Embracing social-ecological system complexity to promote climate-ready fisheries
Climate variability is reshaping U.S. marine ecosystems, fisheries and coastal communities. Examining four case studies—species distribution shifts, juvenile bycatch, harmful algal bloom delays and offshore wind development—this work shows how management responses to climate impacts often overlook system complexity. Subsequent indicators revealed feedbacks and fisher responses that produced unintended outcomes. The analysis highlights the importance of defining fishing communities, integrating ecological, economic and social information and strengthening engagement among managers, scientists and participants. These insights demonstrate how “best available science” can be more rigorously applied to build climate‑ready fisheries aligned with biological and social goals.
Subject Tags
- Climate impacts
- Ecosystem management
- Fisheries
Abstract
Climate variability and change are having dramatic effects on marine species, fisheries, and fishing communities. Climate perturbations elicit fishery management responses intended to mitigate negative effects, but the responses often do not account for the complexity of fisheries systems, leading to unintended consequences. However, including more diverse forms of ecological, economic and social information reveals elements of system structure that could lead to more climate-adaptive management approaches and better outcomes. Here, we examine four U.S. case studies that span a range of climate-fisheries interactions: target species distribution shifts; bycatch of juvenile fish; harmful algal blooms that delay fishery openings; and offshore wind energy development on fishing grounds. In each example, as management actions or plans were undertaken to mitigate climate impacts, subsequent quantitative and qualitative indicators and knowledge revealed potential system feedbacks, fishery participant responses and/or undesirable fishery outcomes. These case studies highlight the complex and iterative nature of developing climate-adaptive strategies for fisheries management. They also illustrate that how we define “fishing community” is a key determinant of both the outcomes of climate-driven management actions and how those outcomes are perceived. Finally, they underscore the value of engagement and knowledge exchange among participants, scientists and managers, and provide insight as to how to more rigorously apply “best available science” to climate-ready fisheries management, in accordance with fishery policies and laws that emphasize both biological and social outcomes.
Citation
Harvey, C. J., Clay, P. M., Selden, R., Moore, S. K., Andrews, K. S., Dereynier, Y. L., ... & Wise, S. (2025). Embracing social-ecological system complexity to promote climate-ready fisheries. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 35(2), 633-658. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-025-09926-x
TNC Authors
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Lyall Bellquist
The Nature Conservancy