28-05-2025
Cooler water bottom temperatures could aid New England fisheries
Cold water flowing into the the Gulf of Maine from Canada's Maritimes region this spring and summer could have a positive impact on key seafood species whose U.S. populations have plummeted due to climate change-induced warming waters, according to new NOAA research.
Data shows that since late 2023, a shift in the eastern Gulf Stream has helped chill bottom-water temperatures in the Northwest Atlantic, which could result in an influx of cold water into northernmost New England. Researchers from the agency's Northeast Fisheries Science Center say flows from Canada's Labrador Slope and Scotian Shelf could result in the Gulf of Maine being 0.9 to 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the summer average.
The Gulf of Maine is one of the fastest-warming ocean regions in the world, according to NOAA, where rising water temperatures have spurred migration of lobster and other fish species toward Canadian waters in the Bay of Fundy. The result has been a steep dropoff in southern New England's lobster economy to the benefit of lobstermen in the Gulf of Maine.
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Scientists say other species critical to the region's fisheries economy — including cod, haddock, pollock and some flounder species — also prefer cooler bottom water.
