SCARBOROUGH, Maine — The waters surrounding New England experienced another year of higher than average warmth, though the rate of temperature increase has slowed down compared to early this decade. This contrasts with a global trend of rising ocean temperatures, according to scientists monitoring the Atlantic Ocean near Maine.
The Gulf of Maine, an area touching three states in New England and extending into Canadian waters, gained attention approximately a decade ago as a significant indicator of climate change due to its rapid warming compared to the majority of the world’s oceans. This gulf is crucial to the sustainability of some of America’s most lucrative seafood industries, particularly the lobster sector.
Data from the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, located in Portland, showed the gulf’s sea surface temperature averaged 51.5 degrees Fahrenheit (10.8 degrees Celsius) last year. This figure reflects an increase of over 0.88 F (0.49 C) above the long-term norm from 1991 through 2020, as outlined in a recent report by the institute.
Despite last year ranking as the 12th warmest documented for the gulf, it actually reflects a cooler outcome compared to its position as the fifth warmest the previous year. This follows a trend where the gulf experienced consecutive record-setting warmest years in 2021 and 2022, marking three straight years of temperature decreases.
The report highlights that the Gulf of Maine witnessed conditions differing from those recorded in other parts of the North Atlantic and global oceans, which set records for high temperatures. Between 1982 and 2024, the average yearly sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Maine have risen at a rate of 0.84 degrees Fahrenheit per decade, nearly tripling the global average.
The ongoing warming of the Gulf of Maine has significant consequences for the seafood industry. It has been associated with a decrease in the number of juvenile lobsters in the area and poses risks to seabirds like the Atlantic puffins, as well as marine mammals such as the North Atlantic right whale.
A few factors contributing to the rapid warming of the gulf have been identified by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. Key causes include climate change-induced changes to the Gulf Stream that propel warmer waters northwards and a weakening Labrador Current that traditionally acted as a barrier against warmer waters.
In detailing the year 2024, the report noted that although winter months saw below-average temperatures, June was ranked as the second warmest on record. The report highlighted that temperature anomalies were mainly above average during summer and fall, while colder-than-normal conditions prevailed in the winter months at the start and end of the year.
