These documents summarize some of the recent studies of the relationships among climate, the aquatic environment, and the dynamics of fish populations. The studies are mostly from the North Pacific ocean, but there are reports of investigations from the North Atlatic Ocean and from fresh water. Various papers include numerous examples of the relationships between fish abundance trends and the environment.

Abstracts of invited and contributed papers and poster presentations given at the symposium, covering evidence for changes in climate and the resulting effects in freshwater and marine environments, effects of climate on fish populations, economic impacts of climate change on fisheries, and preparing for climate change.

This report indicates that climate change will significantly affect the availability and trade of fish products, especially for those countries most dependent on the sector, and calls for effective adaptation and mitigation actions encompassing food production.

Increases in temperature due to climate change will have large implications for aquatic ecosystems. Warmwater fish species, such as smailmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieu, may have access to additional favourable thermal habitat under increased surface-water temperatures, thereby shifting the northern limit of the distribution of the species further north in Canada and potentially negatively impacting native fish communities. A database comprised of over 50,000 lakes was assembled consisting of data on geography, lake morphology, water chemistry, climate, and fish community composition. Based on a comparison of several statistical approaches (multiple regression, regression tree, artificial neural networks, and Bayesian multiple regression) and several climate-change scenarios, water temperatures were predicted to increase by as much as 18°C by 2100, with the greatest increase in water temperature in northern Canada. By 2100, smallmouth bass thermal habitat is predicted to shift to the north with the majority of Canadian lakes expected to contain suitable thermal habitat. A comparison of logistic regression, classification tree, linear discriminant analysis, and artificial neural networks indicated that smallmouth bass distribution is predicted by winter and summer air temperatures. Climate-change modeling, in conjunction with artificial neural networks, predicted that smallmouth bass will have suitable thermal habitat throughout the majority of aquatic systems in the continental United States and Canada by 2100. The presence of smallmouth bass will negatively impact native fish communities, particularly native lake trout populations. Lake trout populations residing in smaller lakes are more vulnerable to the effects of smallmouth bass establishment due to the decreased presence of alternate prey resources. Examination of the pelagic and littoral forage fish communities identified nearly 9,700 lake trout populations threatened by 2100AD under climate-change scenarios, due to the potential invasion of smallmouth bass. The current range expansion of smallmouth bass has been facilitated by stocking by governmental agencies, unauthorized and accidental introduction by anglers, and dispersal through drainage networks. This stresses the importance of intensifying public education and regulation to limit the potential dispersal of invasive species, such as smallmouth bass.

Introduction / Nature A. McGinnForeword / Ronald C. BairdOverview of the Symposium / Brian J. Shuter, Robert F. Carline and Nature A. McGinnSignals from Ice Cover Trends and Variability / John J. MagnusonGlobal Warming Influences on Water Levels, Ice, and Chemical and Biological Cycles in Lakes: Some Examples / Brent M. LofgrenImpacts of Sea Level Rise on Tidal Wetlands and Shallow-Water Habitats: A Case Study from Chesapeake Bay / J. Court Stevenson, Michael S. Kearney and Evamaria W. KochEffects of Temperature, Global Extremes, and Climate Change on Year-Class Production of Warmwater, Coolwater, and Coldwater Fishes in the Great Lakes Basin / John M. CasselmanClimate Change: Implications for Fish Growth Performance in the Great Lakes / Stephen B. Brandt, Doran M. Mason, Michael J. McCormick, Brent Lofgren, Timothy S. Hunter and Jeffrey A. TylerClimate Change, Freshwater Fish, and Fisheries: Case Studies from Ontario and Their Use in Assessing Potential Impacts / Brian J. Shuter, Charles K. Minns and Nigel LesterChanging Fish Biodiversity: Predicting the Loss of Cyprind Biodiversity Due to Global Climate Change / Donald A. Jackson and Nicholas E. MandrakUsing Current Biogeographic Limits to Predict Fish Distributions Following Climate Change / Frank J. RahelA Review of the Role of Climate Variability in the Decline of Northern Cod / K. F. DrinkwaterInfluence of Rising Sea Temperature on Commercial Bivalve Species of the U.S. Atlantic Coast / James R. Weinberg, Thomas G. Dahlgren and Kenneth M. HalanychReef Faunal Response to Warming Middle U.S. Continental Shelf Waters / R. O. Parker, Jr. and R. L. DixonDecadal Oscillations and Regime Shifts, a Characterization of the Chesapeake Bay Marine Climate / Herbert M. AustinFuture Consequences of Climate Change for the Chesapeake Bay Ecosystem and Its Fisheries / Robert J. Wood, Donald F. Boesch and Victor S. KennedyPotential Consequences of Climate Change for the Fish Resources in the Mid-Atlantic Region / David G. MountainClimate Variability and Pacific Sardine Populations and Fisheries / G. A. McFarlane, P. E. Smith, T. R. Baumgartner and J. R. HunterDynamic Response of California Current Populations to Environmental Variability / Louis W. Botsford, Cathryn A. Lawrence, M. Forrest Hill, Alan Hastings and Kevin S. McCannEffects of Climate and Stock Size on the Productivity of Pacific Halibut / William G. Clark and Steven R. HareThe Role of Climate in the Past, Present, and Future of Pacific Salmon Fisheries off the West Coast of Canada / Richard J. Beamish and Donald J. NoakesCooperating with the Environment: Case Studies of Climate and Fisheries in the Northern California Current / John C. Field and Robert C. FrancisUncertainty in Scenarios of Human-Caused Climate Change / Nathan J. Mantua and Philip W. MoteA Future of Adapting to Climate Change and Variability / John J. MagnusonSymposium and Contributed Paper Session AbstractsReport from the Stakeholders? Forum on Fisheries and Climate ChangeBibliography of Climate Change-Related Papers in AFS Journals.