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Home: ABOUT: Ecology: Ecosystems: Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs): Gulf of California LME
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 Related Knowledge (6)
 3 RELATED TOPICS:
 California Current LME California Current LME
 Eastern Pacific Eastern Pacific
 Mexico Mexico
 Topic Overview
 ID# : 83300
 Visits: 1844
 Added: 30-May-2005
 Updated: 04-Jun-2005
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 Editors
 Ned Cyr
 Jennifer Perce
 Frances B. Michaelis
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Gulf of California LME Maintained by NOAA  
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Introduction
 
Manta ray (Mobula lucasana) caught in gillnet, Baja Mexico.The Gulf of California Large Marine Ecosystem (LME) is semi-enclosed and bordered by Baja California to the west and by mainland Mexico to the east. It was once known as the Sea of Cortez. The Gulf is long and narrow (1,500 km long by 175 km wide) and opens into the Pacific at its southern end, adjacent to the California Current LME. The southern part of the Gulf is over 200 m deep, and it includes the Guaymas trench, which is more than 3,600 m deep. The trench has volcanic and hydrothermal vents, and supports biotic communities based on hydrogen sulfide for energy, rather than sunlight. The northern part of the Gulf is shallower, due to the large amount of silt produced over the years by Colorado River run-off. Winds, tidal action and upwelling characterize the LME. It has mixed semi-diurnal tides and one of the greatest tidal ranges on earth. The tidal difference can correspond to up to 3 km of land and 9 m of vertical level in the northern part of the Gulf. The Gulf is highly productive for shrimp, small pelagics and giant squid and is the most important fishing region for Mexico. Industrial fisheries and coastal zone usage are driving forces of change; although formal evaluation of their effects has not yet been conducted.

Based on PICES. 2004. Marine Ecosystems of the North Pacific. PICES Special Publication Number 1, 280 pp
Photo title: Manta ray (Mobula lucasana) caught in gillnet, Baja Mexico.
Photo credit: Copyright Norbert Wu at http://www.norbertwu.com
 
Baja California and the Gulf of California
Photo title: Baja California and the Gulf of California
Photo credit: SeaWiFS Project. NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center and ORBIMAGE
 
 
 
 
All  (6) News   (1) Websites   (4) Books   (1)
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News
Websites
México y los Estados Unidos cooperan en la conservación en el Golfo de California Conservación en el Mar México y los Estados Unidos cooperan en la conservación en el Golfo de Californ...  Editor's Choice
Mexican-United States coalition for conservation in the Gulf of California Conservation at Sea Mexican-United States coalition for conservation in the Gulf of California...  
Real time data for winds, tidal level, radiation and temperature for Baja California Real time data available for Baja California, Mexico Real time data for winds, tidal level, radiation and temperature for Baja Calif...  
Recreating the historic voyage of 1940 to the Sea of Cortez Sea of Cortez Expedition and Education Project Recreating the historic voyage of 1940 to the Sea of Cortez 
Books
International perspective on the status and trends of marine ecosystems in the North Pacific Marine Ecosystems of the North Pacific International perspective on the status and trends of marine ecosystems in the ...  
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