Under the Sea: Aquaculture and Coral Reefs

Coral reefs are some of the most beautiful, valuable, and most threatened ecosystems on the planet. Reefs depend on healthy fish populations, which of course requires young fish. Young fish spend their first few weeks in the open ocean before seeking reef habitat, often returning to their home reef. But finding the way is becoming increasingly difficult in oceans with chemical pollution, noisy shipping lanes, ocean acidification and rising temperatures. Our challenge is to preserve natural environments so juvenile fish can still find their way home - the future of coral reefs depends on them!

Aquaculture, the farming of fish and shellfish, is the fastest growing food production sector globally and is the main source of seafood worldwide. It is therefore vital to help alleviate global poverty and malnutrition, particularly in the world’s poorest nations. However with global climate changing this industry faces an unprecedented threat, challenging its capacity to maintain and increase seafood production. During this session Rob will highlight the challenge facing this industry, outline what science can do to help and explain why we all should care.

Over the past 30 years UK seas have warmed at an alarming rate, causing cold water fish to migrate northwards and warm water species to invade, and changing the catches of UK fishing boats. Yet the British diet is stuck in the 1920s, so we must now import 70% of the cod eaten in our Friday night fish supper, while Devon fishers export much of their catch to Europe. We will explore recent discoveries that reveal how climate change is reshaping fisheries, and discuss how this provides opportunity to build sustainable, lucrative and productive UK fisheries in a sea of change.