Hypoxic Waters off the Oregon Coast: Sign of things to Come?

I recently received an email update of the latest Nature articles and found the feature news entitled: Oceanography: Dead in the water.

The article was about a disturbing finding off the Oregon coast which has been recurring each summer and growing in a patch of the regions coastal area. Biogeochemists alongside oceanographers have found low oxygen levels that have left this patch of ocean lifeless to sea life (fish, crabs, and the like) that once flourished in the area. Other coastal areas where this is found, result from local farms with fertilizer run off - but here, along the Oregon coastline, there isn't enough farming to cause the low water oxygen content. What is going on?

According to the researchers from Oregon State University, this may be a sign of what we will start to see happening across parts of the ocean. While we are not fully equipped with all the information, the phenomenon may be related to the changes in ocean circulation and the deep water hypoxic regions growing taller and wider. Ocean circulation is changing and is expected to slow down in the coming decades. The results of this slower circulation leads to wider and taller deep sea minimum oxygen zones.

For regional fish and shell fish farmers, the findings are a major concern - particularly as their industry is experiencing increasing demands for fish products.

You can read the Nature article here:  http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100811/full/466812a.html