You can still eat fish from coral reefs damaged by climate change

By Tom Campbell via SWNS

Seafood from coral reefs damaged by climate change is still packed with healthy nutrients - and could provide a lifeline to millions of people, according to a study.

Fish caught on reefs where coral has died in a bleaching event remain rich in minerals such as zinc and iron, say scientists.

Tropical small-scale fisheries, which employ around six million people, depend on tropical coral reefs to supply them with fresh fish.

Their catch feeds hundreds of millions of people who live in coastal regions and depend on fish for essential nutrients.

But global warming and rising ocean temperatures has increased the number of coral bleaching events - when coral lose their vibrant colors and turn white.

Now researchers at Lancaster University have discovered these small-scale fisheries could be more resistant than previously thought.

"Our findings underline the continuing importance of these fisheries for vulnerable coastal communities, and the need to protect against over-fishing to ensure long-term sustainability of reef fisheries,"said lead author Dr. James Robinson.

Data collected over the past 20-years from coral reefs around the Seychelles was analyzed by the researchers.

The area is known to have experienced a large coral bleaching event in 1998, which killed around 90 percent of the coral.

While 60 percent of them recovered, the rest was transformed into reefs dominated by seaweeds.

The researchers compared fish living in these two areas by carrying out experimental fishing, nutrient analysis and visual surveys.

Reef fish were an important source of selenium and zinc, and contained similar amounts of calcium, iron and omega-3 fatty acids to those found in other meats like chicken or pork.

Greater numbers of fish containing higher levels of iron and zinc were caught on reefs dominated by algae after the coral bleaching event, the researchers found.

This could be because these seaweeds contain high levels of minerals and nutrients which the herbivore fish feed on.

"Coral reef fish contain high levels of essential dietary nutrients such as iron and zinc, so contribute to healthy diets in places with high fish consumption,"Robinson said.

"We found that some micronutrient-rich reef species become more abundant after coral bleaching, enabling fisheries to supply nutritious food despite climate change impacts.

"Protecting catches from these local food systems should be a food security priority."

The results stress more effective local management is needed to protect these reef fisheries in the future.

More policies are also needed to make sure local people do not miss out on reef catches and can maintain their traditional fish-based diet.

"Fish are now recognized as critical to alleviating malnutrition, particularly in the tropics where diets can lack up to 50 percent of the micronutrients needed for healthy growth,"said co-author Professor Christina Hicks

"This work is promising because it suggests reef fisheries will continue to play a crucial role, even in the face of climate change, and highlights the vital importance of investing in sustainable fisheries management.”

The findings were published in the journal One Earth.