Adaptation

Effective planning is systematic, iterative and phased: this also applies to adapting to climate-driven changes in coastal ecosystems and the fisheries they support. Although abundant generic guidance for adaptation planning exists, implementation of sectoral plans with measurable objectives, targeted actions and broad-based impact is still in early stages. The project developed a “climate-smart” fisheries monitoring and adaptation toolkit for the Caribbean region to accelerate action on adaptation. It includes a framework to put the various steps of adaptation in an appropriate context, a compilation of the most promising adaptation measures specific to the fisheries sector currently in use across the globe and guidance for selecting and implementing adaptation measures. It also includes tools for forecasting future fish-species distributions and economic impacts of climate change-induced shifts in fishery production.

A final output of this work is an updated Regional Strategy and Action Plan for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management in Fisheries and Aquaculture that accounts for the new information gleaned from project research as well as the aspirations and capacities of Caribbean stakeholders across the seafood value chain.