USA: California anchovy booms and busts explained in Scripps, NOAA study

New research analyzing 45 years of data has identified ecological correlations that may help explain why California’s anchovy population goes through boom and bust cycles, which have previously evaded scientific explanation. If the conclusions of the research hold up, they could provide a stronger baseline for management and conservation of the anchovy fishery in the Western U.S. state.The Northern Anchovy (Engraulis mordax) is a critical food source for many of California’s iconic ocean species including sea lions, whales, dolphins, pelicans, and tuna. Its cycles of boom and bust can last more than a decade, and have broad implications for the entire marine foodweb in the region. The study found that shorter food-chains for anchovy larvae preceded boom periods and longer food chains preceded bust cycles.The study’s lead author, Rasmus Swalethorp, an associate project scientist at University of California, San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, said he believes the ...