United Nations Radio

Temperature and other variations resulting from climate change will have a strong impact on fisheries and aquaculture and this can have significant food security consequences for certain populations.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization - the FAO - sounded the note of warning this week at the start of a four-day scientific symposium on climate change and marine fisheries being held at its Rome headquarters.

FAO says fisheries are fundamentally different from other food production systems in their linkages and responses to climate change.

The head of the FAO's Fisheries Management and Conservation, Service Kevern Cochrane, says marine fisheries are particularly susceptible to warming of the oceans.

"What we are seeing with that warming is that fish distributions are changing and in general, fish are moving closer towards the pole. As the oceans warm the warmer waters extend closer to the poles and the fish moves northwards."

The Rome meeting aims to paint a fuller picture of the challenges that climate change poses to marine fisheries and the millions of people who depend on them for food and income.

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio.

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