Heat waves in the ocean are happening more frequently and lasting longer than they did a century ago, concludes an OFI researcher in a new study published in Nature Communications.
Eric Oliver, an assistant professor of oceanography at Dalhousie University and the lead author of the study, said in the early 20th century, there was an average of two marine heat waves per year globally, but now there are three or four. While they used to last 10 days on average, they now last for an average of 13 or 14 days.
In an interview with CBC, he said "It definitely is alarming, and in a place like here in Nova Scotia, where we rely on the ocean not just for recreation, but for income in terms of fisheries and aquaculture and things like that, it supports a lot of people's lives. It's definitely, definitely a concern."
