Climate Change: Climate Change Solutions | NOAA Fisheries
Source: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/climate-change/climate-change-solutions
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:15
Climate Change: Climate Change Solutions | NOAA Fisheries
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Climate Change
Climate Change
Climate change has a profound effect on life in the oceans. Learn about how climate change affects marine life and what NOAA Fisheries is doing to help.
The changing climate and oceans have significant impacts on the nation’s valuable marine life and ecosystems, and the many communities and economies that depend on them. Scientists expect environmental changes such as
warming oceans
,
rising sea levels
, frequency and intensity of floods and
droughts
, and
ocean acidification
to increase with continued shifts in the planet’s climate system.
These environmental changes impact every aspect of our mission—from managing fisheries and aquaculture, to conserving protected resources and vital habitats. There is much at risk. For example,
fisheries supported 2.1 million jobs and $319 billion
in sales impacts in the United States in 2023. Coastal habitats provide
important services
including nursery areas for fish and protected species and protection for people and property from storms and flooding. Preparing for changing oceans will help sustain the nation’s valuable marine resources, fisheries, and coastal communities.
NOAA climate science is the foundation for smart policy and decision-making in a changing world. We are taking a proactive approach to increase the resilience and adaptation of marine life and the people who depend on them. Our
Climate Science Strategy
provides decision-makers with answers to four key questions:
What is changing?
Why is it changing?
How will it change?
How to respond?
NOAA’s climate stewardship protects our lands, waters, resources, and people. Other federal agencies, state and local governments, and businesses look to NOAA to understand how they can adapt and respond to climate change, and provide science-based services to their constituencies. And we work with partners to minimize impacts, adapt to the changes that are coming, and ensure future generations can enjoy the benefits of healthy marine ecosystems.
More Information
U.S. National Climate Assessment
NOAA Fisheries Climate Science Strategy
Ecosystems
IPCC Special Report on Oceans and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate
NOAA's Climate.gov
Priority Climate Change Investments
FACT
1 football field per hour
Communities and economies in southern states are also being impacted by changing climate and ocean conditions. Louisiana loses a football-field-size area of coastal wetlands to the sea every hour due to rising seas and sinking lands.
FACT
A rate of about 44 miles per decade
A number of marine species are shifting poleward at a rate of about 44 miles per decade. Many species are moving towards cooler regions as their environment warms. For marine species, this often means moving towards higher latitudes or into deeper waters. They are moving 5–10 times faster than terrestrial species. This causes issues for fishers and fishing communities that depend on them for their livelihoods. Global average sea level rise has risen by about 7–8 inches since 1900. Almost half of this rise has occurred since 1993 as oceans have warmed and land-based ice has melted. Relative to the year 2000, sea level rise is likely to rise 1–4 feet by the end of the century.
FACT
$140 billion by 2100
The loss of the recreational benefits alone from coral reefs in the United States expected by 2100. Coral reefs, which provide shoreline protection and support fisheries and recreation, are threatened by ocean warming and acidification. Warming has led to mass bleaching and outbreaks of coral diseases off the coastlines of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Florida, Hawai‘i, and the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands.
FACT
Annual average Arctic sea ice extent has decreased between 3.5 percent and 4.1 percent per decade
The percentage of annual average Arctic sea ice extent that has decreased since the early 1980s. September sea ice extent, which is the annual minimum extent, has decreased between 10.7 percent and 15.9 percent per decade. As the climate continues to warm, it is likely that the summer Arctic will be sea ice-free within this century. This will have major impacts on the Arctic ecosystems and the people who depend on them.
Show me another fact
NOAA Fisheries Climate Strategy
The NOAA Fisheries Climate Science Strategy is part of a proactive approach to increase the production, delivery, and use of climate-related information needed to fulfill our mandates. The strategy identifies seven objectives to provide decision-makers with the information they need to reduce impacts and increase resilience with changing climate and ocean conditions.
Learn more about the NOAA Fisheries Climate Science Strategy
Regional Action Plans
Working with our partners, we developed regional action plans to guide how we implement our national climate science strategy in each of our regions. The goal is to provide decision-makers with the information they need to reduce impacts of changing climate and oceans and increase resilience of valuable marine resources and the people who depend on them.
Learn more about the Regional Action Plans
Ocean Acidification
We support a
NOAA-Wide Ocean Acidification Program
, established by Congress in 2009, which will plan and oversee a long-term coastal and open-ocean monitoring program and lead research on the impacts of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems and the socioeconomic implications of these impacts.
Learn more about ocean acidification
Assessing the Vulnerability of Fish Stocks
Our Fish Species Climate Vulnerability Assessment Methodology provides decision-makers with information on the relative vulnerability of fish species with expected changes in climate and ocean conditions. The methodology uses information on species life history characteristics, species distributions and projected future climate, and ocean conditions to estimate the relative vulnerability of fish species to changes in abundance.
Learn more about how we assess the vulnerability of fish stocks
Understanding Our Changing Climate
Changes in our climate and our oceans are having very real and profound effects on the natural resources we depend on—including our fisheries and coastal habitats.
Read More
Understanding the Impacts
From the sea to the sun and coast to coast, NOAA is observing, measuring, monitoring, and collecting data using satellites, ships, buoys, planes, drones, sensors, and more. Our scientists work every day at sea, on shore, and in laboratories to track and forecast changes in U.S. marine ecosystems and understand their impacts. We use our
Climate Science Strategy
to proactively increase the production, delivery, and use of climate-related information to help guide our science and management activities. The Strategy is being implemented through
regional action plans
. These plans identify high priority regional climate-related information needs and actions so that we can better track, understand, project, and respond to marine ecosystem changes on a regional level.
Tracking Change
Information on current conditions—and what is changing—is critical in providing sound scientific advice for sustainable management. NOAA provides essential baseline and trend information to inform decision makers about the impacts of climate change on the ocean with data on ocean temperature, sea level, currents, species distribution, and more.
Distribution Mapping and Analysis Portal
Ecosystem Status Reports
Integrated Ecosystem Assessments
Population Assessments
Understanding Mechanisms
Understanding why and how the changing climate and oceans affects marine life—and the communities that depend on them—will help us better forecast future conditions and identify how to reduce those effects. We are building a coalition of partners to improve our understanding of how and why the changing climate and oceans impact marine ecosystems. This includes identifying the drivers of change as well as which resources and ecosystems may be most at risk and what actions might reduce risks and increase resilience.
Climate Vulnerability Assessments
NOAA Climate and Fisheries Adaptation Program
NOAA MAPP Program: Modeling Climate Impacts on Marine Ecosystems
Projecting Future Conditions and Responses
NOAA Fisheries and its partners are using a variety of approaches to project how marine ecosystems and specific resources might change in the future. For example, we are looking at how the distribution and abundance of marine resources may change. We are considering how these changes may affect businesses and communities, and how to prepare and respond to these changes.
Effective resource management depends on robust information about past, current, and projected future conditions of marine ecosystems. Efforts are under way to deliver better projections to help improve stock assessments, assess risks, and evaluate best management strategies under a range of likely future climate and ocean conditions.
