Global Climate Change and Sustainable Development of Fisheries

In recent decades, global environmental problems, such as eutrophication, global warming, ozone depletion, and ocean acidification, have attracted worldwide attention. A great deal of facts have proved that the global environmental problems have had a significant impact on the world’s fishery resources and marine ecological environment, and have affected the sustainable development of fisheries in some countries and regions. To this end, relevant international organizations and scholars have carried out vulnerability assessments of marine fisheries in coastal states around the world in the context of climate change, identifying countries and areas where climate change will have the greatest impact on marine fisheries, to support efforts to reduce the impact of climate change. In 2015, the United Nations adopted the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, which will help to benefit present and future generations from aquatic resources and to help fisheries provide nutritious food for a growing population, and promote economic prosperity, create jobs, and ensure the well-being of the people. In the context of sustainable development, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has launched the Blue Growth Initiative, which focuses on achieving sustainable fishery, reducing the degradation of fish habitats, and protecting biodiversity. To this end, the main contents of this chapter are: (1) describing the relationship between Global Environmental Issues and fisheries; (2) introducing the vulnerability of marine fisheries to food security in the context of climate change, and analyzing the impact of marine fisheries on their food security in 109 countries around the world; (3) briefly introducing international action for Sustainable Fisheries Development, agenda 2030 and blue growth; and (4) introducing carbon sink fisheries and their roles.