Climate Change Impacts Oceans Top Predators

Earlier this month, over 150 scientists gathered in Mexico for the First Climate Impacts on Oceanic Top Predators (CLIOTOP) Symposium. Not surprisingly, the subsequent press release indicates that they anticipate global climate change will disrupt the marine food chain, impacting top predators such as sharks, tuna, marine mammals, seabirds and sea turtles.

Climate Impacts on Oceanic Top Predators (CLIOTOP) is a ten-year program devoted to the study of oceanic top predators within their ecosystems. Its aim is to identify the impact of both climate variability and fishing on the structure and function of open ocean ecosystems and its top predators.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), our sister organization, is also currently engaged in a number of different research projects to gain a better understanding of the impacts changing climate has on our oceans. Check out their website to learn more www.mbari.org