NOAA Alaska Climate Integrated Modeling Project
Climate and Fisheries Adaptation Program
Stock Assessment Improvement Plan
Modeling, Analysis, Predictions, and Projections Program
Marine Prediction Task Force Funded Projects
Oceans and Climate Change: Tracking and Predicting the Impacts
NOAA scientists are working to track and predict changes to U.S. marine ecosystems and to understand how those changes impact marine life.
Climate Change Solutions
Changing climate and oceans affect nearly every aspect of our mission, from fisheries management and aquaculture, to conservation of protected resources and vital habitats.
To address these growing impacts, NOAA delivers climate services to federal agencies, states, Tribes, communities, and businesses across America. We are responsible for providing best-in-class data and information that helps people with science-based climate change solutions, especially at the local level where planning for an uncertain future is the most difficult and where decision makers may need technical support.
NOAA helps people build the capacity to recover quickly from extreme weather events and changes in climate by providing science-based decision-support tools and programs that promote sustainable fisheries, restore coastal ecosystems that minimize the impacts of storms, and provide ecological and economic benefits. Our
Climate Science Strategy
,
Regional Climate Action Plans
, and
Ecosystem-based Fisheries Management Road Map
will help scientists, fishermen, managers, and coastal businesses better understand what’s changing, what’s at risk, and what actions are needed to safeguard America’s valuable marine resources and resource-dependent communities.
We are committed to using the best available science to inform management decisions and support climate change solutions.
Adapting Fisheries Management to Climate Change Challenges
Changing ocean conditions are affecting the location of fish stocks, the productivity of fish stocks, and the fishing industry’s interactions with bycatch, protected species, and other ocean users. Fish stocks could become less productive or move out of range of the fishermen who catch them. These shifts can cause social, economic, and other impacts on fisheries and fishing-dependent communities. As a result, fishing industries and coastal businesses can face significant challenges in preparing for and adapting to changing climate and oceans. And there is much at risk—marine fisheries and seafood industries supported
$319 billion in sales impacts and 2.1 million jobs
in 2023.
To reduce impacts, increase resilience, and take advantage of new opportunities, NOAA uses the best available science to provide climate change solutions for fisheries management. We are exploring potential
management approaches
, and have identified
challenges and recommendations for improving science and management
. In partnership with the Regional Fishery Management Councils, Fishery Commissions, and states, we are taking steps to help fisheries prepare for and respond to changing climate and ocean conditions including:
Ensuring well-managed fish stocks with a sustainable biomass and stock structure
Producing regional
ecosystem status reports
to track and provide early warnings of climate and ecosystem changes in each region
Using
climate vulnerability assessments
of major fish stocks to better understand their vulnerability and support management action
Using
scenario planning
and other tools to identify effective fishery management strategies for current and future conditions
Spotlight on Science: Next Generation of Stock Assessments
Changing climate and ocean conditions directly impact the collection and analysis of data used in the stock assessment process for U.S. fisheries management. We are implementing a
Next Generation Stock Assessment Enterprise framework
to address a suite of new demands and challenges. This includes determining how best to account for the effects of changing ocean conditions. The goal is to ensure sustainable, well-managed stocks and stock structure using available climate information.
Spotlight on Management: Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management
Our
ecosystem-based fisheries management
approach is a vital tool for helping fishery managers and fishermen prepare for and adapt to climate change. It takes a holistic view of the entire ecosystem to more effectively assess the health of any given fishery. EBFM considers the impacts on fish stock productivity from social, economic, and ecological variables—such as changing ocean conditions—across multiple fisheries and habitats. It is a cornerstone of NOAA's efforts to sustainably manage the nation's marine fisheries. Our
EBFM Policy
and
Road Map
describe how we implement ecosystem-based fisheries management.
At the regional level, regional fishery management councils develop
fishery ecosystem plans
. These plans help fishery managers determine whether management effectively incorporates core ecosystem principles.
A Role for Aquaculture
Intensifying droughts, storms, and other climate-related events have revealed substantial vulnerabilities for land-based food production. When we look at the future of our food systems, we have to consider a growing population, a changing climate, and increasing strain on our natural resources. Aquaculture is an opportunity to complement wild harvest and sustainably increase our domestic food supply.
Building sustainable marine aquaculture—ocean farming of fish, shellfish, and seaweeds—can reduce resource pressure and present novel resilience opportunities for a changing environment. While not immune to the effects of climate change, aquaculture producers have more control of fish and shellfish raised in ocean-based farming operations. They can keep juvenile finfish and shellfish in hatcheries longer to safeguard them during the most vulnerable phase of development. And ocean-based farming operations generally require less fresh water and land resources, and produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions to produce food than land-based farming.
Additionally, aquatic crops like
shellfish and seaweed provide important ecosystem services
, including water filtration and the reduced ocean acidification around farm sites. Aquaculture farms can also provide habitat for fish and crustaceans,
increasing an area's biodiversity
and benefiting wild populations. NOAA scientists are studying the
nitrogen removal that shellfish aquaculture can provide to coastal communities
and seaweed’s potential to decrease carbonic acid—the main perpetrator of ocean acidification.
Aquaculture’s role in climate change resilience
Aquaculture supports the United Nations’ sustainability goals
Conserving and Rebuilding Protected Species
Climate change is affecting marine life. Warming oceans, rising sea levels,
ocean acidification
, droughts, and floods change the productivity of our waters. Many of the marine species we work to conserve and protect, including endangered and threatened species, are already compromised. They may be negatively impacted by these rapid environmental shifts.
NOAA’s sound science approach underlies our work addressing climate change challenges to our marine species conservation, management, and recovery mission. We are working with partners to improve our scientific understanding of the impact on protected species. And we are using the best available science to inform our recovery and conservation efforts and enhance species’ resilience and adaptation strategies. For example, we are:
Developing a
climate resilience toolkit
with climate science data, maps, guidance, an expert database, and many other resources for U.S. climate change stakeholders
Conducting
climate vulnerability assessments
for marine mammals and sea turtles to better understand these species’ vulnerability
Developed
guidance to inform Endangered Species Act decisions
(PDF, 8 pages) in light of anticipated changes in ocean conditions
Conducting scenario planning exercises to help identify science and management needs to support recovery actions for
Atlantic salmon
,
North Atlantic right whales
, and Puget Sound salmon
Conducting climate-smart conservation training for NOAA staff and partners to help them learn about our marine-focused climate adaptation tools and how to incorporate them into their work
Protecting and Restoring Habitat
Climate change is accelerating habitat loss, disrupting fisheries, and increasing storm frequency and intensity. As a result, the demand and need for
habitat protection and restoration solutions
continues to grow. Coastal, riverine, and marine habitats provide us with countless climate resilience benefits, from nursery grounds for fish to protection from storms.
NOAA Fisheries has a
long-standing history of working with partners
to protect and restore coastal and marine habitat to sustain fisheries and recover protected species. This work supports climate-resilient coastal communities and the
storage of carbon
in coastal habitats. In addition, coastal habitat restoration supports long-term economic recovery across a diversity of sectors. A
recent study
found that habitat restoration created on average 15 jobs per million dollars spent. Up to 30 jobs per million dollars are created for labor-intensive restoration projects.
