Fisheries and commercial aquaculture

Climate change will have a variety of impacts on freshwater and saltwater fisheries and aquaculture industries. Maritime regions where fishing drives the economy will be most affected and will have to adapt to maintain the socio-economic vitality of the communities that depend on it.

There are many adaptation solutions to counter the challenges facing the fishing and aquaculture industry in the face of climate change. They may aim to diversify fished species to avoid overfishing, adjust the dates of the fishing season to limit stress on species at critical points in their life cycles, or conserve and restore connections between aquatic habitats. Many of these solutions are already being applied in Quebec. However, in the context of climate change, these solutions must be adaptable and take climate change and the different life cycles of species into account. This will ensure that the fishing and aquaculture industry can continue while minimizing climate change impacts.