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The study identifies divergent sea surface temperature trends around southern South America between 1982 and 2017, with warming in mid-latitude regions and the Northern Patagonian Shelf, and cooling south of 50°S and on the Southern Patagonian Shelf. These trends became most significant between 2008 and 2017 and are linked to atmospheric forcing and large-scale climate modes including ENSO, the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation, and the Southern Annular Mode.

The SACC consortium studies the physical and biogeochemical exchanges between the deep ocean and the Patagonian shelf to improve global carbon models and understand marine biodiversity. Initial results indicate that the Patagonia shelf absorbs approximately 17 Tg C yr-1 and that the shelf break fishery, representing 3% of global production, shows signs of overfishing. The project also emphasizes the role of freshwater input from the Rio de la Plata and Patos Lagoon in the Southwest Atlantic ecosystem and supports the BioMare fishery and oceanographic information system.

The Patagonian shelf upwelling is a unique system driven by deep sea currents and bottom topography rather than wind, providing a year-round supply of nutrients that supports major fisheries and carbon sequestration in the South Atlantic.