We provide technical and financial assistance to thousands of coastal habitat restoration projects. They support communities that rely on those habitats for flood protection, natural resources, and jobs. For example, the
Southern Flow Corridor project in Tillamook County, Oregon
restored tidal wetland connectivity to more than 400 acres in the Tillamook estuary. This work not only restored critical habitat for endangered Oregon Coast coho salmon but also reduced local flooding and protected more than 500 structures.
NOAA Fisheries has recently completed a
climate vulnerability assessment in the Northeast to consider climate impacts on fish habitat
. The results will enable resource managers to prioritize habitat research, protection, and restoration initiatives.
We also work with federal agency partners to ensure that adverse habitat impacts to the fish, wildlife, and cultural “trust” resources that
NOAA conserves and manages are avoided or minimized.
Preparing for Climate Change Impacts to Marine Life and Habitats
NOAA uses the best available science to adapt the U.S. sustainable seafood supply and protect species and habitats in the face of climate change.
More Information
Climate Science Strategy
Climate Science Strategy 5 Year Progress Report
Habitat Restoration to Strengthen Coastal Resilience Projects
Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Projects for Underserved Communities
Changing Ecosystems and Fisheries
The Changing Ecosystems and Fisheries Initiative is a cross-NOAA effort to safeguard America’s marine and Great Lakes resources, coastal communities, and economies in the face of rapidly changing ocean conditions.
Changing ocean conditions are impacting the nation’s valuable marine and Great Lakes ecosystems—and the many people, businesses, and economies that depend on them. There is much at risk: marine fisheries alone support more than $321 billion in economic activity and 2.3 million jobs annually. This initiative will establish a nationwide Decision Support System. It will provide resource managers, fishing communities, ocean industries, and other decision makers with actionable information to reduce impacts and increase resilience.
Learn more about our activities in each region
Actionable Information for Resilience and Adaptation
Rapidly warming oceans, rising seas, increasing acidification, marine heatwaves and other extreme events are transforming the structure and function of marine ecosystems. For example, warming waters have already led to dramatic shifts in the distribution and abundance of important fish stocks and other species in many regions. These changes are already affecting fisheries, aquaculture, coastal economies, and sustainable production of safe seafood.
To prepare for and respond to these impacts, decision makers need:
Reliable forecasts of future ocean conditions
Information on what’s at risk
Information on best strategies to reduce impacts and increase resilience
A Powerful New System
The Decision Support System will provide government, business, and community decision-makers with early warnings, forecasts, and actionable advice. This will reduce risks and increase resilience of valuable marine resources and resource-dependent businesses and communities.
NOAA is building out the System in all six U.S. marine regions and the Great Lakes. We are working with many partners and leveraging existing activities, including pilot projects in four U.S. regions (the
Northeast
,
West Coast
,
Bering Sea
and the
Gulf of Alaska)
. These projects have demonstrated the System’s utility and provided successful building blocks for the System nationwide.
The System is composed of three interdependent components that work together to support decision making:
1. Robust Ocean Outlooks
We are building on existing modeling systems to efficiently and routinely deliver robust near-term forecasts and longer term projections of ocean and Great Lakes conditions in all U.S. coastal regions. This nationwide ocean forecast system, developed by
NOAA Research
, will provide the essential information for early warnings, risk assessments, and economic analyses. These routine ocean outlooks are also key to identifying best strategies for safeguarding marine resources and resource-dependent businesses, communities and economies in changing oceans.
2. Data Portal and Information Hub
We are implementing a public data management system to manage, store, and provide easy access to the information produced by the regional ocean modeling component. The portal, managed by
NOAA Research
, will increase public access to early warnings, forecasts, and projections of expected future ocean and Great Lakes conditions. The information hub will provide access to additional tools, data and information, including web-based systems for analyzing and visualizing the data on past, current and future ocean conditions.
3. Actionable Information, Tools, and Guidance
We established regional decision support teams through NOAA Fisheries and NOAA’s
National Ocean Service
at NOAA facilities in all six marine regions and the Great Lakes. These teams will provide decision makers with actionable information to reduce risks and increase resilience, including:
Forecasts of changes in the distribution and abundance of fish stocks
Assessments of risks to fisheries and fishing communities
Evaluations of best options to safeguard resources, businesses, and communities with changing oceans
The cutting edge technology, modeling and forecasting capabilities will provide these and other tools essential to safeguarding America’s marine and Great Lakes resources and the many businesses, economies, and coastal communities that depend on them. The System is critical to ensuring sustainable fisheries and a prosperous seafood sector as called for in
Executive Order 14276 “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness”
and multiple legislative drivers.
NOAA Changing Ecosystems and Fisheries Initiative
The Changing Ecosystems and Fisheries Initiative is a cross-NOAA effort to build nationwide modeling that helps decision makers adapt to changing ocean conditions.
More Information
Changing Ecosystems and Fisheries Initiative: Regional Activities
Building Resource and Community Resilience to Rapidly Changing Oceans
GFDL a Partner in NOAA's Changing Ecosystems and Fisheries Initiative
CEFI Data Portal
Targeted Climate Research Can Benefit Marine Resource Management in the Northea…
Shrimp Futures Initiative
Regional Activities
Oceans and coasts are among the nation’s most treasured and valuable resources. From fish and fisheries to whales, sea turtles, coral reefs and oysters, these living marine resources are at risk from a variety of impacts including a changing climate. Climate-related changes in ocean and coastal ecosystems such as warming oceans, rising seas, ocean acidification, and coastal droughts are impacting these resources and the many people, businesses, and communities that depend on them.
Climate change impacts vary by region, so we have developed
region-specific plans
to respond to the growing demands for information on what’s changing, what’s at risk, and how to respond to climate-related changes in marine and coastal ecosystems. The plans are designed to increase the production, delivery, and use of scientific information needed to fulfill our mandates in a changing world.
Alaska
Image
Pacific cod yolk sac larva. Photo: NOAA Fisheries.
The
Alaska Fisheries Science Center
is leading the way in cutting-edge research and monitoring to track and project the impacts of changing sea ice and other climate impacts on marine resources and resource-dependent communities in the region. Climate-related changes include loss of sea ice, changing ocean temperatures, changing ocean chemistry and related changes in ocean productivity and diversity.
Alaska Regional Climate Action Plan
The Alaska Climate Integrated Modeling Project
Eastern Bering Sea Groundfish, Crab, and Salmon Climate Vulnerability Assessment
Climate News from Alaska
Influence of Climate on Young Salmon Provides Clues to Future of World’s Largest Sockeye Run
Developing Alternative Fisheries Management Scenarios to Respond to Climate Change
Scientists Identify Ways to Account for Effects of Climate Change on Fish Stock Estimates
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Image
The Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf ecosystem showing the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank and Mid-Atlantic Bight regions and the dominant currents and oceanographic features. Credit: NOAA.
The
Northeast Fisheries Science Center
has a variety of research and monitoring efforts that help track, understand and forecast climate-related impacts on resources and resource-dependent communities. Climate-related changes include increasing ocean temperatures, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, changes in precipitation, ocean currents, ocean productivity and diversity.
