The Adriatic Sea, a renowned fishing ground for Croatian fisherman Marko Kristic, is confronted with a new challenge as a result of climate change. Kristic, with years of experience casting his nets in the Adriatic, has observed the influx of the Mediterranean parrotfish, which now poses a threat to the traditional fish population in the region.
The introduction of the parrotfish, as well as around 50 new species, has been linked to climate change and increased maritime traffic. This has raised concerns about the impact on the native fish population in the Adriatic. Kristic has noted the parrotfish becoming a common bycatch in his nets, despite it not being favoured by the local population, and has put his livelihood at risk.
Nenad Antolovic, a researcher at the Institute for Marine and Coastal Research in Dubrovnik, has emphasized the detrimental effects of overfishing, climate change, and the invasion of new species on fish stocks in the Adriatic. The rise in water temperature in the Adriatic due to climate change has led to the emergence of new organisms, including fish, plankton, and algae, contributing to the changing ecosystem of the sea.
Data from the Italian National Agency for new Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) in 2023 has shown that the Mediterranean is warming at a rapid pace, making it the fastest-warming sea on the planet. The increase in temperature has facilitated the influx of new fish species from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal, either due to warmer waters or being transported in the ballast tanks of ships, thus endangering the survival of approximately 460 native fish species in the Adriatic.
In Montenegro, scientists from the Institute of Marine Biology in Kotor have identified the blue crab as a significant invasive species that arrived in the region about two decades ago. This invasive species has had a detrimental impact on the population of native crustaceans, such as the green crab, leading to a drastic reduction and, in some cases, the complete disappearance of these species.
The warming waters of the Adriatic along the Montenegrin coast have provided an ideal environment for the proliferation of new fish species, including the rabbitfish, pufferfish, and lionfish, as highlighted by Ilija Cetkovic, a researcher at the institute. Of particular concern is the lionfish, which is considered a predatory species that inflicts significant damage to ecosystems.
The invasion of new fish species in the Adriatic is a clear indication of the far-reaching impact of climate change on marine ecosystems. The livelihoods of fishermen, the balance of the marine ecosystem, and the survival of native species are all at stake, making it imperative to address the underlying causes of these changes in the Adriatic Sea.