Unit Affiliation: Biology and Paleo Environment, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO)
DESCRIPTION: This research focuses on links between Arctic change and the iconic American lobster (Homarus americanus) fishery, the most valuable single-species fishery in North America, and a well-studied socio-ecological system. As the species’ geographic range shifts northward in a warming ocean, regional dependencies on the fishery will vary. The proposed NNA Collaboratory builds on long-standing cross-sector and crossborder partnerships and draws from the outcomes of two recent, targeted workshops focusing on lobster fishery climate vulnerability assessment. Our overarching hypothesis is that climate-driven, Arctic change will affect the distribution and abundance of American lobster stocks, and in turn, the fishing industry and coastal communities that depend on them, whose resilience to change will be determined by their access to and use of salient information in their decision-making processes.It will create capacity to evaluate impacts of future environmental change on fisheries over a range of space and time scales. It also capitalizes on the heterogeneity of economic dependence and resource governance along the coast to advance understanding of the capacity of coastal communities and governance systems to adapt to rapid change in the environment and economy. Data visualization and decision support system products will be accessible to a wide range of stakeholders, following the engagement of decision scientists and a diverse set of stakeholders in their design.
The Arctic's Response to Climate Warming: Ecosystem, People and Impacts on the Rest of the Planet