Climate Change in the Northeast
The Northeast Shelf: A Changing Ecosystem
Northeast Regional Climate Action Plan
Northeast Fish and Shellfish Climate Vulnerability Assessment
Climate News from New England and the Mid-Atlantic
Targeted Climate Research Can Benefit Marine Resource Management in the Northeast United States
Dam Removals in Massachusetts to Restore Fish, Protect Communities
Warming Water Impacts Atlantic Sturgeon Spawning, Development
Pacific Islands
Image
Scuba diver with coral in waters of Kona, Hawaii. Credit: Christine Shepherd.
The
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center
is at the forefront of monitoring ecosystem health, including the health of coral reefs, to mitigate the effects of new threats. Climate-related changes include rising sea levels, changing ocean temperatures, changing ocean chemistry, and related changes in ocean productivity and diversity.
Pacific Islands Regional Climate Action Plan
Pacific Islands Marine Species Climate Vulnerability Assessment
Climate News from the Pacific Islands
Collaboration Guides Completion of 2023 Seafloor Mapping and Coral Reef Assessments
Autonomous Vehicles Powered by Ocean Waves Support Research
Coral Reefs Benefit From Reduced Land-Sea Impacts Under Ocean Warming
Southeast
Image
Map of the general location and direction of the Loop current, Florida current and Gulf Stream showing sea surface temperature over the region in degrees Celsius. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
The
Southeast Fisheries Science Center
conducts a variety of research and monitoring efforts to help sustain and restore populations, protect and restore habitats in healthy ecosystems, and understand climate-related changes. Climate-related changes in the Southeast include rising sea levels, increasing sea surface temperatures, extreme weather, and coastal and ocean acidification that can affect the productivity and diversity of the region’s marine and coastal resources.
Southeast Regional Climate Action Plans
Southeast Fish and Invertebrates Climate Vulnerability Assessments
Climate News from the Southeast
New Hope for Puerto Rico’s Coral Reefs
Warming Water Impacts Atlantic Sturgeon Spawning, Development
Amplifying Local Efforts in New Orleans to Restore Wetlands and Revitalize Communities
West Coast
Image
The California Current Ecosystem is a dynamic, diverse environment in the eastern North Pacific Ocean. Spanning nearly 3,000 km from southern British Columbia, Canada to Baja California, Mexico, the California Current encompasses the United States Exclusive Economic Zone, the coastal land-sea interface, and adjacent terrestrial watersheds along the West Coast. Credit: NOAA.
The
Northwest Fisheries Science Center
and
Southwest Fisheries Science Center
seek to improve our understanding of climate change on the West Coast’s marine and estuarine ecosystems and the species and communities that rely on them. We use the latest scientific methods to investigate climate-related environmental changes including precipitation patterns, streamflow, water temperatures, sea level, and water chemistry. We use what we learn to forecast likely impacts, recover vulnerable species, and help mitigate the effects of climate change on our ecosystem.
Drought in the West Coast Region
Climate Impacts to Salmon of the Pacific Northwest
West Coast Regional Climate Action Plan
West Coast Marine Species Climate Vulnerability Assessment
Climate News from the West Coast
Diverse Habitats Help Salmon Weather Unpredictable Climate Changes
Marine Heatwaves Reshape Northern California Current Ecosystem
Climate Change Affects Different West Coast Fishing Fleets Unequally
Ocean Climate Change Impacts and How Regions Are Responding
Climate change's impacts to marine ecosystems vary by region. Find information on science, mitigation, and adaptation efforts across the United States.
More Information
Climate Science Strategy Regional Action Plans
Regional Fishery Management Councils Climate Actions
Climate Vulnerability Assessment Tool
Marine Species Distribution Mapping and Analysis Tool
Climate Change Documents and Science Resources
Find documents, data, maps, and research on climate change impacts and responses from NOAA Fisheries.
Documents
Document
Current Conditions of the Northeast U.S. Shelf Ecosystem
A current summary of temperature, salinity, chlorophyll and other conditions on the Northeast U.S…
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Document
Alaska Salmon Task Force Meeting Minutes January 25, 2024
Alaska Salmon Task Force Meeting Minutes for January 25, 2024.
Alaska
Document
Spatiotemporal Trends in Benthic and Reef Fish Communities in the Mariana Archipelago
An effort to integrate the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program with local coral reef monitoring…
Pacific Islands
Document
Alaska Salmon Task Force Meeting Minutes November 14, 2023
Alaska Salmon Task Force Meeting Minutes for November 14, 2023.
Alaska
More Documents
Climate Change Documents and Science Resources
Find documents, data, maps, and research on climate change impacts and responses from NOAA Fisheries.
Data & Maps
Data
Ecosystem Status Report 2025 Gulf of Alaska
This assessment summarizes and synthesizes climate, biological, and fishing effects on the shelf…
Alaska
Map
2025 Eastern and Northern Bering Sea Survey Bottom Temperature
Map containing ocean temperatures recorded during Alaska Fisheries Science Center Bottom Trawl…
Alaska
Map
2025 Gulf of Alaska Survey Bottom Temperature
Map containing ocean temperatures recorded during Alaska Fisheries Science Center Bottom Trawl…
Alaska
Data
2024 Gulf Of Alaska Ecosystem Status Report: In Brief
This assessment summarizes and synthesizes climate, biological, and fishing effects on the shelf…
Alaska
More Data
More Maps
Climate Change Documents and Science Resources
Find documents, data, maps, and research on climate change impacts and responses from NOAA Fisheries.
Research
Near Real-time Temperatures from the 2025 Bering Sea Bottom Trawl Survey
Water temperature affects many species' spawning times, access to food, growth rates, and overall range. Collecting temperature data helps better understand species’ habitats and the larger ecosystem. This survey wrapped up on August 22, 2025.
Alaska
Near Real-time Temperatures from the 2025 Gulf of Alaska Bottom Trawl Survey
Water temperature affects many species' spawning times, access to food, growth rates, and overall range. Collecting temperature data helps better understand species’ habitats and the larger ecosystem. This survey was completed on July 30, 2025.
Alaska
Partnering with the Fishing Industry to Monitor the Northeast Shelf
Fishermen collect environmental data to improve ocean models and inform their own fishing practices.
New England/Mid-Atlantic
2025 Alaska Fisheries Science Center Seminar Series
2025 Seminar Series held virtually using Webex.
Alaska
More Research
Climate Change Documents and Science Resources
Find documents, data, maps, and research on climate change impacts and responses from NOAA Fisheries.
Outreach & Education
Outreach Materials
2025 Northern Bering Sea Groundfish and Crab Trawl Survey Highlights
In 2025, NOAA Fisheries’ Alaska Fisheries Science Center conducted two surveys within U.S…
Alaska
Outreach Materials
Little Port Walter Program Flyer
This program is in NOAA Fisheries Alaska's Auke Bay Laboratories.
Alaska
Outreach Materials
Marine Ecology and Stock Assessment Program
This program is in NOAA Fisheries Alaska's Auke Bay Laboratories.
