A new study by Rutgers University confirms that warming ocean temperatures are pushing as many as 686 North American aquatic species to move outside of their traditional ranges.
As climate change causes ocean water temperatures to rise, finfish and shellfish — including commercially valuable lobster, striped bass and mackerel species — are moving to areas that are out of reach of commercial fishermen. That means your next seafood platter could cost you more.
In Alaska, scientists are projecting that in the future species such as snow crab will expand their range up to 900 miles farther north. These “fish moves” makes work challenging for fisheries managers, who decide which states get to keep how much — something that’s typically decided by where finfish and shellfish naturally live. States on the border of these natural ranges stand to lose the most.
Click through to this NPR article to read more about the problem, and listen to an interview with the experts.
