Abstract. The dynamics of the Loop Current (LC) and the detached Loop Current eddies (LCEs) dominate the surface circulation of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) and transport Caribbean Water (CW) into the gulf. In this work, 25 years (1993–2017) of daily satellite data are used to investigate the variability of these physical processes and their effect on chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations from 1998 to 2017, including temporal changes, mean differences, and regional concentration tendencies. The physical variables analyzed are absolute dynamic topography (ADT) and oceanic currents. From the ADT and oceanic current monthly climatologies, it is shown that there is an annual intrusion of CW with an inward incursion that starts in spring, peaks in the summer, reaches to 28∘ N and 90.45∘ W, and then retreats in winter to approximately 26.5 ∘ N and 88.3 ∘ W. Minimum surface Chl a concentrations (< 0.08 mg m−3) are found during the summer–autumn period inside the region of maximum incursion of CW; the opposite is observed during the winter period when Chl a concentrations were at a maximum, e.g., > 0.14 mg m−3. The 3-year running averages of the ADT 40 cm isoline qualitatively reproduce the climatological pattern of 25 years showing that before 2002 CW was less intrusive. This suggests that from 2003 onward, larger volumes of oligotrophic waters from the Caribbean Sea have invaded the western GoM and reduced mean surface Chl a concentrations. A direct comparison between the 1998–2002 and 2009–2014 periods indicates that in the latter time interval, the Chl a concentration above waters deeper than 250 m has decreased significantly.

Abstract. The dynamics of the Loop Current (LC) and the detached Loop Current eddies (LCE’s) dominate the Gulf of Mexico's (GoM) surface layers' circulation transporting Caribbean water (CW) into the GoM.  In this work, 25-years (1993–2017) of daily satellite data are used to investigate the variability of these physical processes and their effect on chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations from 1998–2017 including temporal changes, mean differences, and regional concentration tendencies. Physical variables analyzed are absolute dynamic topography (ADT), oceanic currents, and wind stress. From the ADT and oceanic current monthly climatologies, it is shown that there is an annual intrusion of the CW with an inward incursion that starts in spring, peaks in the summer (reaching to 26.58˚N and 88.32˚W) and then retreats in winter. Minimum surface Chl-a concentrations (<0.08 mg m−3) are found during the summer-autumn period inside the region of maximum incursion of the CW; the opposite is observed during the winter period when the Chl-a concentrations were at a maximum, e.g., >0.14 mg m−3. The three-year running averages of ADT 40-cm isoline reproduce qualitatively the climatological pattern of 25 years showing that before 2002 the CW was less intrusive. This suggests that from 2003 onward, larger volumes of oligotrophic waters from Caribbean Sea have invaded the western GoM and reduced mean surface Chl-a concentrations. A direct comparison between the 1998–2002 and 2009–2014 periods indicates that, in the latter time interval, Chl-a concentration over waters deeper than 250 m has decreased significantly.

<p><strong>Background:</strong> The agri-food sector, which includes fishing and aquaculture, poses challenges in improving the food quality and restructure markets. Currently, we have the opportunity to understand the food crisis associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and to promote a paradigm shift in food and markets, which leads to the changes generation in the food economic system, transformation of markets and rapprochement of producers with consumers. One of the ways to bring the producer and the consumer closer to each other, is precisely to know and characterize their consumption, by conducting market studies. A market study is a systematic investigation based on the information collection and data analysis related to the outstanding characteristics of the market to which a company or a sector is directed, which allows us to know and characterize the tastes and preferences in the population consumption. <strong>Objective:</strong> To diagnose the perceptions and preferences on the fish and shellfish consumption in the Mexicali city, Baja California, Mexico. <strong>Methodology:</strong> To get the required information, surveys were applied at four points in Mexicali. The study was carried out with cluster analysis using the statistical package for social sciences. It was obtained that three clusters were separated from each other and are statistically different (98.5% of the analyzed data). <strong>Results: </strong>The first conglomerate comprises 61.77% of those surveyed, while the second 27.94% and the remaining 10.29% were in the third conglomerate. Cluster 2 represents the population that consumes the most fish and shellfish, followed by cluster 1 and those of cluster 3, which consumes less fish and/or shellfish. In order of importance, the most relevant variables to explain on the three clusters are: differences between fishery products vs aquaculture, presentation of consumption and date of acquisition. <strong>Implications: </strong>This study provides a baseline for future market research in Baja California where trends in consumer buying behavior are analyzed, as well as contributing to the recognition of problems, identification of opportunities and improvement in decision-making by consumers, aquaculture producers and fishermen (or fishing sector). <strong>Conclusions:</strong> The results show that there is a lack of knowledge in the population on fishery and aquaculture products. Therefore, there is a tremendous area of opportunity to publicize information about the fishery and aquaculture products in the different media communication. Especially to their nutritional and health benefits.</p>

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We would like to thanks the reviewer for the positive criticism and recommendations. Below you find a point-by-point response to all comments. QR2-There is a lack of discussion regarding previous studies, which referrer to the seasonal cycle of the LC, like Chang & Oey (2012, 2013, which expose a bimodal cycle obtained with model outputs; Hall & Leben (2016), which show an annual cycle with altimetry data; or Candela et al. (2019), which estimate the amplitude of the C1 OSD