Climate Change and B.C.'s Ocean
Photograph by Sabine Jessen
It's Mother Nature's Turn
Climate change continues to create a mysterious future for B.C.'s marine ecosystems. It's causing ocean currents to change, while marine waters both cool and warm. In the future, species in B.C. waters might have to leave to find more suitable habitat. Species are also on the move to B.C. waters from southern habitats, creating new mixes of predators and prey. And this is only the beginning. Climate change promises greater changes in the future. What will they be?
The effects of climate change to B.C.'s marine ecosystems will be profound, giving us all the more reason to tackle global warming! The best chance B.C. marine ecosystems have to weather the changes is to create safe places where nature can evolve and adapt to change, without undue stresses from humans.
Protecting sensitive habitats and species through the creation of marine protected areas can be part of that solution. Properly managed, MPAs can help strengthen marine ecosystems, creating healthy underwater worlds. Strong marine ecosystems can better adapt to change and better recover from change.
Creating a network of MPAs – that represent different parts B.C. marine ecosystems – protects a diversity of habitats up and down the coast.
We need to give Mother Nature some areas to nurse her changing waters. It's our best chance of protecting B.C.'s marine ecosystems.