A recent study by University of Tokyo researchers suggests that climate change is causing a decline in fish weight in the western North Pacific Ocean.

Published in Fish and Fisheries, the study indicates that warmer waters are reducing food supplies, leading to competition among fish species and ultimately a decrease in weight.

Factors contributing to this phenomenon include warmer waters limiting food availability and the replacement of larger plankton with smaller, less nutritious species due to ocean stratification.

Climate change also disrupts the timing of phytoplankton blooms, affecting fish life cycles and migration patterns.

Analyzing data from 1978 to 2018, researchers observed two periods of reduced fish body weight: in the 1980s, attributed to increased Japanese sardines, and again in the 2010s due to warming oceans.

This aligns with broader research indicating a 4.1% decline in sustainable seafood harvest from 1930 to 2010, impacting global food supplies and millions dependent on fishing inco
me.

The study underscores the urgent need for climate action to safeguard ocean ecosystems and livelihoods.

Source: Oman News Agency