SYDNEY, April 7 (Xinhua) — A study published on Monday warned that rising sea levels could devastate Australia’s coastal aquaculture, with Queensland, the country’s largest aquaculture-producing state, facing the brunt of the impact.
More than 43 percent of Queensland’s productive aquaculture sites are projected to be affected by sea level rise, with prawn farming particularly vulnerable, according to the study led by the Griffith University and the University of New South Wales.
The research estimates that 98 percent of prawn sites and half of prawn production could be inundated, leading to annual economic losses between 36.9 million Australian dollars and 127.6 million Australian dollars by 2100.
The study’s lead researcher Marina Christofidis from Griffith’s Australian Rivers Institute said Queensland’s pond-based coastal aquaculture is highly exposed under high-emission scenarios, which could bring a sea level rise of 0.8 meters by 2100.
“These results are an early warning sign for Queensland’s aquaculture industry,” Christofidis said, adding climate risks need to be integrated into development planning now to avoid costly mis-investment.
Using satellite data and government coastal inundation models, the team produced a dataset covering 647 square kilometers, comprising 341 lots and 275 farms. Among those areas, about 57 percent of the Gold Coast is projected to be most affected by sea level rise.
Christofidis said future aquaculture developments must prioritize climate resilience, including the use of nature-based coastal protections like mangroves, green seawalls, and artificial reefs.
The findings, published in Aquaculture Science and Management, highlight the urgent need for adaptation strategies to protect food security and coastal livelihoods in a changing climate. (1 Australian dollar equals 0.6 U.S. dollars)
