BC3’s Climate Adaptation To Shifting Stocks (CLOCK) project, funded by an ERC Starting Grant, focuses on the profound transformations occurring in the world’s oceans due to climate change, specifically in international tuna fisheries. The project’s goal is to understand and address the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of those dependent on them.

The project, which was part of BC3 adjunct researcher Iratxe Rubio, aimed at conducting case studies on fisheries operating at different scales, ranging from small-scale operations in Galicia to international tuna fisheries in the Basque Country.

“Climate change is causing some serious changes in oceans, including temperature increase, sea level rise, and acidification. Adaptation strategies are an asset to endure marine livelihoods and rethink fisheries towards sustainability.” (Iratxe Rubio, BC3 adjunct researcher)

Through their studies, researchers developed an adaptation framework that integrates fisheries management science within the broader context of socio-ecological systems, ensuring the long-term sustainability of resources and livelihoods.

The studies examined whether these large-scale fisheries are already experiencing the effects of climate change and investigated their responses to these impacts. The findings from these studies have been summarized in the following video, offering insights into the challenges faced by tuna fisheries and proposing informed adaptation strategies to mitigate the negative consequences of climate change.