How Climate Change and Climate Variability Affected Trip Distance of a Commercial Fishery
February 21, 2023
Results show the higher the SST of the Hawaii longline fleet, the longer trip distance; vs NSO events could result in shorter trip distance, possibly due to changes in catch rates of different tuna species through redistribution during weather events.
Changes in climate factors affect the distribution of various tuna species differently due to their unique physiological adaptations and preferred habitats. As the resulting spatial distributions of tunas alter in response to climate change and climate variability, the distribution of fishing effort will, in turn, be affected. This study uses a quantitative model to estimate the impacts of SST and ENSO events on trip distance of the Hawaii deep-set longline fleet between 1991 and 2020.
Chan HL. 2023. How climate change and climate variability affected trip distance of a commercial fishery. PLOS Clim 2(2): e0000143. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pclm.0000143.