Physical ocean environment in the South Pacific commission area.

Abstract

The South Pacific Commission (SPC) Area (Fig. 18) extends from 130°W to 130°E, on either side of the international dateline, between the two tropics. It is unequally distributed as regards latitude, with two thirds of its area in the Southern Hemisphere and one third in the Northern Hemisphere. Its eastern area corresponds roughly to the central South Pacific, and its western portion to the western Pacific, excluding the areas of the Coral Sea to the South and the Philippine Sea to the North which wash the Australian and Philippines coastlines respectively.