Alaska
Outreach Materials
2025 Annual Bottom Trawl Survey of the Eastern Bering Sea
Research brief for the Eastern Bering Sea Bottom Trawl Survey
Alaska
More Outreach Materials
More Educational Materials
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Climate Change
Climate Change
Climate change has a profound effect on life in the oceans. Learn about how climate change affects marine life and what NOAA Fisheries is doing to help.
The changing climate and oceans have significant impacts on the nation’s valuable marine life and ecosystems, and the many communities and economies that depend on them. Scientists expect environmental changes such as
warming oceans
,
rising sea levels
, frequency and intensity of floods and
droughts
, and
ocean acidification
to increase with continued shifts in the planet’s climate system.
These environmental changes impact every aspect of our mission—from managing fisheries and aquaculture, to conserving protected resources and vital habitats. There is much at risk. For example,
fisheries supported 2.1 million jobs and $319 billion
in sales impacts in the United States in 2023. Coastal habitats provide
important services
including nursery areas for fish and protected species and protection for people and property from storms and flooding. Preparing for changing oceans will help sustain the nation’s valuable marine resources, fisheries, and coastal communities.
NOAA climate science is the foundation for smart policy and decision-making in a changing world. We are taking a proactive approach to increase the resilience and adaptation of marine life and the people who depend on them. Our
Climate Science Strategy
provides decision-makers with answers to four key questions:
What is changing?
Why is it changing?
How will it change?
How to respond?
NOAA’s climate stewardship protects our lands, waters, resources, and people. Other federal agencies, state and local governments, and businesses look to NOAA to understand how they can adapt and respond to climate change, and provide science-based services to their constituencies. And we work with partners to minimize impacts, adapt to the changes that are coming, and ensure future generations can enjoy the benefits of healthy marine ecosystems.
More Information
U.S. National Climate Assessment
NOAA Fisheries Climate Science Strategy
Ecosystems
IPCC Special Report on Oceans and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate
NOAA's Climate.gov
Priority Climate Change Investments
FACT
1 football field per hour
Communities and economies in southern states are also being impacted by changing climate and ocean conditions. Louisiana loses a football-field-size area of coastal wetlands to the sea every hour due to rising seas and sinking lands.
FACT
A rate of about 44 miles per decade
A number of marine species are shifting poleward at a rate of about 44 miles per decade. Many species are moving towards cooler regions as their environment warms. For marine species, this often means moving towards higher latitudes or into deeper waters. They are moving 5–10 times faster than terrestrial species. This causes issues for fishers and fishing communities that depend on them for their livelihoods. Global average sea level rise has risen by about 7–8 inches since 1900. Almost half of this rise has occurred since 1993 as oceans have warmed and land-based ice has melted. Relative to the year 2000, sea level rise is likely to rise 1–4 feet by the end of the century.
FACT
$140 billion by 2100
The loss of the recreational benefits alone from coral reefs in the United States expected by 2100. Coral reefs, which provide shoreline protection and support fisheries and recreation, are threatened by ocean warming and acidification. Warming has led to mass bleaching and outbreaks of coral diseases off the coastlines of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Florida, Hawai‘i, and the U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands.
FACT
Annual average Arctic sea ice extent has decreased between 3.5 percent and 4.1 percent per decade
The percentage of annual average Arctic sea ice extent that has decreased since the early 1980s. September sea ice extent, which is the annual minimum extent, has decreased between 10.7 percent and 15.9 percent per decade. As the climate continues to warm, it is likely that the summer Arctic will be sea ice-free within this century. This will have major impacts on the Arctic ecosystems and the people who depend on them.
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NOAA Fisheries Climate Strategy
The NOAA Fisheries Climate Science Strategy is part of a proactive approach to increase the production, delivery, and use of climate-related information needed to fulfill our mandates. The strategy identifies seven objectives to provide decision-makers with the information they need to reduce impacts and increase resilience with changing climate and ocean conditions.
Learn more about the NOAA Fisheries Climate Science Strategy
Regional Action Plans
Working with our partners, we developed regional action plans to guide how we implement our national climate science strategy in each of our regions. The goal is to provide decision-makers with the information they need to reduce impacts of changing climate and oceans and increase resilience of valuable marine resources and the people who depend on them.
Learn more about the Regional Action Plans
Ocean Acidification
We support a
NOAA-Wide Ocean Acidification Program
, established by Congress in 2009, which will plan and oversee a long-term coastal and open-ocean monitoring program and lead research on the impacts of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems and the socioeconomic implications of these impacts.
Learn more about ocean acidification
Assessing the Vulnerability of Fish Stocks
Our Fish Species Climate Vulnerability Assessment Methodology provides decision-makers with information on the relative vulnerability of fish species with expected changes in climate and ocean conditions. The methodology uses information on species life history characteristics, species distributions and projected future climate, and ocean conditions to estimate the relative vulnerability of fish species to changes in abundance.
Learn more about how we assess the vulnerability of fish stocks
Understanding Our Changing Climate
Changes in our climate and our oceans are having very real and profound effects on the natural resources we depend on—including our fisheries and coastal habitats.
Read More
Understanding the Impacts
From the sea to the sun and coast to coast, NOAA is observing, measuring, monitoring, and collecting data using satellites, ships, buoys, planes, drones, sensors, and more. Our scientists work every day at sea, on shore, and in laboratories to track and forecast changes in U.S. marine ecosystems and understand their impacts. We use our
Climate Science Strategy
to proactively increase the production, delivery, and use of climate-related information to help guide our science and management activities. The Strategy is being implemented through
regional action plans
. These plans identify high priority regional climate-related information needs and actions so that we can better track, understand, project, and respond to marine ecosystem changes on a regional level.
Tracking Change
Information on current conditions—and what is changing—is critical in providing sound scientific advice for sustainable management. NOAA provides essential baseline and trend information to inform decision makers about the impacts of climate change on the ocean with data on ocean temperature, sea level, currents, species distribution, and more.
Distribution Mapping and Analysis Portal
Ecosystem Status Reports
Integrated Ecosystem Assessments
Population Assessments
Understanding Mechanisms
Understanding why and how the changing climate and oceans affects marine life—and the communities that depend on them—will help us better forecast future conditions and identify how to reduce those effects. We are building a coalition of partners to improve our understanding of how and why the changing climate and oceans impact marine ecosystems. This includes identifying the drivers of change as well as which resources and ecosystems may be most at risk and what actions might reduce risks and increase resilience.
Climate Vulnerability Assessments
NOAA Climate and Fisheries Adaptation Program
NOAA MAPP Program: Modeling Climate Impacts on Marine Ecosystems
Projecting Future Conditions and Responses
NOAA Fisheries and its partners are using a variety of approaches to project how marine ecosystems and specific resources might change in the future. For example, we are looking at how the distribution and abundance of marine resources may change. We are considering how these changes may affect businesses and communities, and how to prepare and respond to these changes.
Effective resource management depends on robust information about past, current, and projected future conditions of marine ecosystems. Efforts are under way to deliver better projections to help improve stock assessments, assess risks, and evaluate best management strategies under a range of likely future climate and ocean conditions.
