1. Ecosystem Studies of Sub-Arctic Seas (ESSAS) and Bering Sea Ecosystem Study (BEST) A Basis for Cooperative Norwegian - United States Research on Sustainable Marine Ecosystems George L. Hunt, Jr. University of California, Irvine

3. The goal of the ESSAS Program is to compare, quantify and predict the impact of climate variability on the productivity and sustainability of Sub- Arctic marine ecosystems. Goal of ESSAS

5. Goal of BEST The goal of BEST is to understand and predict the effects of climate change on eastern Bering Sea marine ecosystems and their ability to support sustainable harvests.

6. Characteristics of Sub-Arctic Seas High latitude Seas Strong Climate Change Signal Affect Water Exchange with Arctic Seasonal Sea Ice Impacts Short Growing Seasons Simple Ecosystems Important Commercial and Subsistence Fisheries

7. PDO and AO Interactions in North Pacific Daily temperature 1 Jan 2003 at 1000 m Overland PMEL

9. The Barents Sea °C From H. Loeng and G. Ottersen

10. Atlantic Winter Air Pressure (SLP, from NCEP data) © Tore Furevik,BCCR and Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen, Norway. North Atlantic Air Pressure Patterns NAO- NAO+

11. AbundanceLow MediumHigh Cold Years35% 7% 1% Warm Years31%14%12% Year-class Abundance of Cod From H. Loeng and G. Ottersen

12. Major Research Questions How will the External Forcing Functions be Affected by Climate Change? How will Changes in the External Forcing Mechanisms Affect Bio-Physical Coupling? How will Changes in Bio-Physical Coupling Influence Biological Interactions?