Posted on June, 04 2019

70% of the EU’s seafood is imported, much of it from nations whose fisheries are already experiencing the adverse impacts of an overfished, warmer ocean. Implementing legal frameworks in the face of accelerating climate change and integrating adaptive measures into strategies and national policies are now crucial steps to support the EU meeting its international commitments under the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), including Zero Hunger (SDG 2) and Life Below Water (SDG 14). To achieve this, WWF urges all Member States and industry stakeholders to intensify efforts towards sustainable fisheries and ecosystem-based management of our ocean. 

This WWF policy brief describes how climate change is impacting fisheries and food security, and highlights the European Union’s role in mitigating these impacts both for EU citizens and for developing countries. Seafood is the primary protein source for an estimated three billion people globally, while an equal number depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods. In the EU alone, fisheries, tourism and shipping industries provide millions of jobs to coastal communities, forming the backbone of Europe’s blue economy. 

Global seafood consumption has more than doubled over the past 50 years with up to 200 million tonnes of fish predicted to be taken from the sea annually by 2030. In addition to the increasing demand on ocean resources, scientists warn that warmer marine environments make it more difficult for species to recover their populations, due to shifting habitats and food webs.

Despite mounting evidence, very little has been done thus far to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change to marine life and ensure future resilience of our fisheries and  seafood supply. Indeed, strengthening adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries will support sustainable economies, benefitting both humanity and the ocean.