Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Plankton deficit in New England's ocean

If you love the ocean, then you love plankton. That's why a plankton deficit matters. Plankton feeds everything, including whales, dolphins and fish.

Last fall, the normally rich waters of George's bank were not so rich, and a plankton deficit was to blame. The normal fall plankton bloom didn't happen.

Perhaps more worrisome, a long-term warming trend is continuing in the region. Some fish that we care about are near their southern (warm water) limit in New England, and declines in these fish may happen if warming is maintained. Of course, this whole problem is much worse in the face of decades of persistent overfishing, which continues for some fish.

hat tip: Penobscot Bay Blog

1 comment:

klara said...

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