Global Warming

Climate change shrinking fish populations worldwide

Warming oceans from human-caused climate change has shrunk the populations of many fish species around the world, according to a study released Thursday.

Overfishing and poor fisheries management have only intensified the problem.

Some of the biggest drops were In the seas near China and Japan, where fish populations dropped by as much as 35 percent from 1930 to 2010, the decades analyzed in the study. Globally, the drop is 4.1 percent for many species of fish and shellfish, according to the study.

Keeping fish stocks plentiful is vital, the study says, since Earth's oceans have become a crucial source of food for the planet's rapidly growing population. In fact, more than 50 million people around the world earn a living by fishing, and seafood provides about half of the protein eaten by people in developing nations, according to the study.

“We recommend that fisheries managers eliminate overfishing, rebuild fisheries and account for climate change in fisheries management decisions,” the study said.