Climate change may be pushing Japanese sardines into US's EEZ

Published 2024년 10월 30일

Tridge summary

Japanese sardines, traditionally found in the Asian North Pacific, have been discovered in the American Pacific off the U.S. West Coast, according to a study published in Molecular Ecology and an annual survey by NOAA. This discovery, which was attributed to climate change and marine heatwaves, marks a shift in fish habitats due to changing temperatures. The two sardine species are genetically distinct but indistinguishable visually. The research highlights the need to manage sardine populations dynamically in response to ocean condition changes and raises questions about potential interbreeding and the future of these fish in their expanded ranges. This finding underscores the importance of long-term monitoring of marine life.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

A chance discovery during routine research has revealed that Japanese sardines, previously thought to live only in the Asian North Pacific, have crossed into the American Pacific off the U.S. West Coast. “It was a total shock,” NOAA research scientist Gary Long said of the finding.In a paper published 23 October in the journal Molecular Ecology, researchers suggested that climate change may be responsible for the fish's appearance. “Small coastal pelagic fish such as sardines are good indicators of change," Long said. "Often, they are the first ones we see responding to shifting temperatures because they have short generation times, are highly mobile, and can use a variety of habitats.” NOAA's annual survey of coastal pelagic species led to the surprise discovery of Japanese sardines in U.S. waters from Washington to Southern California, where only Pacific sardines were thought to reside. The two species are indistinguishable to the naked eye, but genomic analysis confirmed their ...

Source: Seafoodsource