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The Faculty of ALES was proud to host William Cheung, director and professor of the University of British Columbia’s Institute for Oceans and Fisheries. (Photo: Supplied)

Growing up in a coastal Hong Kong village, William Cheung recalls his father and uncles remembering how, when they were young, it was easy to catch enough fish to feed entire families in their community.

But that changed as he got older. “I didn’t see them fishing anymore, and they told me there wasn’t much seafood anymore for them to catch.”

The seafood they grew up on — and their main source of protein — can still be found in markets, he adds, but are much smaller and more expensive – up to $100 for one fish.

It worries Cheung, director and professor of the University of British Columbia’s Institute for Oceans and Fisheries, who recently delivered the Ronald O. Ball Lectureship in Food & Agriculture for 2025.

“Seeing the changes in my own experience, I’m now wondering what oceans’ future my nephews will see when they grow up or when their children grow up,” he told the audience of students and researchers from ALES and other U of A faculties, alumni, donors and members of the public who gathered in person or watched online to hear the lecture.

Cheung’s experience reflects how climate change is affecting aquatic ecosystems worldwide. His address, titled , explored the state of fish and aquacultures, impacts of climate change on oceans and how to mitigate those forecasts into the future.

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Cheung’s address is the latest in the lecture series to foster thought and discussion about complex interconnected global issues. Since launching in 2013, the event brings a speaker to campus to present to a wide audience of faculty members, students, alumni, professional agrologists and the general public.

Oceans support the diverse marine life that provides a vital source of nutrient-rich protein to the world, notes Cheung, who is the Canada Research Chair in Ocean Sustainability and Global Change.

But climate warming is causing an increase in ocean temperature and acidity, which has “a direct impact on marine life, particularly on fish and invertebrates that are so important for us as a source of seafood,” he noted. It also puts pressure on fisheries, which must grapple with decreasing species diversity and abundance in their catches.

That puts food security at risk, particularly in developing countries but also close to home, Cheung added. “We know that even in Canada, there are some coastal communities that are really dependent on seafood for their nutritional health.”

Promoting climate-resilient fisheries and aquaculture is crucial for reducing risks and impacts, he said.

“We know lots of science about climate adaptations to some of these changes, and the good thing is that fisheries management, protected areas, good conservation and also good climate adaptation strategies can contribute to building up capacity to adapt to some of these changes.”

In addition, reducing greenhouse gas emissions eases the likelihood of a high-impact event such as the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a large system of ocean currents that carries warm water from the tropics northwards into the North Atlantic, helping moderate temperatures in Europe.

AMOC has slowed over the last few decades, he noted. “There is a chance, though very low, that it can be collapsed because of increasing global warming. We cannot rule out that it would not happen.”

The result would irreversibly disrupt marine ecosystems and fisheries, altering species distributions and ocean productivity, he added.

Future efforts to manage oceans and fisheries can’t be “business as usual,” he suggested. “The alternative is to bend the curve to go to something that is much more desirable and much more sustainable.”

That would mean making “societal changes” to continue mitigating climate change, conserving biodiversity and reducing inequity, using broad strategies such as international partnerships that provide “optimal solutions for local communities” to transition to a sustainable food-climate biodiversity future, Cheung said.

Such work will help preserve the oceans for future generations like his nephews, he added.

“I want them to inherit an ocean that is both diverse and productive; it is something that myself and my parents and my grandparents have experienced. Then they can decide how they want to continue to conserve and use them.”