Potential Climate Change Impacts on Marine Resources of the Northeastern United States

This report synthesizes an assessment of potential changes in marine ecosystems off the northeastern United States in response to projected climate and emission scenarios, with a focus on temperature effects on living marine resources. It reviews likely impacts on the northeast continental shelf, and highlights potential effects on the distribution and abundance of the American lobster and Atlantic cod to illustrate the range of possible impacts throughout the region.

The analysis in this report is based on simulations from three atmosphere-ocean general circulation models (AOGCMs): NOAA/GFDL CM2.1, UKMO HadCM3, and DOE/NCAR PCM.  The region covered by this paper includes the continental shelf of the northeastern United States. Major sub-regions include the northern mid-Atlantic Bight and southern New England shelf (south of Cape Cod), Georges Bank, and the Gulf of Maine.

Publication Date: 2007

Authors or Affiliated Users:

• Michael Fogarty
• Lewis Incze
• Richard Wahle
• David Mountain
• Allan Robinson
• Andrew Pershing
• Katherine Hayhoe
• Anne Richards
• James Manning

Related Organizations:

• Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment (NECIA)

Sectors:

• Coastal
• Agriculture and food
• Biodiversity and ecosystems
• Fish and fisheries
• Oceans

Resource Category:

• Assessments

Resource Types:

• Assessment

States Affected:

• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Maine
• Massachusetts
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• Rhode Island

Impacts:

• Air temperature
• Economic
• Precipitation changes
• Water quality
• Water temperatures
• Wind

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