Ecosystem Status
Monitor ecosystem health across North Pacific regions. View basin-wide conditions, compare indicators across Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs), and track trends in ocean state and biological responses.
This dashboard presents ecosystem health status across Large Marine Ecosystems of the North Pacific Ocean. Each assessment integrates core indicators—ocean temperature, primary productivity, harmful algal bloom frequency, and key species populations—with recent scientific findings and monitoring data. The information supports climate-informed fisheries management, early warning of ecosystem changes, and coordinated decision-making across international jurisdictions.
- Near Real-time: SST, Marine Heatwaves
- Seasonal: HABs, Productivity
- Annual: Stock Status (2024)
- Trends: 5-Year Analysis
Basin-Wide Status Overview · 2024/2025
Legend: Understanding Status Indicators
Current Condition (Colored Dots):
- Green = Good condition
- Yellow = Caution needed
- Orange = Warning level
- Red = Critical concern
Trend Direction (Arrow Direction):
- ↗= Increasing trend
- →= Stable/No change
- ↘= Decreasing trend
Management Concern (Arrow Color):
- ↑ Green arrow = Improving/positive
- ↑ Gray arrow = Stable/neutral
- ↑ Red arrow = Worsening/concerning
Key Indicator Trends (2020–2024)
Sea Surface Temperature
CAUTION+1.3°C Above Baseline
Warming patterns vary by region. Arctic systems showing 2–3°C anomalies. Eastern Pacific more stable.
Primary Production
GOODWithin Normal Range
Spring bloom recovery in most regions. Upwelling systems maintaining normal productivity levels.
Ocean Acidification
CAUTIONpH 8.04 (2024 est.)
Basin-wide pH declining ~0.02 units/decade. Arctic waters approaching critical thresholds. Impacts on shellfish documented.
Marine Heatwaves
CRITICALActive Events - Basin-Wide
Basin-wide MHW event (NEP25A) covering ~8M km². Western Pacific: Extreme Kuroshio Extension meander with +4.9°C anomaly since April 2023.
Harmful Algal Blooms
WARNINGIncreasing Frequency
More frequent events in Arctic and marginal seas. Shellfish toxin advisories active in multiple regions.
Hypoxia Events
CAUTIONRegional Concern
Expanding dead zones in marginal seas. Seasonal hypoxia in upwelling regions.
Ecosystem Stability
CAUTIONTransitional State
Species redistributions documented. Community structure shifts in several regions.
East Bering Sea
LME #1REGIONAL FOCUS
Gulf of Alaska
LME #2REGIONAL FOCUS
Sea of Okhotsk
LME #54REGIONAL FOCUS
California Current
LME #3REGIONAL FOCUS
Gulf of California
LME #4REGIONAL FOCUS
REGIONAL FOCUS
Yellow Sea
LME #48REGIONAL FOCUS
Kuroshio Current
LME #52REGIONAL FOCUS
Western Subarctic Gyre
PICES R23REGIONAL FOCUS
Eastern Subarctic Gyre
PICES R24REGIONAL FOCUS
Basin-Wide Ecosystem Health Synthesis
Current Basin-Wide Patterns (2024-2025): The North Pacific is experiencing an unprecedented basin-wide marine heatwave event (NEP25A) that emerged in May 2025 and now covers approximately 8 million square kilometers, ranking among the top three largest events since monitoring began in 1982. This follows closely after NEP24A, representing the sixth consecutive year of major marine heatwave activity in the region. Western Pacific systems face exceptional stress from an extreme Kuroshio Extension meander that reached 40°N by winter 2024—the first time since satellite observations began in 1993—with record +4.9°C SST anomalies and unprecedented tropical species migrations observed off Japan's Sanriku coast. Arctic and subarctic systems show heightened vulnerability to warming and increased harmful algal bloom frequency, while upwelling-driven eastern systems (Gulf of Alaska, California Current) demonstrate greater resilience with stable productivity.
Critical Management Priorities: Marine heatwave resilience strategies urgently needed as food web disruptions, harmful algal blooms, and poleward species shifts documented across affected regions. Kuroshio Extension impacts include southward displacement of cold Oyashio waters and colonization by tropical fish species never before observed in northern Japanese waters. Snow crab populations showing early stabilization following catastrophic 2018-2022 collapse, with modest juvenile recruitment observed in 2024 surveys; however, sustained recovery remains uncertain given climate-driven habitat vulnerability and lack of persistent cold-water conditions. Ocean acidification mitigation strategies needed across all LMEs, particularly in Arctic waters where pH decline is most rapid (~0.02-0.03 units/decade) and approaching critical aragonite saturation thresholds affecting shellfish recruitment. Climate refugia identification urgent for shifting species ranges as ecosystem boundaries reorganize under warming.
Baseline Reference: Indicators compared to 1980-2010 climatological averages where available. Trends represent 5-year patterns (2020-2024). Data sources and detailed methods available in full technical documentation.
Framework: LME designations use official IOC-UNESCO labelling and numbering, and open ocean area designations use PICES NPESIR Region labelling and numbering. Core indicators align with PICES WG-28 multiple stressors framework and will be expanded over time.
Key Indicator Data Sources: Sea surface temperature and marine heatwave data from NOAA Coral Reef Watch and NOAA OISST; Primary productivity from NASA Ocean Color (MODIS-Aqua, VIIRS); Ocean acidification trends from GOA-ON (Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network); HABs monitoring from regional programs and GEOHAB; Species stock assessments from NOAA Fisheries, DFO Canada, and regional fisheries management organizations.
Data as of: October 2024