Atlantic Fisheries Research Document 1996/020

Overview of nearbottom water temperature and salinity conditions observed during the groundfish research vessel surveys conducted with the Scotia-Fundy Region, NAFO areas 4VWX and 5X in 1995

By F. Page; R. Losier; J. McRuer

Abstract

Near-bottom water temperatures and salinities that were measured during the spring (5Z and 4VsW) and summer (4X and 4VW) 1995 Canadian research vessel bottom-trawl surveys are summarized. In 1995, the spring and summer temperatures and salinities in the 5Z and 4VsW surveys continue to be within the historical ranges observed during the surveys. The temperatures on the eastern Scotian Shelf are still below normal but are above the minimum observed in 1992. The temperatures on the western Scotian Shelf and on Georges Bank continue to be variable but several degrees warmer than those over the eastern Scotian Shelf. As in previous years, the conditions within many strata are confounded by changes in sampling date and location (horizontal and vertical) and, hence, the time trends in the survey series are not necessarily indicative of trends in hydrographic climate. The trends, however, are indicative of interannual variation in the conditions sampled for fish abundance.

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