These documents summarize some of the recent studies of the relationships among climate, the aquatic environment, and the dynamics of fish populations. The studies are mostly from the North Pacific ocean, but there are reports of investigations from the North Atlatic Ocean and from fresh water. Various papers include numerous examples of the relationships between fish abundance trends and the environment.

Abstracts of invited and contributed papers and poster presentations given at the symposium, covering evidence for changes in climate and the resulting effects in freshwater and marine environments, effects of climate on fish populations, economic impacts of climate change on fisheries, and preparing for climate change.

This report indicates that climate change will significantly affect the availability and trade of fish products, especially for those countries most dependent on the sector, and calls for effective adaptation and mitigation actions encompassing food production.

Increases in temperature due to climate change will have large implications for aquatic ecosystems. Warmwater fish species, such as smailmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieu, may have access to additional favourable thermal habitat under increased surface-water temperatures, thereby shifting the northern limit of the distribution of the species further north in Canada and potentially negatively impacting native fish communities. A database comprised of over 50,000 lakes was assembled consisting of data on geography, lake morphology, water chemistry, climate, and fish community composition. Based on a comparison of several statistical approaches (multiple regression, regression tree, artificial neural networks, and Bayesian multiple regression) and several climate-change scenarios, water temperatures were predicted to increase by as much as 18°C by 2100, with the greatest increase in water temperature in northern Canada. By 2100, smallmouth bass thermal habitat is predicted to shift to the north with the majority of Canadian lakes expected to contain suitable thermal habitat. A comparison of logistic regression, classification tree, linear discriminant analysis, and artificial neural networks indicated that smallmouth bass distribution is predicted by winter and summer air temperatures. Climate-change modeling, in conjunction with artificial neural networks, predicted that smallmouth bass will have suitable thermal habitat throughout the majority of aquatic systems in the continental United States and Canada by 2100. The presence of smallmouth bass will negatively impact native fish communities, particularly native lake trout populations. Lake trout populations residing in smaller lakes are more vulnerable to the effects of smallmouth bass establishment due to the decreased presence of alternate prey resources. Examination of the pelagic and littoral forage fish communities identified nearly 9,700 lake trout populations threatened by 2100AD under climate-change scenarios, due to the potential invasion of smallmouth bass. The current range expansion of smallmouth bass has been facilitated by stocking by governmental agencies, unauthorized and accidental introduction by anglers, and dispersal through drainage networks. This stresses the importance of intensifying public education and regulation to limit the potential dispersal of invasive species, such as smallmouth bass.

The first comprehensive review of the current and future effects of climate change on the world’s fisheries and aquaculture operations The first book of its kind, Climate Change Impacts on Fisheries and Aquaculture explores the impacts of climate change on global fisheries resources and on marine aquaculture. It also offers expert suggestions on possible adaptations to reduce those impacts. The world's climate is changing more rapidly than scientists had envisioned just a few years ago, and the potential impact of climate change on world food production is quite alarming. Nowhere is the sense of alarm more keenly felt than among those who study the warming of the world's oceans. Evidence of the dire effects of climate change on fisheries and fish farming has now mounted to such an extent that the need for a book such as this has become urgent. A landmark publication devoted exclusively to how climate change is affecting and is likely to affect commercially vital fisheries and aquaculture operations globally, Climate Change Impacts on Fisheries and Aquaculture provides scientists and fishery managers with a summary of and reference point for information on the subject which has been gathered thus far. Covers an array of critical topics and assesses reviews of climate change impacts on fisheries and aquaculture from many countries, including Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Australia, Chile, US, UK, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, India and others Features chapters on the effects of climate change on pelagic species, cod, lobsters, plankton, macroalgae, seagrasses and coral reefs Reviews the spread of diseases, economic and social impacts, marine aquaculture and adaptation in aquaculture under climate change Includes special reports on the Antarctic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the Arctic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea Extensive references throughout the book make this volume both a comprehensive text for general study and a reference/guide to further research for fisheries scientists, fisheries managers, aquaculture personnel, climate change specialists, aquatic invertebrate and vertebrate biologists, physiologists, marine biologists, economists, environmentalist biologists and planners.