Uncertainties regarding the natural mortality of fish can increase due global climate change

Abstract

The increase in temperature resulting from global climate change can directly affect the survival of fish and therefore population parameters such as natural mortality (M). The estimation of this parameter and the understanding of the uncertainties in its estimates are enormous challenges for studies that evaluate fish stocks. In addition, the effects of increases in temperature may be associated with life strategies. Therefore, the fuzzy set theory was used to evaluate the effects of temperature increase on the natural mortality of fish, considering different life strategies. The model showed that the increase in temperature increased the uncertainties in M estimates for all species, regardless of the life strategy. However, opportunistic species present greater uncertainties in estimates of M compared to equilibrium species. The patterns found in uncertainties of M associated with species groupings by life strategies can be used in holistic approaches for the assessment and management of recently exploited fisheries resources or for those with limited biological data.