Much of the recent efforts in understanding climate change implications in Australia have focused on identifying adaptation options to temper negative consequences. In order to do this effectively and appropriately there must first be a process to identify likely impacts and the inherent capacity for systems to adapt to changes. To achieve this objectively we used the IPCC vulnerability assessment framework for which we developed semi-quantitative criteria, and then applied this to key fisheries species in northern Australia to prioritise species for future action based on climate projections to 2030. Our approach involved several key steps: identifying key species for region-based assessment, compiling comprehensive reviews of each species, compiling relevant spatial-scale climate projections, and applying the framework using published and expert knowledge. We found that species with the highest ecological vulnerability tended to have an estuarine/nearshore habitat preference; poor mobility; reliance on habitat types predicted to be impacted by climate change; low productivity (i.e., slow growth/late maturing/low fecundity); known to be affected by environmental drivers; and were fully or overfished. Highest priority species for future action based on vulnerability and fishery importance were golden snapper, king threadfin, sandfish, black teatfish, tiger prawn, banana prawn, barramundi, white teatfish and mangrove jack. We will present an overview of the semi-quantitative aspects of the framework and focus the talk on how the framework elements inform the identification of climate change adaptation options and their feasibility, and how stakeholders play an important role in this process.