Twenty-five emerging questions when detecting, understanding, and predicting future fish distributions in a changing...

Area of Science:

• Fisheries Science
• Climate Change Ecology
• Marine Biology

Background:

• The 2023 Annual Symposium of the Fisheries Society of the British Isles convened experts to discuss predicting fish distributions.
• A changing climate presents significant implications for marine and aquatic environments, necessitating a review of current knowledge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and organize critical research and management questions concerning fish distributions.
• To capture the current state of the field and highlight knowledge gaps and future priorities.

Main Methods:

• A special interest group at the symposium formulated 25 questions.
• Questions were organized thematically: Physiology, Mechanisms, Detect and Measure, Manage, and Wider Ecosystems.
• The questions addressed poorly understood concepts, data deficiencies, and climate change impacts.

Main Results:

• The questions cover a spectrum from individual fish physiology to broad ecosystem impacts.
• Each question is crucial for understanding and predicting fish distributions under climate change.
• A focus on mechanisms and data deficiencies provides a guide for future research.

Conclusions:

• Addressing these questions is vital for prioritizing future work in fisheries research and management.
• Coordinated efforts are required to navigate the complex impacts of climate change on fish populations and distributions.
• The identified questions serve as a roadmap for scientists, managers, and policymakers.