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California Current LME Maintained by NOAA  
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Introduction
 
The California Current LME is an example of a large pelagic ecosystem which has been studied by CalCOFI participants since 1949 .The North Pacific Current feeds into the Alaska Current and the California Current which moves south along the coastline of North America . It then flows far offshore in the Southern California Bight before touching the mainland again in Baja California, Mexico. This LME is adjacent to the Gulf of Alaska LME and the Gulf of California and the Pacific Central-American Coastal LMEs.
The main features of the California Current are:
  • Decadal variation as well as variation during El Niño and La Niña events. See more
  • High biological productivity (>250 mg C/sq m/day)
  • Characterized inshore by an extensive kelp ecosystem. Watch the video
  • Important Californian sardine fishery which collapsed in the 1940s and 50s and has now recovered
  • Ongoing fisheries for squid, groundfish, tuna and salmonids
  • Historic overharvesting of great whales may be partly responsible for changes to the ecosystem
  • Large populations of sea birds
  • Rapid urbanization in places has led to loss of habitat and discharge of pollutants
  • Marine protected areas have been established.
Fifty years of research on the California Current
Photo title: Fifty years of research on the California Current
Photo credit: CalCOFI
 
 
 
 
All  (17) Websites   (5) Documents   (4) Books   (2) Institutional Contact   (6)
  
TitleCentral California Gillnet Effort and Bycatch of Sensitive Species, 1990-1998  ( DOCUMENT )
Author(s) / Editor(s) Forney, K.A., Benson, S.R., Cameron, G.A.
DescriptionDocuments 1990-1998 patterns of fishing effort in the central California halibut (Paralichthys californicus) gillnet fishery and presents information on bycatch of Common Murre (Uria aalge), sea otter (Enhydra lutris) and harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena).
Keywords GILLNETS; BYCATCH
Geography Keywords NORTHERN PACIFIC OCEAN; CALIFORNIA
Content Language(s)English
Web Addresshttp://www.uaf.edu/seagrant
Type of Document Paper: Conference paper
Document StatusFinished
Publisher University of Alaska Sea Grant
Publication LocationFairbanks (USA)
Publication Date2001
Hard Copy AvailabilityUniversity of Alaska Sea Grant, PO Box 755040, Fairbanks, Alaska USA 99775-5040 phone (907) 474 6707
Reference Info
Number of Pages144-160Series IDAK-SG-01-01
Part OfProceedings - Seabird Bycatch: Trends, Roadblocks, and Solutions
Related to TopicsEnvironmental impacts of fishing (figis12273); Selectivity of gear (figis12282); Pelagic Ecosystems (39828); California Current LME (80391)
  
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