Relationships between satellite derived oceanic events and the albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga, Bonaterre 1788) artisanal fishing grounds in the North East Atlantic

Abstract

Satellite radiometers are widely used to detect oceanic structures which may allow for accumulations of pelagic fish. However, little information exists with respect to the possible use of spacecraft radar sensors in the detection and management of pelagic fisheries. This paper presents the satellite-derived ocenic events obtained from the Ekman Pumping (satellite wind scatterometer data derived), the Sea Level Anomaly, the Sea Surface Temperature and the Chlorophyll-a pigment images data sets, and how they relate to the albacore tuna fishing grounds distribution patterns in the North-East Atlantic. The statistical results show that catch per unit of effort (cpue) variability can be extensively explained by the satellite derived data base. The accumulation of CPUE records in specific zones is discussed too, in relation to the specific sensitivity of albacore due to the species' physiological thermo-conserving system. This paper emphasizes the importance of the combination of several satellite data sources in order to fully investigate mathematical relationships with the cpue.