Some Like it Warm

While the fish population and the biomass of the Long Island Sound fishery have remained stable over decades, the types of fish are changing. As Long Island Sound’s water temperature increases, the number of fish species that thrive in warmer temperatures is on the rise, while the number of fish species preferring colder temperatures is declining.

Learn More through our Long Island Sound Ecosystem Target and Supporting Indicators web pages:

• Warm Water/Cold Water Fish Index. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection groups species counted in the Long Island Sound Trawl Survey by their temperature tolerance as an indicator of climate change. This indicator shows that fish with greater tolerance to warmer temperatures are increasing, while fish that prefer colder temperatures are declining.
• Water Temperature. LISS has compiled datasets for this indicator showing water temperature trends in the Long Island Sound region since 1960.
• Game Fish. CT DEEP’s fish trawl survey tracks fish populations in Long Island Sound of the most popular fish caught by anglers. Populations of some of them, including Sea Bass and Winter Flounder, have been affected by temperature trends.
• Lobster Abundance. Warming temperatures are considered to be an important factor in the significant decline of the lobster population in Long Island Sound.
• Finfish Biomass and Species Richness Indices. This indicator shows that the Sound fish productivity (based on fish biomass) and species diversity have remained high since the two surveys survey started in 1984 and 1992.

And here’s a video on fish and climate change in the Hudson River