70 years later: changes and challenges of Southwest South Atlantic fishery resources
A recent study led by researchers from Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina reveals worrying trends in the fishery resources of the Southwest Atlantic over the last 70 years. This ocean, vital for food and employment for millions of families, faces serious challenges from climate change and the lack of international coordination to manage its shared resources.
According to lead researcher Omar Defeo, of the Universidad de la República (Uruguay), “the increase in sea surface temperature and climate-induced changes in species distribution complicate fisheries management in a region where species cross the territories of three countries”.
The team sought to understand how key fishery resources in this region have changed and what challenges exist to ensure their sustainability. Fisheries in the southwest Atlantic not only provide food, but are also an important source of employment. However, they are threatened by ocean warming and changes in marine ecosystems.
The study was co-funded by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, with the support of the U.S. National Science Foundation.
Key findings
The study highlights three key points:
- Unsustainable management: Nearly 40% of the fishery resources in this region have not been sustainably managed.
- Species transition: Changing oceanographic conditions have favored a transition from cold to warm water species.
- Lack of international governance: The absence of instruments for effective coordination between the governments of Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina complicates the sustainable management of shared fisheries.
Alberto Piola, co-researcher at the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina), stresses that “weak regional coordination hinders the sustainable management of shared fisheries resources, especially in transboundary areas”. Bárbara Franco, from CIMA/CONICET (Argentina), adds that “the region has unique characteristics in terms of the warming observed in recent decades, making it necessary to establish an international governance framework”.
The project brought together researchers from various institutions, including UNDECIMAR (Uruguay), the Centro de Investigaciones del Mar y la Atmósfera (CIMA, Argentina), the Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero (INIDEP, Argentina) and the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (Brazil), among others.
The research was also supported by the Comisión Sectorial de Investigación Científica (Uruguay), the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET, Argentina) and the iAtlantic Project, funded by the European Union, as well as other institutions in Brazil and Uruguay.
This study highlights the urgency of establishing an international governance framework for cooperation among the countries of the Southwest Atlantic to protect their fishery resources from the effects of climate change. As the research team concludes, “it is crucial to act now to ensure that these vital resources are available for future generations”.
Please access the article here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2024.106584