Traditional ecological and fisheries models have limitations in capturing the impacts of climate change on fish populations

The gap

Evidence profile

Sourced from the future work and limitations and limitations section of the source papers, classified as general, spanning 3 journals.

Supporting evidence — 3 representative gaps

• Challenges of Fishery Biology and Fish Population Dynamics in Fisheries Management (2026) · Fishes · doi

  Notably, the specific contributions of the research presented in this Special Issue help to fill gaps in the knowledge, providing support for the management of fishery resources, as well as guidance for future studies that wish to replicate the methodological approaches outlined here. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11050286 Fishes 2026, 11, 286 9 of 12 Clearly, there are still many issues that need to be addressed to improve the knowledge of fisheries’ biology and the population dynamics of fishery resources. A major effort must be made to increase biophysical studies that show the influence of environmental factors on resource dynamics and studies on adaptation and resilience to the imminent climate change that is affecting the sustainable use of the world’s natural resources, including marine and freshwater fisheries, which are a vital source of food and livelihood. The integrated approach used by Leitão and Cánovas [48], which evaluates the impact of climate change from the species to the economic levels and incorporates sensitivity (ecological traits) to weight habitat suitability, provides a significant asset to assessments of climate change’s impact on fisheries. According to these authors, maintaining sustainable fishing management strategies is the best way to mitigate the effects of climate change; however, the absence of sustained partnerships, imbalances in research collaboration, restricted data accessibility and reliability, the limited representation of perspectives from the Global South and an inadequate understanding of fisheries’ carbon emissions constitute the key research gaps identified by Xu et al. [28] that need to be addressed. Additionally, the need for international cooperation, regular management reviews, and effective monitoring are identified by Koerner et al. [26] as indispensable to adequate preparation for the impacts of climate change on marine resources. The development of models for the impacts of multiple drivers on marine resources is relatively new [27]. Thus, the development of multi-stressor models requires collaboration between physiologists, biologists, oceanographers, and modelers, and a clear understanding of fisheries’ biology and the population dynamics of fishery resources. Understanding the physiological, morphological, and behavioral responses of fish to the environmental and anthropogenic threats to which they are exposed is essential to their conservation and management. An impact evaluation of the biomass remotion of target species and the resulting disruption to food webs is essential to understand biodiversity losses and their effect on ecosystem structure and function. Assessments of population genetics, diversity, and genetic structure are also essential when taking measures to ensure the sustainability of exploited resources. In addition, an economic and social assessment of the value chain from production to the final consumer, including the processing and marketing of fishery produ

  generalfuture work
  Keywords: resources fisheries climate change management fishery need population dynamics marine impact understanding essential gaps knowledge
• Some population parameters of three flatfish species ( Arnoglossus laterna , Monochirus hispidus , and Microchirus ocellatus ) from Güllük Bay, southern Aegean Sea (2026) · PeerJ · doi

  While this study provides crucial baseline data on the life history parameters of A. laterna, Monochirus hispidus, and Microchirus ocellatus, several limitations should be considered when interpreting the results and for guiding future research. First, the study was conducted within a specific geographic region—the Aegean Sea coast of Türkiye—which restricts the direct extrapolation of results to other parts of the Mediterranean or adjacent seas. Geographic variation in environmental conditions and fishing pressure can lead to significant differences in the life-history traits of fish populations, as evidenced by studies such as Audzijonyte et al. (2020) and Baudron et al. (2014), which highlight the complex and often localized responses of fish to warming and exploitation. Second, the temporal scope and sampling resolution may influence the generalizability of the results. As emphasized by Hilborn et al. (2020), environmental regimes and climate change fundamentally constrain stock productivity and recruitment, introducing uncertainty into management targets and recovery timelines. Long-term Cerim et al. (2026), PeerJ, DOI 10.7717/peerj.21227 15/21 monitoring is essential to fully understand population responses to both environmental and anthropogenic drivers. Finally, sample sizes for certain species and demographic groups—such as Monochirus hispidus, with a total of 94 individuals—while adequate for initial parameter estimation, may limit the statistical power and precision required for more complex analyses. Future studies would benefit from expanded sampling, particularly for rare species or specific sex and age classes, to support more robust and detailed life-history comparisons. Despite these limitations, this study successfully establishes a critical foundation of knowledge for these previously data-poor species. The identified constraints clearly outline the path for future research, emphasizing the need for long-term, spatially expansive, and ecosystem-oriented studies.

  generallimitationsevidence 5/5
  Keywords: species future life history monochirus hispidus environmental significant management gaps marine parameters laterna microchirus ocellatus
• Epigenetic Signatures of Climate Stress in Wild Fish Populations: Implications for Fisheries Resilience (2026) · Scholars Academic Journal of Biosciences · doi

  The paper notes that traditional ecological and fisheries models have limitations in capturing the impacts of climate change on fish populations. The paper notes that epigenetic mechanisms are not yet fully understood and require further research. The paper notes that the integration of epigenomics into fisheries science is still in its early stages. The paper notes that long-term field studies are needed to assess the temporal stability of climate-induced methylation changes.

  generallimitations sectionevidence 5/5
  Keywords: paper notes traditional ecological fisheries models have limitations

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