SEATTLE — Marine heat waves driven by climate change have fueled a dramatic increase in market squid along the Washington and Oregon coast over the past two decades, new research shows.
Market squid from central California to northern Washington saw a fivefold increase over the past 22 years, according to a report published by the American Fisheries Society last month. But the largest swells were seen in Washington and Oregon, where models showed each state respectively saw a 39-fold and 25-fold increase in population density of squid during the examined time frame.
It’s not clear yet whether the trend is temporary, or how it will affect coastal communities and the rest of the ecosystem. But the ecological and economic implications are significant, scientists say, and the answers might help them better understand the mechanics of climate change, and more accurately predict the impacts of warming ocean temperatures on aquatic life.
