Written comments can be submitted to the Council using the Online Comment Form until November 10, 2023.
East Coast Fishery Management Organizations Release Suite of Potential Actions to Help Managers Respond to the Effects of Climate Change on Marine Fisheries
Over the past two years, marine fishery management organizations along the U.S. East Coast have been exploring governance and management issues related to climate change and fishery stock distributions. This effort recognizes the profound impact that climate change is having on our ocean ecosystems and coastlines and the need to plan for how fishery management organizations and coastal communities can best adapt to these changes in a thoughtful and deliberate way.
Throughout the multi-stage scenario planning process, hundreds of stakeholders helped generate four distinct “scenarios,” each describing a possible future for East Coast fisheries, coastal communities, and fisheries management. The capstone to this initiative was a Scenario Planning Summit, held in February 2023, which brought together representatives from the three East Coast Regional Fishery Management Councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and NOAA Fisheries. During the Summit, participants used the scenarios as a platform from which to develop a set of potential governance and management actions that could help prepare fishery management organizations for future challenges related to climate change.
Scenario Planning Outcomes
The main themes and potential actions that emerged during this process are summarized in two documents: the Summit Report and a Potential Action Menu. The Summit Report summarizes the discussions that occurred at the Summit, while the Potential Action Menu builds upon the Summit Report by suggesting possible next steps for the management organizations to consider as they plan for the future. The Potential Action Menu is organized around three overarching themes: (1) cross-jurisdictional governance; (2) managing under increased uncertainty; and (3) data sources and partnerships. Each theme’s potential actions are prioritized, with high priority given to those that could be quickly or easily implemented or that the fishery management organizations viewed as important issues to address in the near-term. The table below provides a summary of high priority potential actions under each theme.
The Potential Action Menu is intended to be an evolving document, used as a planning tool to guide development of priorities and a place to capture future issues and ideas. Over the next several months, fishery management organizations will meet individually and collectively to discuss how best to integrate the high priority items into actions.
Overarching Themes and High Priority Potential Actions
Theme |
High Priority Actions |
Cross-Jurisdictional Governance Refers to ways in which governance structures and processes may need to be modified to address changes in species distribution. |
|
Managing Under Increased Uncertainty Environmental changes may mean that historical conditions can no longer be used to predict the future, increasing uncertainty in management. |
|
Data Sources and Partnerships Coordination of accurate and timely data between all stakeholders and partners will play a large role as we adapt to changing conditions. |
|
Next Steps
Two new groups are being formed to help support the implementation of scenario planning outcomes.
The East Coast Climate Coordination Group will be responsible for tracking progress toward implementation of potential actions, promoting prioritization of actions (jointly or by individual management organizations), estimating resources needed, and supporting coordinated implementation.
The Climate Innovation Group will track information and changes relevant to East Coast fisheries, identify ideas that are worthy of consideration by the Coordination Group, and identify possible actions to undertake.
Scenario Planning Toolkit and More Information
A Scenario Planning Toolkit has been created to support ongoing conversations about how climate change is affecting fisheries. The toolkit consists of materials to provide guidance to other stakeholders who may wish to undertake their own scenario work, with resources including a set of overview slides, worksheet templates, draft agendas for various types of sessions, guidance on different scenario approaches, and guidelines for facilitators.
Additional information about the East Coast Climate Change Scenario Planning Initiative, including contact information for current core team members, is available at https://www.mafmc.org/climate-change-scenario-planning.
New Web Page Highlights MAFMC Responses to Climate Change
The new Climate Change and Mid-Atlantic Fisheries page provides a comprehensive overview of actions the Council has taken to build resilient, climate-ready fisheries.
East Coast Fishery Management Organizations Invite Stakeholder Input on Climate Change Scenario Planning
*** Please note that this questionnaire has closed ***
To help prepare fisheries for an era of climate change, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council is collaborating with other East Coast fishery management organizations on a climate change scenario planning initiative. Scenario planning is a way of exploring how fishery management may need to evolve over the next few decades in response to climate change. Additional details are available in the introductory brochure.
We are currently in the scoping phase of the initiative. During this phase we are gathering stakeholder input on forces of change that could affect East coast fisheries in the future. We are inviting all interested stakeholders to complete a questionnaire about the ways you think climate change and other factors will affect fisheries and management in the future. The questionnaire, available at the link below, contains 12 questions and should take 10-30 minutes to complete. This is a great and easy opportunity to become involved and offer your ideas to help guide the issues that we will explore throughout this initiative.
The link will remain open until September 30, 2021, but we encourage you to submit responses as soon as possible. Additional Information about scenario planning can be found at the links below.
Climate Change Scenario Planning: Input Needed to Prepare for Uncertainty in Ocean Conditions and Fisheries
On the East Coast of the United States, some species of fish are already experiencing climate-related shifts in distribution, abundance, and productivity. Although the future is uncertain, a continuation or acceleration of climate change has the potential to strain our existing fishery management system and alter the way fishermen, scientists, and the public interact with the marine environment.
In order to begin preparing for this possibility, management bodies along the entire Atlantic seaboard have teamed up to launch a new project called East Coast Climate Change Scenario Planning. Scenario planning is a way of exploring how fishery management may need to evolve over the next few decades in response to climate change. You can find additional details in the introductory brochure.
Weigh In! Stakeholder Input is Key to Effective Scenario Planning
The initiative is being organized by a Core Team of representatives from the New England, Mid-Atlantic, and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and NOAA Fisheries. The team has lined up three kick-off webinars:
Monday, August 30, 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, September 1, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 2, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Please register at the links above. The webinars will introduce stakeholders to the overall initiative, explain the benefits of participating in the process, outline additional ways to become involved, and begin collecting stakeholder input. All three webinars will have the same presentations; it is not necessary to attend more than one webinar.
An online questionnaire will be available soon to serve as an additional tool to collect input. Watch the Scenario Planning webpage for updates.
Next Steps and Expected Outcomes: Over the next year, fishery science and management organizations, guided by the Northeast Region Coordinating Council (NRCC), will bring together fishery participants, fishery managers, researchers, and other stakeholders to discuss climate change issues. The intent is to emerge with ideas and recommendations on how fishery management can adapt to climate change. However, nothing will happen immediately and managers will need to discuss the recommendations from the scenario planning project to determine next steps.
NOAA Fisheries Requests Public Input on Making Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Protected Resources More Resilient to Climate Change
Submit your comments by April 2, 2021 to OceanResources.Climate@noaa.gov
February 2018 Council Meeting Summary
GAO Releases Report on the Impacts of Climate Change on Federal Fisheries Management
NEFSC: Warming Ocean May Bring Major Changes for U.S. Northeast Fishery Species
Fishing, fast growth and climate variability increase the risk of collapse
April 2015 Council Meeting Summary
MAFMC to collaborate with Rutgers Scientists on climate change research
NOAA FY14 Federal Funding Opportunity - Understanding Climate Impacts on Fish Stocks and Fisheries to Inform Sustainable Management
Mid-Atlantic Council Hosts Workshop on East Coast Fisheries and Climate Change
Council Hosts Climate Change and Fishery Science Workshop
Understanding climate change and the associated impacts on the ocean environment has emerged as one of the major challenges facing fishery science and management. On February 11, 2014, the Council hosted a Climate Change and Fishery Science Workshop in New Bern, North Carolina. Presentations and audio recordings from the workshop are all available at the link below.