Mark Rousseau

Climate change is expected to have widespread consequences for many elements of Massachusetts’ coastal areas,  including its ecosystems, fisheries habitats, and coastal communities. Potential changes include increases in water temperature, increases in frequency and intensity of regional precipitation, and decreases in salinity and ocean pH levels (ocean acidification). Modest changes to the climate can have major impacts to coastal ecosystems which can threaten biodiversity and fisheries based economies. These changes will have substantial long-term fisheries management implications.  

In response to these challenges, MarineFisheries has developed a series of strategies and policies to address ecosystem changes and fisheries impacts resulting from climate change and ocean acidification . As part of the MarineFisheries Strategic Plan , the agency will continue to examine impacts to living marine fisheries resources associated with climate change as a strategy to achieve the goal of improving fisheries sustainability.  Another goal of the Strategic Plan is to promote and support commercial and recreational fisheries through the introduction of a green fishing initiative to save fuel and reduce costs, pollution, and green house gas emissions.

For more information on climate change, please visit the links below:

Dept of Fish and Game:  Adapting to Climate change link (http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/climatechange.htm)

Mass DEP Greenhouse gases and Climate Change link (http://www.mass.gov/dep/air/climate/index.htm#rggi)

Gulf of Maine EcoSystem Indicator Partnership Climate Change in the GOM link (http://www.gulfofmaine.org/esip/)

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