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Contributed Talk

Session: : Fisheries Management And Models 1

COS 285-2 - The relative impacts of warming and fishing on freshwater fish populations

Thursday, August 10, 2023
1:45 PM – 2:00 PM PDT
Location: E141
Abstract: Abstract:

Climate change and fishing pressure are important drivers of change for freshwater fish populations. However, the relative importance of these two stressors has been widely debated due to the challenge of disentangling their impacts on fish populations. Using a temperature-dependent population dynamics model, this study quantifies the impact of lake warming and fishing on the abundance of freshwater fish populations in the Midwestern United States, a transitional zone between cold- and warm-water species. Of the 520 evaluated populations from eight species (i.e., largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, yellow perch, and cisco), 77 populations (15%) responded positively to warming, and 67 populations (13%) responded negatively to warming. The directions and magnitudes of the warming impacts were related to the thermal affinity of the species and the level of exploitation experienced by the population. Only 1% of populations were depleted more by temperature variation than fishing. For 47% of populations, temperature variation exacerbated depletion, but to a lesser extent than fishing. Temperature variation fully or partially compensated for depletion caused by fishing for 6% and 46% of populations, respectively. Understanding the primary causes of population fluctuations and the mechanisms by which fish populations respond to climate change can aid in effective fisheries management.