NOAA Alaska Climate Integrated Modeling Project
Climate and Fisheries Adaptation Program
Stock Assessment Improvement Plan
Modeling, Analysis, Predictions, and Projections Program
Marine Prediction Task Force Funded Projects
Oceans and Climate Change: Tracking and Predicting the Impacts
NOAA scientists are working to track and predict changes to U.S. marine ecosystems and to understand how those changes impact marine life.
Climate Change Solutions
Changing climate and oceans affect nearly every aspect of our mission, from fisheries management and aquaculture, to conservation of protected resources and vital habitats.
To address these growing impacts, NOAA delivers climate services to federal agencies, states, Tribes, communities, and businesses across America. We are responsible for providing best-in-class data and information that helps people with science-based climate change solutions, especially at the local level where planning for an uncertain future is the most difficult and where decision makers may need technical support.
NOAA helps people build the capacity to recover quickly from extreme weather events and changes in climate by providing science-based decision-support tools and programs that promote sustainable fisheries, restore coastal ecosystems that minimize the impacts of storms, and provide ecological and economic benefits. Our
Climate Science Strategy
,
Regional Climate Action Plans
, and
Ecosystem-based Fisheries Management Road Map
will help scientists, fishermen, managers, and coastal businesses better understand what’s changing, what’s at risk, and what actions are needed to safeguard America’s valuable marine resources and resource-dependent communities.
We are committed to using the best available science to inform management decisions and support climate change solutions.
Adapting Fisheries Management to Climate Change Challenges
Changing ocean conditions are affecting the location of fish stocks, the productivity of fish stocks, and the fishing industry’s interactions with bycatch, protected species, and other ocean users. Fish stocks could become less productive or move out of range of the fishermen who catch them. These shifts can cause social, economic, and other impacts on fisheries and fishing-dependent communities. As a result, fishing industries and coastal businesses can face significant challenges in preparing for and adapting to changing climate and oceans. And there is much at risk—marine fisheries and seafood industries supported
$319 billion in sales impacts and 2.1 million jobs
in 2023.
To reduce impacts, increase resilience, and take advantage of new opportunities, NOAA uses the best available science to provide climate change solutions for fisheries management. We are exploring potential
management approaches
, and have identified
challenges and recommendations for improving science and management
. In partnership with the Regional Fishery Management Councils, Fishery Commissions, and states, we are taking steps to help fisheries prepare for and respond to changing climate and ocean conditions including:
Ensuring well-managed fish stocks with a sustainable biomass and stock structure
Producing regional
ecosystem status reports
to track and provide early warnings of climate and ecosystem changes in each region
Using
climate vulnerability assessments
of major fish stocks to better understand their vulnerability and support management action
Using
scenario planning
and other tools to identify effective fishery management strategies for current and future conditions
Spotlight on Science: Next Generation of Stock Assessments
Changing climate and ocean conditions directly impact the collection and analysis of data used in the stock assessment process for U.S. fisheries management. We are implementing a
Next Generation Stock Assessment Enterprise framework
to address a suite of new demands and challenges. This includes determining how best to account for the effects of changing ocean conditions. The goal is to ensure sustainable, well-managed stocks and stock structure using available climate information.
Spotlight on Management: Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management
Our
ecosystem-based fisheries management
approach is a vital tool for helping fishery managers and fishermen prepare for and adapt to climate change. It takes a holistic view of the entire ecosystem to more effectively assess the health of any given fishery. EBFM considers the impacts on fish stock productivity from social, economic, and ecological variables—such as changing ocean conditions—across multiple fisheries and habitats. It is a cornerstone of NOAA's efforts to sustainably manage the nation's marine fisheries. Our
EBFM Policy
and
Road Map
describe how we implement ecosystem-based fisheries management.
At the regional level, regional fishery management councils develop
fishery ecosystem plans
. These plans help fishery managers determine whether management effectively incorporates core ecosystem principles.
A Role for Aquaculture
Intensifying droughts, storms, and other climate-related events have revealed substantial vulnerabilities for land-based food production. When we look at the future of our food systems, we have to consider a growing population, a changing climate, and increasing strain on our natural resources. Aquaculture is an opportunity to complement wild harvest and sustainably increase our domestic food supply.
Building sustainable marine aquaculture—ocean farming of fish, shellfish, and seaweeds—can reduce resource pressure and present novel resilience opportunities for a changing environment. While not immune to the effects of climate change, aquaculture producers have more control of fish and shellfish raised in ocean-based farming operations. They can keep juvenile finfish and shellfish in hatcheries longer to safeguard them during the most vulnerable phase of development. And ocean-based farming operations generally require less fresh water and land resources, and produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions to produce food than land-based farming.
Additionally, aquatic crops like
shellfish and seaweed provide important ecosystem services
, including water filtration and the reduced ocean acidification around farm sites. Aquaculture farms can also provide habitat for fish and crustaceans,
increasing an area's biodiversity
and benefiting wild populations. NOAA scientists are studying the
nitrogen removal that shellfish aquaculture can provide to coastal communities
and seaweed’s potential to decrease carbonic acid—the main perpetrator of ocean acidification.
Aquaculture’s role in climate change resilience
Aquaculture supports the United Nations’ sustainability goals
Conserving and Rebuilding Protected Species
Climate change is affecting marine life. Warming oceans, rising sea levels,
ocean acidification
, droughts, and floods change the productivity of our waters. Many of the marine species we work to conserve and protect, including endangered and threatened species, are already compromised. They may be negatively impacted by these rapid environmental shifts.
NOAA’s sound science approach underlies our work addressing climate change challenges to our marine species conservation, management, and recovery mission. We are working with partners to improve our scientific understanding of the impact on protected species. And we are using the best available science to inform our recovery and conservation efforts and enhance species’ resilience and adaptation strategies. For example, we are:
Developing a
climate resilience toolkit
with climate science data, maps, guidance, an expert database, and many other resources for U.S. climate change stakeholders
Conducting
climate vulnerability assessments
for marine mammals and sea turtles to better understand these species’ vulnerability
Developed
guidance to inform Endangered Species Act decisions
(PDF, 8 pages) in light of anticipated changes in ocean conditions
Conducting scenario planning exercises to help identify science and management needs to support recovery actions for
Atlantic salmon
,
North Atlantic right whales
, and Puget Sound salmon
Conducting climate-smart conservation training for NOAA staff and partners to help them learn about our marine-focused climate adaptation tools and how to incorporate them into their work
Protecting and Restoring Habitat
Climate change is accelerating habitat loss, disrupting fisheries, and increasing storm frequency and intensity. As a result, the demand and need for
habitat protection and restoration solutions
continues to grow. Coastal, riverine, and marine habitats provide us with countless climate resilience benefits, from nursery grounds for fish to protection from storms.
NOAA Fisheries has a
long-standing history of working with partners
to protect and restore coastal and marine habitat to sustain fisheries and recover protected species. This work supports climate-resilient coastal communities and the
storage of carbon
in coastal habitats. In addition, coastal habitat restoration supports long-term economic recovery across a diversity of sectors. A
recent study
found that habitat restoration created on average 15 jobs per million dollars spent. Up to 30 jobs per million dollars are created for labor-intensive restoration projects.
