Adaption planning to climate change in industrial fisheries: Progress in the Basque tropical tuna fishery

Abstract

Climate change impacts on ocean living organisms and ecosystems have flow-on effects on fisheries and their associated values. Industrial fisheries operate long distance fleets that potentially have the capacity to respond to such impacts by using technology and changing the timing and distribution of fishing effort. However, long-term adaptation to climate change in industrial fisheries entails larger structural changes that include adaptive management and international cooperation, where actors beyond the industry need to be engaged. How industrial fisheries are tackling adaptation to climate change is largely unknown, as is the role that actors in these systems undertake. In this study, we explored the Basque tropical tuna fishery to understand past and projected adaptation actions by each of the main actors in the fishery. We performed in-depth interviews with high-level representatives from 65% of the fishing industry, governments, research bodies, and non-governmental organizations of the Basque tropical tuna freezer purse seine fishery operating in the central-eastern Atlantic Ocean. We found that the fishery system has engaged in adaptation actions that seek to improve fishery sustainability, and that most adaptation actions are undertaken by the fishing industry. We also found that actors promote several types of adaptation actions such as practice change, and capacity building, among others, and that there is a lack of joint adaptation planning. We discuss the challenge in identifying suitable adaptation options to promote resilient and sustainable fisheries and to avoid losing their associated values.