Evaluating climate change risks to Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish

What the project does

This project assesses how climate change affects Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish populations in the South Atlantic. Led by British Antarctic Survey (BAS), it focuses on the UK Overseas Territory of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands.

The research brings together environmental biological and fisheries data. It uses these data to assess how changing ocean conditions are affecting toothfish and the valuable fisheries they support.

Why this matters

Climate change is reshaping marine ecosystems worldwide. It is changing where species can live as well as affecting their survival. Yet these impacts are rarely considered when managing fisheries. In the Southern Ocean, we still have much to learn about how toothfish may be affected. 

By assessing the risks posed by climate change to toothfish stocks, this project will help guide conservation policy and strengthen sustainable fisheries management in the waters around South  Georgia and South Sandwich Islands.

How the project works

The project team combines existing datasets with new analyses to explore how climate trends influence toothfish biology and habitat. Using environmental models, fisheries data, and long-term monitoring they will assess potential future scenarios of change.

Science objectives

The project aims to:

• identify key climate-related risks to Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish
• evaluate how changing ocean conditions affect fish stocks and habitats
• support sustainable fisheries management under future climate scenarios
• strengthen links between science, policy, and industry 

Who is involved

The project is led by BAS in partnership with the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), and the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI). 

It is funded by the Darwin Plus programme through the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra).

Key stakeholders are involved throughout the project. These include the fishing industry and non-governmental organisations.

It is funded by the Darwin Plus programme through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

To evaluate the risks of climate-driven change to toothfish in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) to inform ecosystem-based fisheries management in the region:

1. Establish a knowledge-base of relevant environmental biological and fishery information for both species of toothfish created, providing the basis for understanding toothfish sensitivity to environmental parameters.
2. Undertake an ecological risk assessment of the effects of climate change on toothfish.
3. Design a climate change evaluation framework for toothfish fishery management.

Partners:

Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science 

Oli Hogg Marine Ecologist	Marta Söffker Science Theme Leader for Ecosystem Change – Principal Scientist

Government of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

Sue Gregory Marine Environment and Fisheries Manager	Mark Belchier Director of Fisheries and Environment

Project Kick-off Workshop Report, June 2023

This workshop brought the project team, partners and stakeholders together at the start of the project to discuss the objectives and identify available information and sources for relevant environmental (e.g., temperature, climate indices), biological (e.g., toothfish distribution, life history parameters, physiology) and fishery (e.g., timing, location and management measures) data, to underpin the risk assessment.