Under natural conditions, it may be expected that the different life histories of these fish will result in different times of adjustment to a new set of environmental conditions. Any effects of climate change on fisheries are expected to be most pronounced in sectors that already are characterized by full utilization, large overcapacities of harvesting and processing, and sharp conflicts among users and competing uses of aquatic ecosystems. Climate change impacts, including changes in natural climate variability on seasonal to interannual time scales, are likely to exacerbate existing stresses on fish stocks. The effectiveness of actions to reduce the decline of fisheries depends on our ability to distinguish among these stresses and other causes of change and on our ability to effectively deal with those over which we have control or for which we have adaptation options. Recreational fishing is a highly valued activity that could incur losses in some regions as a result of climate-induced changes in fisheries.
Recreational fishing is a highly valued activity within North America.
Work by Stefan et al.