Adapting diverse inland fisheries for a changing climate

Dr. Holly Embke

Research Fish Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey’s Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center

Abstract

Inland aquatic ecosystems support valuable fisheries that have tremendous cultural, economic, and subsistence significance, Inland fisheries serve as a source of food for many fishers and provide one of the most important connections people have with nature. Thus, inland fishing greatly influences fish population dynamics as well as communities reliant on associated fishing opportunities, but large-scale environmental change brings new stresses to inland fisheries. These stresses, including climate change, land-use changes, invasive species, and harvest present novel challenges for fisheries management as ecosystems respond to global shifts. Here, I present on multiple diverse fisheries experiencing transformative change as well as the unique quantitative and qualitative approaches being used to adapt given global shifts. All studies are highly collaborative with communities of use and involve multi-use fisheries wherein numerous management goals must be met to satisfy partner needs while supporting fishery resilience. Specific studies span geographic scales including the local (e.g., walleye in Wisconsin lakes), regional (e.g., lake sturgeon in the Great Lakes basin), and global (e.g., community resiliency in the Mekong River basin, Thailand). Studies demonstrate the diverse, interdisciplinary approaches needed to adapt inland fisheries to a changing climate.