The rise in climate change-induced federal fishery disasters in the United States
A 30-year analysis shows U.S. federal fishery disasters are increasing, shifting from mixed causes to extreme climate-driven events like marine heatwaves and hurricanes. From 1989–2020, 71 approved disasters caused $2B in federal allocations and $3.2B in revenue loss. As climate change accelerates, the ad hoc disaster assistance system must adapt to ensure fisheries resilience and community protection.
Subject Tags
- Climate impacts
- Fisheries
- Policy, Finance, and Markets
Abstract
Commercial, recreational, and indigenous fisheries are critical to U.S. coastal economies and communities. For over three decades, the federal government has recognized fishery disasters through formal declarations, yet national syntheses of their dynamics and impacts have been lacking. We developed a nationwide Federal Fishery Disaster database using NOAA declarations and revenue data. From 1989–2020, 71 federally approved disasters (11 pending) spanned all U.S. coastal states and management regions, resulting in $2B in Congressional allocations and an estimated $3.2B in direct revenue loss. Disaster frequency has increased over time, with causes shifting from mixed anthropogenic and environmental factors to predominantly extreme environmental events (e.g., marine heatwaves, hurricanes, harmful algal blooms). As climate change drives more extreme events, the federal disaster assistance system must evolve to protect fisheries sustainability and societal benefits.
Citation
Bellquist, L., Saccomanno, V., Semmens, B.X., Gleason, M., & Wilson, J. (2021). The rise in climate change-induced federal fishery disasters in the United States. PeerJ, 9:e11186.
Media Contacts
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Lyall Bellquist
Senior Scientist
The Nature Conservancy
Email: Lyall.Bellquist@tnc.org