The Bering Sea is an extremely rich ecosystem providing almost half of the US catch of fish and shellfish. EcoFOCI has four moorings (M2, M4, M5 and M8), which are an important component in the observational system, monitoring changes in the ecosystem. Data are used by ecosystem managers, modellers (model validation), and scientists. They provide critical information on the spatial temperature structure, timing of phytoplankton blooms, cold pool and presence of marine mammals. Main gaps: Expanding instrumentation to measure ice thickness, nutrients, oxygen, PAR, zooplankton biovolume and atmospheric variables to all four of the mooring sites. Increase vertical resolution of nutrients. Expand measurements northward into the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas.
Temperature, Salinity, Currents (300 or 600 KHz ADCP), Fluorescence (at 1-3 depths on each mooring), Meteorological variables (on M2 during May – September), Nutrients (0-2 depths on each mooring), Oxygen (M2), Zooplankton biovolume (from acoustic sensors on M2 and M5), Ice thickness (M4), Sound (passive listening devices primarily for marine mammals), Subsurface PAR (M4).
US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Bering Ecosystem Study (BEST)