June 3, 2024 — “Current Conditions” is a biannual report on ecosystem and fisheries data for the Northeast U.S. continental shelf ecosystem. The report includes measurements of temperature and salinity indicators of seasonal warming and cooling patterns. We derive indicators describing phytoplankton distribution and blooms from satellite remote sensing data. Northeast Fisheries Science Center bottom trawl surveys provide upper trophic level indicators of fish and macroinvertebrate habitat and distribution dynamics. See archived reports here.
Summary
- During the last half of 2023, sea surface temperatures in the Northeast U.S. Shelf Ecosystem cooled appreciably, especially along the shelf break, or eastern boundary, of the ecosystem. The only ecoregion remaining at the elevated temperatures typical of recent years was the Gulf of Maine ecoregion.
- Fall phytoplankton blooms appeared to develop in the Gulf of Maine and the Scotian Shelf ecoregions.
- Elevated chlorophyll concentration associated with the dinoflagellate Tripos spp. bloom were also evident, especially in the Gulf of Maine ecoregion.
- The fall thermal transition date shifted to earlier in the year with cooler temperature conditions, reversing the trend of later transitions seen in recent years.