We provide technical and financial assistance to thousands of coastal habitat restoration projects. They support communities that rely on those habitats for flood protection, natural resources, and jobs. For example, the
Southern Flow Corridor project in Tillamook County, Oregon
restored tidal wetland connectivity to more than 400 acres in the Tillamook estuary. This work not only restored critical habitat for endangered Oregon Coast coho salmon but also reduced local flooding and protected more than 500 structures.
NOAA Fisheries has recently completed a
climate vulnerability assessment in the Northeast to consider climate impacts on fish habitat
. The results will enable resource managers to prioritize habitat research, protection, and restoration initiatives.
We also work with federal agency partners to ensure that adverse habitat impacts to the fish, wildlife, and cultural “trust” resources that
NOAA conserves and manages are avoided or minimized.
Preparing for Climate Change Impacts to Marine Life and Habitats
NOAA uses the best available science to adapt the U.S. sustainable seafood supply and protect species and habitats in the face of climate change.
More Information
Climate Science Strategy
Climate Science Strategy 5 Year Progress Report
Habitat Restoration to Strengthen Coastal Resilience Projects
Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Projects for Underserved Communities
Changing Ecosystems and Fisheries
The Changing Ecosystems and Fisheries Initiative is a cross-NOAA effort to safeguard America’s marine and Great Lakes resources, coastal communities, and economies in the face of rapidly changing ocean conditions.
Changing ocean conditions are impacting the nation’s valuable marine and Great Lakes ecosystems—and the many people, businesses, and economies that depend on them. There is much at risk: marine fisheries alone support more than $321 billion in economic activity and 2.3 million jobs annually. This initiative will establish a nationwide Decision Support System. It will provide resource managers, fishing communities, ocean industries, and other decision makers with actionable information to reduce impacts and increase resilience.
Learn more about our activities in each region
Actionable Information for Resilience and Adaptation
Rapidly warming oceans, rising seas, increasing acidification, marine heatwaves and other extreme events are transforming the structure and function of marine ecosystems. For example, warming waters have already led to dramatic shifts in the distribution and abundance of important fish stocks and other species in many regions. These changes are already affecting fisheries, aquaculture, coastal economies, and sustainable production of safe seafood.
To prepare for and respond to these impacts, decision makers need:
Reliable forecasts of future ocean conditions
Information on what’s at risk
Information on best strategies to reduce impacts and increase resilience
A Powerful New System
The Decision Support System will provide government, business, and community decision-makers with early warnings, forecasts, and actionable advice. This will reduce risks and increase resilience of valuable marine resources and resource-dependent businesses and communities.
NOAA is building out the System in all six U.S. marine regions and the Great Lakes. We are working with many partners and leveraging existing activities, including pilot projects in four U.S. regions (the
Northeast
,
West Coast
,
Bering Sea
and the
Gulf of Alaska)
. These projects have demonstrated the System’s utility and provided successful building blocks for the System nationwide.
The System is composed of three interdependent components that work together to support decision making:
1. Robust Ocean Outlooks
We are building on existing modeling systems to efficiently and routinely deliver robust near-term forecasts and longer term projections of ocean and Great Lakes conditions in all U.S. coastal regions. This nationwide ocean forecast system, developed by
NOAA Research
, will provide the essential information for early warnings, risk assessments, and economic analyses. These routine ocean outlooks are also key to identifying best strategies for safeguarding marine resources and resource-dependent businesses, communities and economies in changing oceans.
2. Data Portal and Information Hub
We are implementing a public data management system to manage, store, and provide easy access to the information produced by the regional ocean modeling component. The portal, managed by
NOAA Research
, will increase public access to early warnings, forecasts, and projections of expected future ocean and Great Lakes conditions. The information hub will provide access to additional tools, data and information, including web-based systems for analyzing and visualizing the data on past, current and future ocean conditions.
3. Actionable Information, Tools, and Guidance
We established regional decision support teams through NOAA Fisheries and NOAA’s
National Ocean Service
at NOAA facilities in all six marine regions and the Great Lakes. These teams will provide decision makers with actionable information to reduce risks and increase resilience, including:
Forecasts of changes in the distribution and abundance of fish stocks
Assessments of risks to fisheries and fishing communities
Evaluations of best options to safeguard resources, businesses, and communities with changing oceans
The cutting edge technology, modeling and forecasting capabilities will provide these and other tools essential to safeguarding America’s marine and Great Lakes resources and the many businesses, economies, and coastal communities that depend on them. The System is critical to ensuring sustainable fisheries and a prosperous seafood sector as called for in
Executive Order 14276 “Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness”
and multiple legislative drivers.
NOAA Changing Ecosystems and Fisheries Initiative
The Changing Ecosystems and Fisheries Initiative is a cross-NOAA effort to build nationwide modeling that helps decision makers adapt to changing ocean conditions.
More Information
Changing Ecosystems and Fisheries Initiative: Regional Activities
Building Resource and Community Resilience to Rapidly Changing Oceans
GFDL a Partner in NOAA's Changing Ecosystems and Fisheries Initiative
CEFI Data Portal
Targeted Climate Research Can Benefit Marine Resource Management in the Northea…
Shrimp Futures Initiative
Regional Activities
Oceans and coasts are among the nation’s most treasured and valuable resources. From fish and fisheries to whales, sea turtles, coral reefs and oysters, these living marine resources are at risk from a variety of impacts including a changing climate. Climate-related changes in ocean and coastal ecosystems such as warming oceans, rising seas, ocean acidification, and coastal droughts are impacting these resources and the many people, businesses, and communities that depend on them.
Climate change impacts vary by region, so we have developed
region-specific plans
to respond to the growing demands for information on what’s changing, what’s at risk, and how to respond to climate-related changes in marine and coastal ecosystems. The plans are designed to increase the production, delivery, and use of scientific information needed to fulfill our mandates in a changing world.
Alaska
Image
Pacific cod yolk sac larva. Photo: NOAA Fisheries.
The
Alaska Fisheries Science Center
is leading the way in cutting-edge research and monitoring to track and project the impacts of changing sea ice and other climate impacts on marine resources and resource-dependent communities in the region. Climate-related changes include loss of sea ice, changing ocean temperatures, changing ocean chemistry and related changes in ocean productivity and diversity.
Alaska Regional Climate Action Plan
The Alaska Climate Integrated Modeling Project
Eastern Bering Sea Groundfish, Crab, and Salmon Climate Vulnerability Assessment
Climate News from Alaska
Influence of Climate on Young Salmon Provides Clues to Future of World’s Largest Sockeye Run
Developing Alternative Fisheries Management Scenarios to Respond to Climate Change
Scientists Identify Ways to Account for Effects of Climate Change on Fish Stock Estimates
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Image
The Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf ecosystem showing the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank and Mid-Atlantic Bight regions and the dominant currents and oceanographic features. Credit: NOAA.
The
Northeast Fisheries Science Center
has a variety of research and monitoring efforts that help track, understand and forecast climate-related impacts on resources and resource-dependent communities. Climate-related changes include increasing ocean temperatures, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, changes in precipitation, ocean currents, ocean productivity and diversity.
