Sunday, October 5, 2008

Climate change could devastate fishing industry: CSIRO

ABC News Online, Posted 16 minutes ago

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/06/2382768.htm?section=justin

The CSIRO has detailed the devastating effects it believes climate change will bring to Australia's commercial fishing and aquaculture industries.

A new report says changes in ocean temperatures, currents and rainfall could affect fish and shellfish numbers.

The industries are worth more than $2 billion annually to Australia's economy.

Federal Climate Change Minister Penny Wong says Australia's fisheries industries need to get ready.

"We have to avoid as much climate change as we are able, by avoiding emissions," she said.

"The second thing we have to do is to adapt to the climate change we can't avoid and this report is a contribution to these industries to enable some of the thinking about that adaptation to occur."

Senator Wong says the report points out some effects which are already evident.

"I hope that industry will look at this and start to consider what sorts of plans, what sorts of expertise they may need to put in place in the coming years," she said.

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