Climate Change and Distribution Shifts in Marine Fishes
Abstract
We show that the distributions of both exploited and nonexploited North Sea fishes have responded markedly to recent increases in sea temperature, with nearly two-thirds of species shifting in mean latitude or depth or both over 25 years. For species with northerly or southerly range margins in the North Sea, half have shown boundary shifts with warming, and all but one shifted northward. Species with shifting distributions have faster life cycles and smaller body sizes than nonshifting species. Further temperature rises are likely to have profound impacts on commercial fisheries through continued shifts in distribution and alterations in community interactions.
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The effects of climate change operating through habitat or food web variation is thought to be already significant for many species of commercially valuable fish and wildlife.
“Indeed, the effects of climate change operating through habitat or food web variation is thought to be already significant for many species of commercially valuable fish and wildlife [29][30][31][32][33].”
From Anticipated Effects of Climate Change on Coastal Upwelling Ecosystems (2015) · cites this paper as [29]
In response to ocean warming, marine populations tend to move toward the poles and deeper depths.
“In response to ocean warming, marine populations tend to move toward the poles and deeper depths [4–7].”
From Shift in Tuna Catches Due to Ocean Warming (2017) · cites this paper as [4]
Distributions of North Sea and Northeast Atlantic fishes responded markedly to ocean warming, shifting in intermediate latitudes.
“However, distributions of North Sea and Northeast Atlantic fishes responded markedly to ocean warming, shifting in intermediate latitudes [4, 5].”
From Shift in Tuna Catches Due to Ocean Warming (2017) · cites this paper as [4]
The response of fish distributions to ocean warming seems to be more important in species with short life cycles and small body size.
“This phenomenon seems to be more important in species with short life cycles and small body size [4].”
From Shift in Tuna Catches Due to Ocean Warming (2017) · cites this paper as [4]
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- Authors
- Perry, A. L., Low, P. J., Ellis, J. R., & Reynolds, J. D.
- Affiliations
- University of East Anglia (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Perry, Allison L.
- Low, Paula J.
- Reynolds, John D.
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 2005-06-24
- Volume
- 308
- Issue
- 5730
- Pages
- 1912-1915
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2168909889
- Cited by
- 3,182
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 126 · 2025: 151 · 2024: 175 · 2023: 174 · 2022: 161 · 2021: 179 · 2020: 196 · 2019: 202 · 2018: 156 · 2017: 186 · 2016: 172 · 2015: 177 · 2014: 170 · 2013: 181 · 2012: 158
- FWCI
- 71.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UEA Digital Repository (University of East Anglia) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Marine and fisheries research
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecological Modeling › Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Keywords
- climate change, marine fish, range shifts, seawater temperature, range margins, latitudinal range shift, North Sea, life cycle, body size, community interaction
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Climate, Environment, Fisheries, Fishes, North Sea, Population Density, Population Dynamics, Seawater, Temperature, Time Factors, Ecosystem, Body Size
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