Climate change will require development of new fishing technology and fishing gear. Managing authorities must put climate change into the equation when allocating fishing quotas.
What do rising temperatures signify for fish stock trends?
How will new species influence existing species? Will they eat each
other or compete for the same food? When fish move to new areas due
to climate change, which countries will then have the right to fish
them? What makes a sustainable stock, if the stock is new to an
area?
Future fisheries regulation and allocation of fishing quotas must
consider these new questions raised by climate change.
New fishing opportunities for lost fishing
opportunities
Danish fishermen receive a fixed share of the catches allowed in
EU waters every year. This share is based on the historic catches
of Danish fishermen in the individual areas of Danish national
waters.
If the traditional fish species in Danish fishermen's catch
disappear and are replaced by new species, Danish fishermen can
exploit the new opportunities that arise instead.
Danish fishermen might have to fish further away from Denmark or
they will have to fish for alternative or new species.
Fishing vessels and gear must be re-rigged
The Danish fishing vessels and gear are designed to catch the fish
that currently inhabit the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.
If the traditional species disappear and are replaced by new
species, vessels and gear will have to be re-rigged and refitted
for the new species. This could require investing in new vessels
and new gear.
Catch quality must be ensured
At the prospect of rising temperatures, it will be necessary to
reassess the way catches are stored onboard fishing vessels. The
vessels might have to be refitted to meet the new requirements for
quality and hygiene.
Varying sea temperatures are common even today, when the summer
months, for example, require special cooling measures onboard
vessels so that the catch can be chilled straight from the
net.
The most efficient way of chilling is achieved by storing the fish
in ice water in insulated containers onboard the ship. This means
that the equipment used for unloading the catch must be able to
handle various container sizes, customized to the individual
fishing vessel.
The onland storage facilities will have to be reviewed and the
processing industry will have to adapt from processing the
traditional fish species to processing the new fish species.
Sales opportunities in the market must be examined, and
investments must be made in marketing the new species and new
products.