Offshore Surface 407 Kuroshio current, Honshu waters

Basic Information References

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Characteristics References

These waters include the waters of the Kuroshio Current's subtropical zone from the waters off the coast of southern Kyusyu to where the current turns into currents off the Boso Peninsula, and the waters on the inside (landward side) of these. In zones of subtropical waters further offshore than the Kuroshio Current, such as those off Shikoku, a countercurrent flowing westward against the Kuroshio Current forms. These waters see movement of creatures between the coastal zone and the Kuroshio Current, and between the Kuroshio Current and zones of subtropical waters, through the transportation of floating organisms by the Kuroshio Current. Thus this area could be considered to be one of the world's most biologically diverse marine areas. The Kuroshio Current is a high-temperature, high-salinity surface layer current with few nutrients, and primary production in the waters of the Kuroshio Current and the subtropical waters zone is supported mainly by microscopic phytoplankton. Due to the effects of the Kuroshio Current, warm-water biota can be seen here, where a complex food web has formed that includes the microbial food chain and small zooplankton, mesopelagic fish and squids, small epipelagic fish, large migratory fish, seabirds and cetaceans. The waters on the inner side of the Kuroshio Current also have abundant sardines and mackerel.