An integrated impact assessment of the effects of climate change on the Pacific Northwest salmon fishery

Abstract

Typically natural resource managers do not consider the implications of climate change even though natural resources depend on specific climatic conditions. This omission stems from the uncertainty associated with climate-change research, and an inability to apply that research to decision-making. This paper suggests that an impact assessment approach can be used to assess the impact that climate change may have on natural resource decisions demonstrating the approach by examining salmon fisheries in the Pacific Northwest.

Keywords:

• impact assessment
• salmon fisheries
• climate change