As climate changes, spring’s early arrival alters Gulf of Maine ecosystem
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Press Herald] By Kevin Miller - November 14, 2014 -
Spring is arriving earlier than it used to in the Gulf of Maine, increasing average water temperatures and affecting the migratory patterns of fish species that are key to Maine’s marine ecosystem and coastal economy, according to a new federal report.
Over the past eight years, the date that scientists use to mark the transition to spring based on water temperature has gotten earlier by roughly two weeks for oceans off the northeastern and mid-Atlantic states. Likewise, the date for the transition to fall is falling later in the year, according to the report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center.
A similar trend is playing out in the Gulf of Maine...
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