The GLOBEC Northeast Pacific California Current System Program

Abstract

Summary and Conclusions The field observations of the NEP CCS are now about half completed. We have been fortunate to sam- ple during a period when climate signals have been strong, providing an opportunity for the program to witness contrasting responses of the coastal ocean ecosystem. We have learned that some of the shelf zoo- plankton that are swept offshore in the squirts and jets can survive, while other shelf species either avoid being swept offshore or die quickly once offshore, since they are rarely encountered in the offshore jet waters. Juvenile coho and chinook salmon were never found in the offshore, deep (water >200 m) region during exten- sive sampling conducted in 2000. The swimming abili- ty of the juvenile salmon may be sufficient to prevent them from being transported offshore as the jet encounters the influence of Heceta Bank and Cape Blanco. We have been fortunate