Northeast Vulnerability Assessment: Species Specific Results

In the first assessment of its kind, NOAA scientists applied a new methodology to assess the climate vulnerability of 82 fish and invertebrate species in the Northeast region. The Northeast Fish and Shellfish Climate Vulnerability Assessment uses existing information on the climate, the state of the ocean, species distributions, and life history to assess species’ vulnerability under projected future climate and ocean conditions. Experts used agreed upon rules to score each species as low, moderate, high, or very high for its sensitivity to climate change (based on specific facts about its life history), its exposure to climate change (the overlap between expected change and its current distribution), and the overall expected directional effect (whether it is expected to do worse, better, or the same). The experts’ scores were combined; later, in a workshop, the experts shared and discussed their scores before submitting final evaluations. The results of the assessment were recently published and are available here. Similar assessments are also underway for the Bering Sea and California Current Ecosystems.