California Billion Dollar Fisheries Face Collapse as Ocean Heats Up climate change
In a dire warning for California fishing industry according to study the state’s most valuable marine species are on the brink of collapse due to climate change. Rising ocean temperatures, acidification and habitat loss threaten Dungeness crab, Pacific herring and red abalone, endangering fisheries worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
The study conducted by UC Santa Cruz and UC Davis, found that several key species could face severe declines by 2100, with some already in crisis:
Dungeness crab – A $45 million industry at risk as warming waters disrupt their lifecycle.
Red abalone – Once a $44 million recreational fishery, it has been shut down since 2018 due to ocean heatwaves.
Pacific herring – Stocks in San Francisco Bay have collapsed by 75%, pushing fishers out of busin...