. Commercial fisheries review. Fisheries; Fish trade. 36 Strong Northward Flow The predominant feature of the pattern of the surface currents presented in figure 2 (inferred from density distribution at sur- face) is the strong northward flow along the western side of the Straits. The upwelling over the Campeche Shelf results from this strong current that flows into the Gulf from the Caribbean. A countercurrent off the western tip of Cuba indicates a flow back into the Caribbean. The northward flow and the countercurrent seem to be permanent fea- tures. The numerous eddies off the eastern tip
. Commercial fisheries review. Fisheries; Fish trade. 36 Strong Northward Flow The predominant feature of the pattern of the surface currents presented in figure 2 (inferred from density distribution at sur- face) is the strong northward flow along the western side of the Straits. The upwelling over the Campeche Shelf results from this strong current that flows into the Gulf from the Caribbean. A countercurrent off the western tip of Cuba indicates a flow back into the Caribbean. The northward flow and the countercurrent seem to be permanent fea- tures. The numerous eddies off the eastern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula indicate a turbu- lent flow in that area. A surprising feature in the current pattern is the lack of a well-defined flow and associ- ated upwelling in the southwestern portion of the survey area. The large gradients of tem- perature and salinity over the slope of the Campeche Shelf should extend southward into the Caribbean. The lack of these gradients, however, probably means that the depth to the bottom below the core of the current and shoreward is so shallow that the bottom phys- ically prevents upwelling in that particular area. The area must be in a turbulent condi- tion that might erode the bottom. Because up- welling could not occur, the dynamics of this turbulent water would require a large slope of the sea surface. The line of eddies in- dicated in figures 2 and 3, and the presence of the shallow shelf and banks off the western tip of the Yucatan Peninsula, support this concept. If this appraisal is valid, the core of the surface current would have to be near the shore of Yucatan Peninsula--and would be increasingly distant from shore with in- creasing depth. Analysis of the subsurface data may resolve the question of this interest- ing feature of the Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not
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