Article
 

State of the California Current 2012–13: No Such Thing as an "Average" Year

Public Deposited

Downloadable Content

Download PDF
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/articles/x633f2762

Descriptions

Attribute NameValues
Creator
Abstract
  • This report reviews the state of the California Current System (CCS) between winter 2012 and spring 2013, and includes observations from Washington State to Baja California. During 2012, large-scale climate modes indicated the CCS remained in a cool, productive phase present since 2007. The upwelling season was delayed north of 42˚N, but regions to the south, especially 33˚ to 36˚N, experienced average to above average upwelling that persisted throughout the summer. Contrary to the indication of high production suggested by the climate indices, chlorophyll observed from surveys and remote sensing was below average along much of the coast. As well, some members of the forage assemblages along the coast experienced low abundances in 2012 surveys. Specifically, the concentrations of all lifestages observed directly or from egg densities of Pacific sardine, Sardinops sagax, and northern anchovy, Engraulis mordax, were less than previous years’ survey estimates. However, 2013 surveys and observations indicate an increase in abundance of northern anchovy. During winter 2011/2012, the increased presence of northern copepod species off northern California was consistent with stronger southward transport. Krill and small-fraction zooplankton abundances, where examined, were generally above average. North of 42˚N, salps returned to typical abundances in 2012 after greater observed concentrations in 2010 and 2011. In contrast, salp abundance off central and southern California increased after a period of southward transport during winter 2011/2012. Reproductive success of piscivorous Brandt’s cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus, was reduced while planktivorous Cassin’s auklet, Ptychoramphus aleuticus was elevated. Differences between the productivity of these two seabirds may be related to the available forage assemblage observed in the surveys. California sea lion pups from San Miguel Island were undernourished resulting in a pup mortality event perhaps in response to changes in forage availability. Limited biological data were available for spring 2013, but strong winter upwelling coastwide indicated an early spring transition, with the strong upwelling persisting into early summer.
Resource Type
Date Available
Date Issued
Citation
  • Wells, B. K., Schroeder, I. D., Santora, J. A., Hazen, E. L., Bograd, S. J., Bjorkstedt, E. P., ... & Abell, J. (2013). State of the California Current 2012–13: No Such Thing as an “Average” Year. California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations Reports, 54, 37-71.
Journal Title
Journal Volume
  • 54
Rights Statement
Funding Statement (additional comments about funding)
  • Financial and collaborative support comes from diverseagencies and government entities including NOAA’sCalifornia Current Integrated Ecosystem Assessment(CCIEA), Integrate Ocean Observing Systems (IOOS),National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and its StockAssessment Improvement Pan (SAIP) and Fisheries andthe Environment programs (FATE), Mexico’s ConsejoNacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONA-CyT),the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), BonnevillePower Administration (BPA), United States Fishand Wildlife Service (USFWS), Navy’s Living MarineResources Program and university partners through theCoastal Observing Research and Development Center,California’s Ocean Protection Council, and RedwoodNational and State Parks. The David and LucilePackard Foundation supported central California morringobservations. The Baker Trust, the Marisla Foundation,the Campini Foundation, the Kimball Foundation,and the Mead Foundation supported seabird work onthe Southeast Farallon Island. HF radar data are availablethanks to the initial investment of the State of Californiain establishing the array in California and to theNational Science Foundation for establishing elementsof the array in Oregon and California; NOAA-IOOSand participating universities (listed at http://cordc.ucsd.edu/projects/mapping/) have provided ongoing operatingfunds and support.
Publisher
Peer Reviewed
Language
Replaces

Relationships

Parents:

This work has no parents.

Items

Thumbnail Title Date Uploaded Visibility Actions
file details BarceloCarenCEOASStateCaliforniaCurrentSupplement.pdf 07/26/2017 Public
file details BarceloCarenCEOASStateCaliforniaCurrent.pdf 07/26/2017 Public