Science Advisory Report  2008/025

State of the Ocean 2007: Physical Oceanographic Conditions on the Scotian Shelf, Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Maine

Summary

• The North Atlantic Oscillation Winter Index was above normal after a weak, below normal value in 2006.
• Annual air temperatures over the Scotian Shelf, Bay of Fundy and eastern Gulf of Maine were about 0.2°C below normal, 1.3°C cooler than in 2006.
• Sea ice cover seaward of Cabot Strait was less than normal, but increased relative to 2006.
• Annual sea-surface temperatures in 2007 declined by 0.6°C to 2.3°C over the Scotian Shelf and eastern Gulf of Maine relative to the above normal values in 2006. Sea-surface temperatures remained above normal by about 0.3°C on the eastern and central Scotian Shelf, and Bay of Fundy and below normal by 0.5°C to 1.5°C elsewhere.
• Generally cooler (~1°C) than normal conditions prevailed in subsurface waters over the Scotian Shelf and eastern Gulf of Maine, a decrease of about 2°C from 2006. The cooling was in part caused by the replacement of warmer, more saline subsurface waters by Labrador Slope Water.
• Bottom temperatures during the July 2007 groundfish survey were about 0.8°C below normal, 1.5°C cooler than in 2006.
• Vertical stratification (0-50 m) for the Scotian Shelf remained higher than average, but slightly weaker than in 2006.

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