June 27, 2019 — Waters off the coast of New England have warmed up more than any other coastal areas in the United States — up to 3 degrees Fahrenheit since 1901. That’s according to a new analysis of recently collected federal ocean data by the independent research nonprofit Climate Central.
Their report also notes that fresh and salt waters across the United States are warming 40% faster than expected.
In New England, this means changes for the fishing industry: Cold water fish are moving to deeper waters, and species from warmer climates are moving in, according to research fishery biologist Vincent Saba of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center.
“We’ve seen dramatic shifts in where fishermen are catching species today, versus where they were being caught say 15 or 20 years ago,” Saba says.