Canada’s aquatic climate change research priorities

As DFO’s Aquatic Climate Change Adaptation Services Program (ACCASP), we study the impacts of climate change on fisheries, ecosystems, and coastal infrastructure. This research provides both decision makers and Canadians with the information they need to plan and adapt to a changing climate. We conduct the research and monitoring necessary to:

• identify climate change impacts and vulnerabilities.
• create adaptation tools.
• improve ocean forecasting in vulnerable coastal regions.
• inform our management decisions related to adapting fisheries, oceans, and coastal infrastructure.

We are focussed on three priority areas:

1. Monitoring activities to understand the changing chemistry of our oceans.
2. Research to identify which fish species and coastal infrastructure is most vulnerable to a changing climate.
3. Refinement of applied ocean models.

Our work supports Canada’s commitments under the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. It includes planning and implementing actions that support adaptation.

For a list of our completed research projects, go to: Aquatic climate change science research funding.