A new study by fisheries scientists in Woods Hole shows that about half of the 36 fish stocks they surveyed had shifted north or east toward cooler waters over the past 40 years, possibly in response to rising water temperatures due to global warming.
The study, conducted by scientists at the National Marine Fisheries Service Northeast Fisheries Science Center, requires further research to factor out the effects of decades of overfishing to get a true picture of the impact of warming seas, researchers said.
But the fish migration northward could mean that fishermen will have to travel farther to catch familiar species but might also see new opportunities in species coming up from southern waters.
Still, it could mean that some species, like cod, may not find the rich food resources available on a place like Georges Bank.