Towards a diagnostic approach to climate adaptation for fisheries

• Published in: Climatic change 2014, Vol.122 (1-2), p.55-66
• Main Authors: Leith, P., Ogier, E., Pecl, G., Hoshino, E., Davidson, J., Haward, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation; Adaptive structures; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Aquaculture; Atmospheric Sciences; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; Climate; Climate adaptation; Climate change; Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts; Collaboration; Decision making; Diagnostic systems; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Fisheries; Fisheries management; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Pathways; Public sector; Risk assessment
• ISSN: 0165-0009; 1573-1480
• DOI: 10.1007/s10584-013-0984-0

A diagnostic approach to climate change adaptation for fisheries is proposed to define potential climate adaptation pathways in well-managed fisheries. Traditional climate vulnerability and risk assessments tend to focus on biophysical threats and opportunities and thereby what needs to be done to adapt to climate change. Our diagnostic approach moves from such analysis to focus on how the processes of adaptation and development of adaptive capacity can be structured to achieve desired outcomes. Using a well-grounded framework, the diagnostic approach moves from system description to characterization of challenges and opportunities, through two stages of analysis and validation, to the definition and embedding of adaptation options and pathways. The framework can include all contextually relevant variables and accommodate evaluation of adaptation outcomes and comparisons across scales and contexts. Such an approach can serve as a basis for enabling stakeholders to identify challenges and opportunities, and to explore and prioritize options for development and implementation of legitimate adaptation pathways.