Climate Change Scenario Planning: Upcoming Webinars to Focus on Oceanographic, Biological, and Social/Economic Drivers of Change
Over the past year, East Coast fishery management bodies have been collaborating on a climate change scenario planning initiative designed to prepare fishing communities and fishery managers for an era of climate change. The goals of this project are to assess how climate change might affect stock distribution and availability of East Coast marine fisheries over the next 20 years and to identify the implications for fishery management and governance.
Mark Your Calendars
Webinar #1 – Monday, February 14, 2022
Webinar #2 – Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Webinar #3 – Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Each webinar will address a different category of forces driving change in East Coast fisheries (see schedule below for details). Participants are encouraged to attend all three webinars to take in the full range of issues being explored.
Last summer and fall, many stakeholders participated in the Scoping phase of the project by attending introductory scoping webinars and providing input through an online questionnaire. A summary of the scoping process and input received is available here.
The next step in the scenario planning process is the Exploration phase. Building on the input gathered during scoping, this phase will include a series of three webinars which will focus on identifying and analyzing the major drivers of change in greater depth. Once again, stakeholder involvement is key, and the webinars are open to the public. The outcomes of these webinars will form the “building blocks” for a future scenario creation workshop to be held in Spring 2022.
Webinar Details
Each of the three webinars will address a different category of forces driving change in East Coast fisheries (see schedule below for details). Participants are encouraged to attend all three webinars, if possible, to take in the full range of issues being explored. The webinars will contain a keynote address, a panel discussion, and a limited opportunity for comments, questions, and discussion. Three background documents are being developed with specific information to support each webinar. Once completed, these documents will be posted here. Participants are encouraged to review these backgrounders before the webinars begin and come prepared to share comments on the primary drivers of change for East Coast fisheries.
Webinar Schedule and Topics
Click on the webinar titles below to view webinar registration details.
Webinar #1: Oceanographic Drivers of Change – February 14, 2022, 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
This webinar will look in detail at the trends in oceanography that are poised to shape East Coast fisheries over the next 20 years, such as changing ocean temperature, acidification, sea level rise, ocean currents and other developments. How predictable are these trends, and what impact might they have?
Webinar #2: Biological Drivers of Change – February 23, 2022, 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
This webinar will explore expected and possible biological trends, including changes in the geographic range, distribution, and productivity of stocks, as well as changes in habitat, predator/prey relationships, and other ecosystem dynamics. What are the prospects for how these factors might develop and interact over the next 20 years?
Webinar #3: Social and Economic Drivers of Change – March 2, 2022, 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
This webinar will focus on social and economic trends that may affect fisheries, such as changing consumer demand and food production, other competing ocean uses (e.g., offshore energy and aquaculture), loss of working waterfronts, and other developments. How important will these developments be in shaping fisheries in the next 20 years?
Learn More
Additional information is available on the Climate Change Scenario Planning Web Page and in the Introductory brochure.
Source: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
