5.4.6.1 TAR conclusions remain valid

The principal conclusions concerning aquaculture and fisheries set out in the TAR (see Section 5.1.3) remain valid and important. The negative impacts of climate change which the TAR identified, particularly on aquaculture and freshwater fisheries, include (i) stress due to increased temperature and oxygen demand and increased acidity (lower pH); (ii) uncertain future water supply; (iii) extreme weather events; (iv) increased frequency of disease and toxic events; (v) sea level rise and conflict of interest with coastal defence needs; and (vi) uncertain future supply of fishmeal and oils from capture fisheries. Positive impacts include increased growth rates and food conversion efficiencies, increased length of growing season, range expansion and use of new areas due to decrease in ice cover.

Information from experimental, observational and modelling studies conducted since the TAR supports these conclusions and provides more detail, especially concerning regional effects.