Abstract

The Chilean government is developing a comprehensive climate change policy for fisheries and aquaculture, including institutional, research and capacity building, to reduce vulnerability and improve adaptation in order to make this ecosystem services more resilient to future changes. This is illustrated by several case studies. The occurrence of cold, acidic and hypoxic upwelling seawater and ENSO events along the Chilean coast suggests important impact upon resources targeted by benthic fisheries. The distribution and abundance of calcifiers species such as Concholepas concholepas (loco) and bivalves (scallops, mussels, clams) are threatened by ocean acidification projected for upwelling regions, while macroalgae (kelps) are highly vulnerable to warmer conditions. With A2 and 4×CO2 climate change IPCC scenarios, the estimated sea surface temperature (SST) changes for Engraulis ringens (anchovy), Strangomera bentincki (common sardine) and Trachurus murphyi (jack mackerel) fishing areas showed an increase by 0.58°C–1.59°C and 0.62°C–2.51°C for both fishing areas until 2065, respectively. Based on the A2 climate change and the fishing effort scenarios, anchovy and common sardine landings would decrease, and jack mackerel landings would increase, mildly. In change, the 4×CO2 climate change, and fishing efforts scenarios, showed increases only in jack mackerel landings. The final chapter shows the current state of Chilean aquaculture, analyzes the available information on major climate forcings and establish scenarios of potential impacts on main farmed resources and on productive activities. The adaptations that should be considered to face the future climate scenario along Chilean coast are addressed.