ICES Report on Ocean Climate 2008

This report examines the evidence of the effect of

climate change on the distribution and abundance

of marine species in the OSPAR Commission

Maritime Area (OSPAR Maritime Area). It focuses

primarily on effects that may be linked to changes

in sea surface temperature (SST).

It is the product of many scientists working within

the ICES framework, who examined long-term

datasets, often developed and formed from the

work of other scientists. The main conclusions are

that oceanographic conditions do influence the

marine biota in the OSPAR Maritime Area, and

that oceanographic conditions are changing. There

was evidence to support this in both the narrative

and the analytical information examined by ICES

throughout the OSPAR Maritime Area. Effects of

climate change varied from weak to very strong,

particularly when environmental conditions were

exceptionally cold or warm.