Economics of Climate Change Impact on Aquaculture and Fisheries in CEE

Dr. Mahesh Kumar Singh

National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre, Research Institute for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Szarvas

Abstract

Scientific findings indicate that aquatic climate change impacts are becoming more apparent and will continue to have a profound effect on the productivity of fisheries and the distribution of fish stocks around the world. However, there is a great deal of uncertainty associated with climate change in a fisheries context, particularly with respect to when it will occur, what kind of changes will take place and the extent of the impact it will have on aquatic ecosystems and fisheries. While global models exist and provide some indication of the magnitude of impacts, much work needs to be done at the local level in terms of understanding how fish stocks will react to changes in their environment, as well as how ecosystems will change. From a social and economic point of view, it is clear that the effects of climate change will result in the redistribution of costs and benefits for the fisheries sector and for coastal communities, but how much, when and to whom these benefits and costs will flow are less clear. In this regard, there is a need for fisheries policy makers to develop strategies and decision-making models to adapt to climate change under uncertainty, while also taking into account social and economic consequences. Most of the fisheries in Europe are overexploited and declining catches have not reduced fishing pressures. In some cases, the profitability of fisheries has decreased and those with significant committed investment have had little choice but to fish harder to pay off their investment. This type of influence is represented in the fisheries economic production index. Recent European data’s suggests that income has declined in recent years following a peak in the mid-1990s. This may elicit a variety of responses from fishermen: to fish harder in order to maintain income; to circumvent legal constraints on fishing activity; to leave the industry if suitable alternatives exist; or to shift to other fisheries, such as shellfisheries. Subsidies, and especially capital subsidies, have exacerbated the problem. In this paper, author gave brief overview of the economics of climate change and its impact on fisheries and aquaculture in Central and Eastern Europe.

 

Keywords: Climate Change, Fisheries, Aquaculture, Economic production index.

 

Acknowledgements: The present study was partially supported by the AQUAREDPOT EU FP7 project (No: 316266), regarding the processing from the statistical point of view of the raw data obtained during this research.

 

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