In Copenhagen for a Vulnerability workshop

Vulnerability assessments in fisheries allow for the prioritization of policy action towards climate change in fisheries, and is receiving increasing attention from scientists and policy makers. Vulnerability to climate change includes fish species exposure and sensitivity to climate change impacts, together with social sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Global studies are looking at large marine areas or countries vulnerability to climate change, identifying least developed countries and small island states to be most vulnerable to climate. Agencies such as the NOAA in the United States or the European Commission are thinking and developing regional assessments of fisheries vulnerability.

Future Oceans Lab is contributing to these discussions by presenting our work on European stocks resilience to climate change that Elena Fontán is developing for her Master’s degree project, and the work Diego Salgueiro Otero is doing comparing frameworks for climate change adaptation, including vulnerability. The workshop will last for three days and will produce a report on short statements on climate change impacts and vulnerability for regional ecosystems overviews, that will be available from ICES.

*headline picture from Tuala Hjarnø, group picture by ICES.