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An international team of researchers has unveiled a unique project that allows scientists and policymakers to predict – and show through 3D visualizations – the state of life in the oceans of the future.

Combining scientific data from factors such as climate change and human activity that impact our oceans, the model shows life under the sea from 1960 to 2060. Based on current policies, the group says the project "shows a strong decline in the biomass of large fish, while some small fish may actually be increasing."

The group comprises scientists from UBC and Japan's Nippon Foundation.

Two years back, UBC researchers launched the Nereus Program - a $13-million, nine-year research program - with the Nippon Foundation to study the future of the world’s oceans and to monitor the impact of human activities on seafood resources.

"This is the first comprehensive attempt to model life in our global oceans, and will require refining, but we can now show the future impact of choices we are making today, and answer the question: what must we do now to leave healthy oceans and fish to future generations?" UBC Fisheries Prof. Villy Christensen, who presented the research Saturday at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Vancouver, said in a statement.