August 30, 2024 — Climate change impacts include warming oceans, the frequency and intensity of floods and droughts, rising sea levels, and ocean acidification. These impacts pose growing challenges for marine species and their habitats. They will continue to amplify existing threats, increasing the vulnerability of endangered species and their ecosystems.
NOAA Fisheries and our partners focus conservation and recovery efforts on addressing human-caused threats and emerging climate impacts. The interaction of these two effects can create a cascade of ecological consequences, challenging many species’ ability to adapt and recover. To stabilize and recover at-risk species, we have taken significant steps to improve their resilience to climate change impacts.
The NOAA Fisheries Species in the Spotlight initiative draws attention to 10 endangered marine and anadromous species listed under the Endangered Species Act. This initiative seeks to raise awareness of the threats these species face and focus recovery efforts on immediate, targeted actions to stabilize their populations and prevent extinction. These recovery efforts are increasingly important as these species face the additional challenges of a changing climate.