As someone who grew up enjoying sushi, I have always appreciated the importance of fresh seafood. Going to school and living in Manhattan, I have noticed how seafood from all over the world is celebrated, but have also learned how fragile this resource can be.
Due to the rapid acceleration of globalization over the past several decades, we have seen a massive shift in our diets. Cultural staples like sushi in Japan and pasta in Italy are now globally renowned. Seasonal fruits and vegetables can now be shipped around the world for anyone to enjoy year-round.
However, the globalization movement is linked with the effects of climate change, both results of human activity. As humans pollute and overharvest the Earth’s resources, we now look at a future where our diets may forever change.
Seafood, an important component used in many cultures’ cuisines, is very vulnerable to the effects of climate change and human activity. To help protect this resource, let’s investigate what causes a change in seafood fish populations, and how it will affect our diets in the future.
One of the most devastating effects of climate change on sea creatures is rising water temperatures caused by greenhouse gas emissions. The EPA reports that warmer temperatures may cause fish to alter their seasonal cycles, move to different ranges of habitat, and decline in population. The article states that this simultaneous decline and range shift can heavily affect marine fisheries which have depended on healthy local populations of fish for years.
Here in Manhattan, seafood like shrimp, flounder, and lobster are a component of many beloved foods, from food trucks to upscale dining. Shouldn’t we feel worried that rising ocean temperatures and other environmental changes could take these off our plates in the future? One article from Ocean Conservancy states that shrimp, particularly the Northern shrimp from the Atlantic seaboard, have multiple risk factors, including rising temperatures and acidification of ocean water. Additionally, summer and winter flounder, two of the most popular species for seafood, have seen significant migration shifts already within the last few decades. Since the 1970s, the summer flounder population has moved about 70 miles north and the winter flounder population has moved about 20 miles north. These types of migrations cause problems for the fisheries which provide much of the Atlantic seafood, and these trends will continue as long as the effects of climate change continue to escalate.
A report from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commision highlights another popular Atlantic seafood species at risk, the American lobster. Higher water temperatures can cause this species multiple issues, such as respiratory problems and disease. All of these risk factors mean that population maintenance is difficult, and the fisheries which have traditionally caught American lobster are suffering.
These popular traditional Atlantic seafood species are under threat from climate change and rising ocean temperatures, meaning the future of seafood will depend on environmental protection and commercial fishing policies. In an interview with Pew Trusts, ecologist Chris Free stated that rising temperatures will mean fishing grounds will move toward the North and South poles to match the species’ ideal temperatures. Additionally, he stated that “expansions in sustainable ocean aquaculture could actually [...] increase the amount of seafood available to everyone on the planet.”
While we can rest easy knowing our generation can help recover these dwindling seafood populations, the threats that face the most hunted marine life are clear. As students, what can we do to protect the marine life that sustains our favorite seafood dishes? Perhaps it starts with understanding the impact of our choices and supporting sustainable seafood practices.