Global warming is killing cold water fish and may cause countries to impose bans on fishing. These warnings have been fired at fishermen for years, but how valid are they? Is the gradual rise in the earth’s temperature really a threat to cold water fish? Is the discovery of hundreds of dead fish washing up on the shores of Raritan Bay New Jersey a sign that the days of recreational and commercial fishing are numbered?

According to a study released by the Natural Resource Defense Council, global warming is causing a gradual increase in water temperature and will take its toll on salmon and trout stocks. They predict that as much as 18 to 38 percent of the current salmon and trout habitats could disappear by the year 2090. The study found that habitat losses for individual species could reach 17 percent by 2030, 34 percent by 2060, and 42 percent by 2090.

Global warming is the gradual rise of the earth’s surface temperature reportedly caused by the burning of fossil fuels and industrial pollutants. Salmon and trout are particularly venerable due to the fact that they are cold water fish that live in environments with temperatures of 50 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. In much of the world, these species are living on the high end of the scale, making global gradual increases in water temperature deadly.

But salmon and trout are not the only fish in grave danger. According to the Conservation Law Foundation, global warming could have “staggering impacts on the ocean environment.” Based on a report released last month, “rising water temperatures and sea levels triggered by global warming could affect the abundance, distribution and interaction among organisms that live in the marine environment.” Simply put, the gradual warming of the oceans and seas will cause a decrease in the production of phytoplankton, an important source of nutrients for fish and other marine animals. The already reduced production has hampered the growth rates of larval cod and haddock stocks.

The study warns that if water temperatures increase merely 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit in fall and winter, “migratory routes for summer flounder, bluefish, mackerel, herring and certain squid species could shift between 29 and 57 miles farther north.” This vast change in circulation patterns could cause fish that normally spawn in warmer climates to lose their spawns, threatening the continuations of certain species of fish.

But the problem doesn’t end with the rise of water temperature. According to a study conducted by the Florida Natural Wildlife Federation, global warming is melting the polar ice caps, which, in turn, is causing the sea level to rise, thus potentially rendering many of Florida’s coastal bays and estuaries unusable by the year 2100.

“Fishing as we know it could disappear in a matter of decades,” said Manely Fuller, president of the Florida Wildlife Federation. “Our costal habitats are shrinking and if we lose our coastal fisheries to rising seas, the effect on fish and wildlife Floridians have worked so hard to protect will be devastating.”

The FNW study found that approximately 50 percent of critical salt marsh and 84 percent of tidal flats at these sites would be lost. Dry land is projected to decrease by 14 percent, and roughly 30 percent of ocean beaches and two-thirds of estuarine beaches would disappear. Global warming will also lead to an increase in marine diseases, harmful algal blooms, and more extreme rainfalls and hurricanes, all factors that affect the state’s fisheries.

But all is not lost yet. Scientists have narrowed down the main causes of co2 emissions, which, in effect, is the source cause of global warming:

Solutions to the problem are not simple, but they are also not impossible. By switching to fuel efficient vehicles, encouraging local and federal governments to implement laws that govern industry pollution and gas emission, and by modernizing the country’s electricity system, we as a society could slow down the progress of global warming.

Individually, there are many things that can be done to curb the effects of global warming. If every individual did their part, scientists estimate that co2 emissions could be substantially reduced, slowing the progression and possibly even reversing it within a generation.

The following are some suggestions as to how consumers may help reduce co2 emissions:

• If you are not using it, unplug it. Scientists have found that unplugging an extra freezer or refrigerator that is hardly used can reduce a typical family’s emission by 10 percent.

• Take advantage of your local utilities home efficiency audits. Most utilities offer these audits for free. Simple measures like installing programmable thermostats to replace your old dial unit, or sealing and insulating heating ducts and cooling ducts can reduce a typical family’s emissions by about 5 percent. Replacing incandescent light bulbs with more compact florescent ones will cut back on your energy bills and on heat trapping pollution the old bulbs generated.

• Recycling aluminum cans, glass bottles and newspapers will reduce your co2 emissions by 850 pounds a year.

• By planning your errand route so that you group errands together, you will make fewer trips. Organize carpools to work, ride shuttle busses or use public transportation. When possible, walk, bike or jog to your location whenever you can.

• Spread the word. Everyone could make a difference; educate your friends and family on how they could make a difference in reducing co2 emissions which in effect will cutback on the progression of global warming.

Most importantly if we all work together to care for of the resources then our descendants will be able to enjoy the fine sport of fishing for centuries to come.