AFS Past Presidents Call for Action on Climate Change

Fishy Fridays

Weekly spotlight on fisheries science journal articles

 

Jeff Kopaska
AFS Executive Director
jkopaska@fisheries.org

I generally do not highlight articles from Fisheries in Fishy Friday, as the majority of you are AFS members and you have ready access to Fisheries.  But this perspectives article is one that I feel needs special attention, and broad distribution. The article, written collectively by the Past Presidents of AFS, highlights the climate issues facing freshwater and marine aquatic ecosystems. It also outlines the challenges faced by politically motivated denials and delays in regard to acting on this issue, and the broader problems of science denial and de-linking public policy from scientific underpinnings. As the authors state “Failing to respond to efforts restricting climate change research, scientific knowledge sharing, and management strategies to alleviate human-caused climate change will continue to have ever-more dire consequences for human societies and our planet.” Please take a few moments to read this and to consider your role as fisheries professionals.    

The climate change crisis: A call for action by Past Presidents of the American Fisheries Society

“We AFS Past Presidents urge all fisheries and aquatic scientists, educators, and managers, as well as anglers, commercial fishers, aquaculturists, and all others interested in functioning aquatic ecosystems, to convey and build upon the strength of evidence supporting the understanding of human-caused climate change—despite climate change denials arising in public policy.”