Case studies on climate change and African coastal fisheries: a vulnerability analysis and recommendations for adaptation options

This report (PDF) by FAO shows the impacts of climate change on, and vulnerabilities of fisheries in different parts of Africa. The report aims to identify current and potential coping mechanisms and strategies as well as biophysical and social characteristics and attributes that increase resilience to these impacts. The report consists of five chapters. The opening chapter introduces the general approach and methodology used to compile the case studies and a definition of terms. It also provides a brief overview of the phenomenon of ocean acidification − to which all four case studies are vulnerable − and an introduction to some key observations on the ecology of small pelagic species. The remaining four chapters deal in turn with the individual case studies, providing ecological and socio-economic details on the four fisheries and collating a wide range of available knowledge on their exposure and potential sensitivity to climate change or climate variability. Each chapter includes observations on the adaptive capacity of the social-ecological system and concludes with observations on the potential role of fisheries management institutions to reduce vulnerability to climate change.