The method to discriminate and predict the formation of fishing grounds of saury by quantifying the two conditions of “to be within a favourable temperature zone” and “to be close to the southbound stream of the Oyashio or the SST (Sea Sarface Temperature) boundaries” through the use of satellite imageries was studied. The discriminant variables were obtained by dividing the spatial and the temporal SST gradients of a sample mesh and the proximity to a current path of the Oyashio or a SST boundary, respectively, by the deviation of the present SST from the favourble water temperature.
The materials are the Satellite-aided Fishery and Oceanographic Condition Chart and others issued by JAFIC covering the recent four years. The areas of water considered in this study were the sea off Hokkaido and the sea off Sanriku. On meshes sampled from the sea areas, data of variables were obtained and subjected to discriminant analysis.
With the discriminant equation thus obtained, plus sign of composite variable of a mesh discriminates and indicates that a fishing ground for saury is formed in the sea area represented by the mesh. The mean correct discrimination rate reached 92% and proved its usefulness.
- Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi is an official journal of the Japanese Society of Fisheries Science written in Japanese only.
The society publishes an English journal, Fisheries Science, as well, which accepts submissions from non-members of the society over the world. Detailed information is available in http://jsfs.jp/en/journals/fisheries-science.