A new report shows cooler waters on the West Coast were sandwiched between a marine heatwave and historically hot, dry conditions on land in 2021. NOAA Fisheries researchers from the Northwest and Southwest Fisheries Science Centers presented these findings to the Pacific Fishery Management Council.
The California Current extends from California to Washington. The annual California Current Ecosystem Status Report captures the big picture of the biology, climate, physical, and social conditions of the marine ecosystem. The assessment informs fisheries management by showing how the ecosystem is connected and changing. This, in turn, affects the distribution and abundance of marine species from salmon to whales.
Read a summary of the report here.
See all California Current Ecosystem Status reports here.