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We want to share with you some recent scientific advances on marine heatwaves in the seas around UK and Ireland, which help our understanding of these events and their impacts, and build our capability to respond to this growing challenge.
MCCIP is contributing to these research efforts, see below the link to the 2023 update report on the impacts of climate-driven sea temperature changes.
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TURNING UP THE HEAT: UK GOV MARINE SCIENCE BLOG
In a new blog, climate experts John Pinnegar, Cefas and Caroline Rowland, Met Office share valuable insights on the impacts of the unprecedented 2023 UK heatwave.
In this blog, John and Caroline take a deep dive into current UK capability and challenges in monitoring marine heatwaves, and observed impacts on biodiversity and specifically on fisheries. They also discuss future research needs to better predict and respond to marine heatwaves in the UK.
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THE 2023 EUROPEAN MARINE HEATWAVE
In June 2023, the NW European shelf experienced unprecedented surface temperature anomalies of up to 5 °C locally, and the longest ever category II marine heatwave - 16 days - was recorded.
An article led by Ségolène Berthou, Met Office and published this year in Nature Communications Earth & Environment, explains how the marine heatwave unfolded, and its feedback on regional weather conditions.
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Temperature profiles from gliders. From Berthou et al., 2024.
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Projected changes in sea surface temperature and salinity under different scenarios. From Townhill et al., 2023.
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FUTURE CLIMATE RISKS TO COMMERCIAL FISH SPECIES IN NW EUROPE
Changes in temperature and salinity are driving distribution shifts of marine organisms, including commercial fish and shellfish. A study led by Bryony Townhill, Cefas modelled the risk to 49 commercially important fish and shellfish species of the NW European shelf.
Habitat suitability is projected to improve in future for almost half of the species, including European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), sardine (Sardina pilchardus) and anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus). Conversely, waters will become less suitable for species including Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and saithe (Pollachius virens).
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WARMEST MAY ON RECORD - MAY 2024
The Met Office have also explored recent data from May 2024, which has been confirmed as the warmest on record for the UK.
Whilst the public's perception of May 2024 was unremarkable, an analysis revealed a clear influence of marine heat on land, driven by warmer-than-average sea temperatures in the North Sea. The analysis also showed unusually high temperatures across Scotland and northern England that largely occurred over less populated areas, which may also explain the misalignment between people’s opinion and data.
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Sea surface temperature anomaly for May 2024 showing the category of marine heatwave. From the Met Office official blog.
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MCCIP Secretariat
The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0HT, UK |
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MCCIP is the primary independent source of marine and coastal climate change evidence and advice in the UK
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