State of the Pacific Ocean 2007
Abstract
This report is the ninth in an annual series describing the state of physical, biological, and selected fishery resources of Pacific Canadian marine ecosystems. This region has seen dramatic changes in atmospheric and oceanic conditions over these years, all of which affect resident and migratory marine populations in B.C., many of which are of significant commercial importance. Monitoring and reporting on these conditions annually provides a brief synopsis of their present state and how they are changing, and how these changes might affect commercial and non-commercial living resources in this region. Cool winter conditions in 2007 benefited some species that thrive in cooler waters, but there will be time lags before we see these benefits for others, particularly longer-lived species.
Top stories from the 2007 review of resources of Pacific Canadian marine ecosystems are:
- Our globe was warm almost everywhere, but the Northeast Pacific cooled with La Niña
- Argo observing system reaches design target
- Colder winter and warmer summer waters along the coast
- Ocean acidification: Local seas are most vulnerable
- The BC and Oregon zooplankton communities returned to ‘cool-ocean’ species in 2007
- Low returns of sockeye coast-wide, especially in the Fraser River
- Hake scatter in BC waters – can we blame jumbo squid?
- Sardines are back in BC, but herring, shrimp, and other species have declined