Existing climate strategies ignore fisheries at our peril

Abstract

By 2100, aquatic food production in all countries is expected to face high levels of climate threat, with a disproportionate impact felt by the world’s low-income countries.

To date, climate negotiators have placed a disproportionate emphasis on land-based systems, with little to no mention of aquatic foods in national climate strategies.

However, for small island developing states and coastal countries such as Bangladesh, where fish production accounts for almost a quarter of agricultural gross domestic product, effective climate action must also harness the opportunities within aquatic food systems.