21 November 2005 Michael Drake
Irish Sea plankton, a major link in the marine food chain, is being affected by global warming, according to a new WWF report.
It is also claimed certain fish, including John Dorys, usually found in waters off the south west coast of the UK, are now being caught in Northern Irish waters.
Fish are increasingly threatened by the effects of climate change as temperatures rise in rivers, lakes and oceans, the report adds.
It says hotter water means less food, less offspring and even less oxygen for marine and freshwater fish populations.
"As climate change increases the pressure on fish populations, already strained to the limit by overfishing, pollution and habitat loss, the outlook is pretty grim for our fish species," said Malachy Campbell, Policy Officer, WWF Northern Ireland.
"We must act urgently on both climate emissions and fishing to protect fish populations as they are one of the world's most valuable biological, nutritional and economic assets."
Ten days ahead of a key meeting of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol in Montreal, the global conservation organisation's report 'Are we putting
our fish in hot water?' claims global warming is causing the world's waters to warm while rainfall patterns, currents and sea levels are changing.
The report also claims that hotter temperatures are expected to stunt the growth of some fish, resulting in fewer offspring.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=670262
