Climate change may seem far off in the future to some people, but for many who work in fisheries, it’s definitely here and it’s already having a big effect.

Changes in Earth’s atmosphere and climate are modifying physical and chemical properties of the ocean environment, and scientists project these changes to continue. Long-term changes in temperature, carbon dioxide content (acidification), oxygen levels, nutrient availability, currents, salinity, and sea-ice extent affect marine life and lead to large-scale shifts in the patterns of marine productivity, biodiversity, community composition, and ecosystem structure.