Climate change 'harming fish stocks'

The supply of fish stocks will plummet as the world warms, says a United Nations report.

The results will affect millions of people in developing nations who depend on fishing for their livelihoods, according to the "Dead in the Water" report, published by the UN's Environment Programme (Unep).

Rising greenhouse gas emissions threaten at least three-quarters of key fishing grounds, and this could affect the 2.6bn people who derive their protein from seafood, the study notes.

The ocean’s natural pumping systems, which bring nutrients to fisheries and also help flush out wastes and pollution, are under threat.

Additionally, increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will raise oceans' acid levels, harming corals as well as planktonic organisms at the base of the food chain.

Download the report here (6MB PDF)

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