Fishermen in the North Sea could have to go further north in the future to catch certain species such as cod or haddock since almost two-thirds of 36 species studied in the area, have shifted north due to global warming.
Cod's centre of distribution shifted 117km north and haddock's southern boundary moved 105km north, according to a study by the University of East Anglia.
The report, which analyses data from 1977-2001, also says that by the year 2050, blue whiting and red fishes may have completely disappeared from the North Sea if fish continue to respond to warming in the same way as they have during the study period.
Southerly species, such as bib (trisopterus luscus), will become more common in the North Sea, the report found. The reseach was carried out but project leader, Allison Perry, who told World Fishing that southerly species extending their ranges northward into the North Sea could potentially represent an opportunity for fishermen.
"It may not be all bad news. If fishermen are flexible in what they are prepared to catch, and consumers are flexible in what they are prepared to eat, then switching fishing effort over to some of these species could allow for a reduction in fishing pressure on overfished, northerly species.
"From other reports, we know that southerly species such as red mullet, sea bass, and John Dory are becoming more common in British waters," Ms Perry said.
The study also highlighted the possibility that global warming may pose an additional threat to populations that have already been overfished, making it more difficult to rebuild these stocks.
Ms Perry continued by saying: "Our findings emphasize the existing advice from scientists about the need to reduce fishing pressure on these species."
Another concern unveiled by the report is a change in relationships between species in their different response to global warming.
"For those species that have not shown shifts, it may be that something else constrains them.
"For example, a particular specie may depend on another aspect of the habitat, and so may be limited in its ability to respond to warming by shifting its distribution," Ms Perry added.
