Costas Kadis: climate change shifts fish stocks and threatens coastal communities

In Nicosia, Cyprus, at a climate conference on Wednesday, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis stated that the climate crisis is turning into an "ocean crisis," leading to warming waters, shifting fish stocks, and increasing threats to coastal livelihoods.

According to him, the Eastern Mediterranean is already experiencing the consequences — the sea is warming faster than global averages, marine heatwaves have become more frequent, acidification is occurring, and invasive species are appearing, which reshapes ecosystems and undermines fisheries, tourism, and coastal communities. These findings are supported by data from the Copernicus Marine Service, the Commissioner noted: catches are decreasing, stocks are moving, and traditional professions are at risk.

Kadis presented European Commission initiatives as a response: the European Ocean Pact, the OceanEye platform, and the Digital Twin Ocean project with real-time modeling until 2030. An Ocean Research and Innovation Strategy is also expected by the end of the year, along with a review of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive. Regional measures include the MedSea4Fish projects, the work of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, and support for the Barcelona Convention.

The practical benefit for residents lies in enhanced monitoring, support for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, funding for innovations for coastal and island communities, and new strategic decisions by the European Commission prepared for June, which will be presented in Cyprus.

Kadis also noted the contribution of the Government of Cyprus, the Cyprus Institute, and the EMME initiative in coordinating regional climate actions and emphasized that data must translate into concrete joint measures.