Current Conditions of the Northeast U.S. Shelf Ecosystem
October 18, 2019
A current summary of temperature, salinity, chlorophyll and other conditions on the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf.
Current Conditions
The Current Conditions is a biannual report on ecosystem and fisheries indicators for the Northeast U.S. continental shelf ecosystem. The report includes measurements of temperature and salinity indicators of seasonal warming and cooling patterns. Indicators describing phytoplankton distribution and blooms are derived from satellite remote sensing data. Upper trophic level indicators of fish and macroinvertebrate habitat and distribution dynamics are based on the Northeast Fisheries Science Center bottom trawl surveys.
Current Report Summary
- During the first half of 2020, sea surface temperatures in the Northeast U.S. Shelf Ecosystem continued to be above average. This follows a shift in thermal conditions that began around 2010.
- Spring phytoplankton blooms were generally below average with the exception of relatively short duration bloom in the Georges Bank ecoregion.
- Despite continued warming in the ecosystem, the spring thermal transition has moderated in recent years. This suggests a timing of spring events more typical of long-term trends.
Previous Reports
Fall 2020, 2019
(reporting on the first six months of the year)
Spring 2020, 2019
(reporting on the last six months of the previous year)