Effects of aquatic acidification on development in early life stages of commercial fish

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My long-term research goal is to understand the impacts of climate change on commercially important fish populations by focusing on physiological effects and development in the early life stages. Canadians depend on the oceans for food, recreation and income, and ocean acidification and warming have emerged as driving forces threatening marine resources. With increasing demand for fish in combination with a changing climate, the future of fish production is dependent upon improving fisheries management and sustainable aquaculture by accounting for species and life-stage-specific effects of environmental change. One of the major bottlenecks in fisheries and aquaculture production is the poor survival and growth of the early life stages. Fish in these stages are particularly vulnerable to suboptimal environmental conditions, due to their high energy requirements for growth and organogenesis, undeveloped regulatory capacities and restricted mobility. My ongoing research has shown strong effects of ocean acidification on early development, growth and survival of fish. However, I have also shown large differences in the sensitivity of fish to CO2, depending on the species, population and developmental stage. Yet it is unclear what underlies these differences, how they are affected by other climate change factors, such as temperature, oxygen and food availability, and how local variability in CO2 affects vulnerability. To address this, my research program will focus on rearing early life stages of fishes important for fisheries and aquaculture, in different environmental conditions outlined below. Sensitivity of fishes to climate change will be determined by a combination of methods from genes to whole animal physiology. This will allow us to better predict the effects of climate change on fish populations and ecosystem changes to aid in fisheries and aquaculture management, as well as to inform best practices for aquaculture production. The three key questions I will address in the first 5 years of my research program are: 1. How does CO2 in combination with other stressors affect early fish development? 2: How does variability in CO2 alter the physiological response of fish? 3: Does air exposure during the embryonic phase in intertidal fish alleviate impacts of high aquatic CO2? These research areas will provide a foundation for training students in research, analytics, communication, teamwork and leadership, while creating a training environment that attracts students from all backgrounds. My research focuses on the effects of climate change on key commercially, culturally and ecologically important fish species in Canada, to strive for a sustainable new Blue Economy. Only by improving our knowledge of how climate change variables impact the health and development of commercially important fish species, can we advance fisheries and aquaculture management, food security and welfare standards for a more sustainable use of ocean resources.