A warm water anomaly, nicknamed "The Blob", has spread across the Gulf of Alaska and moved into near-shore waters of Canada's Pacific, where it persists. This anomaly has low nutrients, low biological productivity, modified currents, dissolved oxygen and acidity. These recent changes have triggered rapid responses in the distributions, productivity and abundances of plankton, fish, mammals, birds and reptiles. Indicators include green sea turtles in Oregon, tuna and ocean sunfish in coastal Alaska, massive seabird die-offs in British Columbia, dramatic sea-lion mortalities in California, northward shifts of squid and unusual abundances of gelatinous animals. These indicators foreshadow potentially major effects on the whole region's economies and societies. The Blob and its ecological ramifications were the main focus of the State of the Pacific Ocean meeting at the Institute of Ocean Sciences in Sidney on March 10 and 11.