Providing Safe Haven for Sensitive Aquatic Species in a Changing Climate

Fish culture will be affected by climate change, but many aspects of the fish husbandry environment can be controlled through the use of modern technology and engineering. The ability to control the culture environment provides the option to engineer around climate change as it occurs and additionally allows fish culture to be used as a tool to address issues of climate change and associated impacts on native or wild fishes. Aquaculture for coldwater fish species, such as salmon and trout, will likely require modern technologies to supply conditions suitable for fish husbandry in a changing climate. Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) have proven effective for production hatcheries and also as an emergency tool to address issues of climate change and mitigate impacts on native or wild fishes. Such work was recently demonstrated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to provide drought safe haven for wild fishes that were otherwise jeopardized by unprecedented drought. Other recovery efforts have been planned or implemented recently in Texas, North Carolina, New Mexico, and other locations to protect imperiled fish and mussel populations by bringing populations into culture facilities. These and other efforts worldwide demonstrate innovative approaches to address potential or realized impacts of climate change. These fish culture techniques should be considered part of the available toolbox for all fisheries professionals as they face impacts of climate change.