Climate Change in the Northeast
The Northeast Shelf: A Changing Ecosystem
Northeast Regional Climate Action Plan
Northeast Fish and Shellfish Climate Vulnerability Assessment
Climate News from New England and the Mid-Atlantic
Targeted Climate Research Can Benefit Marine Resource Management in the Northeast United States
Dam Removals in Massachusetts to Restore Fish, Protect Communities
Warming Water Impacts Atlantic Sturgeon Spawning, Development
Pacific Islands
Image
Scuba diver with coral in waters of Kona, Hawaii. Credit: Christine Shepherd.
The
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center
is at the forefront of monitoring ecosystem health, including the health of coral reefs, to mitigate the effects of new threats. Climate-related changes include rising sea levels, changing ocean temperatures, changing ocean chemistry, and related changes in ocean productivity and diversity.
Pacific Islands Regional Climate Action Plan
Pacific Islands Marine Species Climate Vulnerability Assessment
Climate News from the Pacific Islands
Collaboration Guides Completion of 2023 Seafloor Mapping and Coral Reef Assessments
Autonomous Vehicles Powered by Ocean Waves Support Research
Coral Reefs Benefit From Reduced Land-Sea Impacts Under Ocean Warming
Southeast
Image
Map of the general location and direction of the Loop current, Florida current and Gulf Stream showing sea surface temperature over the region in degrees Celsius. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
The
Southeast Fisheries Science Center
conducts a variety of research and monitoring efforts to help sustain and restore populations, protect and restore habitats in healthy ecosystems, and understand climate-related changes. Climate-related changes in the Southeast include rising sea levels, increasing sea surface temperatures, extreme weather, and coastal and ocean acidification that can affect the productivity and diversity of the region’s marine and coastal resources.
Southeast Regional Climate Action Plans
Southeast Fish and Invertebrates Climate Vulnerability Assessments
Climate News from the Southeast
New Hope for Puerto Rico’s Coral Reefs
Warming Water Impacts Atlantic Sturgeon Spawning, Development
Amplifying Local Efforts in New Orleans to Restore Wetlands and Revitalize Communities
West Coast
Image
The California Current Ecosystem is a dynamic, diverse environment in the eastern North Pacific Ocean. Spanning nearly 3,000 km from southern British Columbia, Canada to Baja California, Mexico, the California Current encompasses the United States Exclusive Economic Zone, the coastal land-sea interface, and adjacent terrestrial watersheds along the West Coast. Credit: NOAA.
The
Northwest Fisheries Science Center
and
Southwest Fisheries Science Center
seek to improve our understanding of climate change on the West Coast’s marine and estuarine ecosystems and the species and communities that rely on them. We use the latest scientific methods to investigate climate-related environmental changes including precipitation patterns, streamflow, water temperatures, sea level, and water chemistry. We use what we learn to forecast likely impacts, recover vulnerable species, and help mitigate the effects of climate change on our ecosystem.
Drought in the West Coast Region
Climate Impacts to Salmon of the Pacific Northwest
West Coast Regional Climate Action Plan
West Coast Marine Species Climate Vulnerability Assessment
Climate News from the West Coast
Diverse Habitats Help Salmon Weather Unpredictable Climate Changes
Marine Heatwaves Reshape Northern California Current Ecosystem
Climate Change Affects Different West Coast Fishing Fleets Unequally
Ocean Climate Change Impacts and How Regions Are Responding
Climate change's impacts to marine ecosystems vary by region. Find information on science, mitigation, and adaptation efforts across the United States.
More Information
Climate Science Strategy Regional Action Plans
Regional Fishery Management Councils Climate Actions
Climate Vulnerability Assessment Tool
Marine Species Distribution Mapping and Analysis Tool
Climate Change Documents and Science Resources
Find documents, data, maps, and research on climate change impacts and responses from NOAA Fisheries.
Documents
Document
Current Conditions of the Northeast U.S. Shelf Ecosystem
A current summary of temperature, salinity, chlorophyll and other conditions on the Northeast U.S…
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Document
Alaska Salmon Task Force Meeting Minutes January 25, 2024
Alaska Salmon Task Force Meeting Minutes for January 25, 2024.
Alaska
Document
Spatiotemporal Trends in Benthic and Reef Fish Communities in the Mariana Archipelago
An effort to integrate the National Coral Reef Monitoring Program with local coral reef monitoring…
Pacific Islands
Document
Alaska Salmon Task Force Meeting Minutes November 14, 2023
Alaska Salmon Task Force Meeting Minutes for November 14, 2023.
Alaska
More Documents
Climate Change Documents and Science Resources
Find documents, data, maps, and research on climate change impacts and responses from NOAA Fisheries.
Data & Maps
Data
Ecosystem Status Report 2025 Gulf of Alaska
This assessment summarizes and synthesizes climate, biological, and fishing effects on the shelf…
Alaska
Map
2025 Eastern and Northern Bering Sea Survey Bottom Temperature
Map containing ocean temperatures recorded during Alaska Fisheries Science Center Bottom Trawl…
Alaska
Map
2025 Gulf of Alaska Survey Bottom Temperature
Map containing ocean temperatures recorded during Alaska Fisheries Science Center Bottom Trawl…
Alaska
Data
2024 Gulf Of Alaska Ecosystem Status Report: In Brief
This assessment summarizes and synthesizes climate, biological, and fishing effects on the shelf…
Alaska
More Data
More Maps
Climate Change Documents and Science Resources
Find documents, data, maps, and research on climate change impacts and responses from NOAA Fisheries.
Research
Near Real-time Temperatures from the 2025 Bering Sea Bottom Trawl Survey
Water temperature affects many species' spawning times, access to food, growth rates, and overall range. Collecting temperature data helps better understand species’ habitats and the larger ecosystem. This survey wrapped up on August 22, 2025.
Alaska
Near Real-time Temperatures from the 2025 Gulf of Alaska Bottom Trawl Survey
Water temperature affects many species' spawning times, access to food, growth rates, and overall range. Collecting temperature data helps better understand species’ habitats and the larger ecosystem. This survey was completed on July 30, 2025.
Alaska
Partnering with the Fishing Industry to Monitor the Northeast Shelf
Fishermen collect environmental data to improve ocean models and inform their own fishing practices.
New England/Mid-Atlantic
2025 Alaska Fisheries Science Center Seminar Series
2025 Seminar Series held virtually using Webex.
Alaska
More Research
Climate Change Documents and Science Resources
Find documents, data, maps, and research on climate change impacts and responses from NOAA Fisheries.
Outreach & Education
Outreach Materials
2025 Northern Bering Sea Groundfish and Crab Trawl Survey Highlights
In 2025, NOAA Fisheries’ Alaska Fisheries Science Center conducted two surveys within U.S…
Alaska
Outreach Materials
Little Port Walter Program Flyer
This program is in NOAA Fisheries Alaska's Auke Bay Laboratories.
Alaska
Outreach Materials
Marine Ecology and Stock Assessment Program
This program is in NOAA Fisheries Alaska's Auke Bay Laboratories.
Alaska
Outreach Materials
2025 Annual Bottom Trawl Survey of the Eastern Bering Sea
Research brief for the Eastern Bering Sea Bottom Trawl Survey
Alaska
More Outreach Materials
More Educational Materials