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Project Code [CS/20/002]
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Project title
Cullen Scholarship: Biological changes in key commercially exploited fish in the light of Climate & Ocean Change
Primary Funding Agency
Marine Institute
Co-Funding Organisation(s)
n/a
Lead Organisation
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT)
Project Abstract
Impacts of climate change on aquatic ecosystems are well documented and are manifested by changes in distribution, phenology, growth and survival across a wide diversity of taxonomic groups and a broad geographical range. Many of the impacts of climate change on fish are manifested in their growth and maturation rates. Across many commercial fish stocks a pattern of increased growth rates of younger fish and smaller maximum body size has been observed in recent decades and has been linked to the interacting effects of climate change and fishing pressure. In addition, there is a tendency for fish to mature earlier and at a smaller body size due to the evolutionary pressures exerted by intense fishing pressure combined with temperature related changes in the allocation of energy to reproduction. These changes in life history have consequences for stock productivity and resilience, therefore marine ecosystem management responses that are robust to such change required. This project will investigate temporal change in life history traits (e.g. size-ate-age, age at maturity, phenology) across key commercial fish species in the Celtic and Irish seas and Atlantic waters. Individual growth histories will be reconstructed using archived otoliths to describe temporal trends in growth and partition the intrinsic and extrinsic sources of variability. Relationships between changes in growth/life history traits and abundance, fishing pressure and environmental variables will be modelled. Finally, the feasibility of using otolith stable isotope analysis to investigate metabolic responses to temperature in a selected fish species will be assessed. To achieve its aims, this project will capitalise on advances already made in ecosystem and climate change research in Ireland and internationally. In particular, the project will create synergies with the ClimFish project (GMIT/Marine Institute collaboration), the primary objective of which is to examine climate impacts on distribution.
Grant Approved
�100,000.00
Research Theme
Relevant to other areas as well as climate
Initial Projected Completion Date
30/06/2025