Satellite Remote Sensing Applications for Commercial and Recreational Fishing

Introduction
This website looks at the ways the commercial and recreational fishing industries are able to take advantage of data retrieved from satellites to help improve their catch yield and overall operational efficiency. 

With the emergence of satellite remote sensing, commercial and recreational fishing operations have grown in sophistication in recent years.   Remote sensing satellites produce a wide range of oceanographic, biological, and environmental data that has become very useful to the offshore fisherman.   I have broken the functional uses of satellite remote sensing data for fisherman down into 5 major categories: 

Of course it is not just the fisherman who have applicable uses for this data, fisheries management agencies and scientists also use ocean-observing satellites in order to monitor catch quotas for long term sustainability of the fishery resources and the protection of marine biodiversity.

Remote Sensing data from satellites will continue to improve the underlying economics for fishermen by helping them increase the ratio of fish caught to time spent on the water.   Remote sensing satellites will also provide fisheries managers with a better understanding of the close relationship between fish populations and the marine environment.

 

Sea Surface Temperature
One of the most useful data sets for fisherman offered by ocean remote sensing is sea surface temperature (SST).  Infrared sensors on environmental satellites provide SST data that is widely accessible on the Internet for both the commercial and recreational angler.

Knowing the SST is useful for several reasons:  First of all, each species of offshore game fish has a water temperature range that they prefer.   Second, changes in water temperature are a very good indicator of horizontal and vertical water movement, i.e., eddies, breaks, currents, rips, upwellings, etc.   Fishermen constantly look for these conditions using satellite data because most of the time they are such large circulation features that they are difficult to see with the naked eye. The bottom line is that moving water carries nutrients, which fosters plankton growth, which attracts fish.

Temperature breaks are defined boundaries between areas of two different water temperatures.  This indicates horizontal water movement, and the important aspect is that the area defined by the break is usually a space between different currents moving at different speeds, resulting in the formation of rips or slack water between the two currents. This slack region of calm water tends to collect nutrients, which fosters plankton growth, which attracts fish.

Vertical water movement or upwelling brings nutrient rich water from the deep ocean to the surface.  Eddies are whirlpool-like swirls of water spun off from the main body of a larger current. The swirling motion of eddies cause nutrients that are normally found in colder, deeper waters to come to the surface.  The nutrient rich water fosters plankton growth, which, once again, attracts fish.

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Navigation  
More and more commercial fishing fleets and recreational fisherman use satellites to navigate to optimum fishing locations and to track fish migrations. Access to fast and accurate navigational information saves time and fuel through more efficient determination of destination. Satellite navigation provides users with accurate information on position, velocity, and time on any ocean anywhere in the world and in all weather conditions.

 

Weather Conditions
Fisherman are affected by weather every time they go fishing.  Aside from the personal comfort issues of fishing in rainy and cold conditions, questions surrounding storms at sea can be a matter of life and death.  A smart fisherman keeps a close eye on the weather and uses all the resources available to stay updated on the conditions. Weather data gathered from various satellites is ubiquitous and available to everyone on the Internet.

Weather conditions can also affect the actual fishing activities.  Wave height and wind speed are factors that affect the amount of a fisherman's catch.  A breeze that ripples the sea surface can have a significant effect on the success of a fishing trip. Gentler winds allow light to penetrate the water, which causes light-sensitive fish, usually found near the surface, to go deeper.  Cloudy conditions can have similar effects. Clouds are thought to cause light-sensitive fish to be more active.  In general, sudden changes in weather conditions, such as those associated with the passage of a cold front, are not good for fishing because these changes disturb the environment considerably.

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Ocean Color
Subtle changes in ocean color signify various types and quantities of marine phytoplankton (microscopic marine plants), the knowledge of which has applications for both scientists and fisherman alike.

Phytoplankton are single-celled ocean plants that contain chlorophyll. Increases in phytoplankton cause higher levels of the green chlorophyll pigment, which in turn change the color of the ocean surface. Although microscopic, phytoplankton can bloom in such large numbers that they can change the color of the ocean so much that they can be measured from satellites. (http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov)

By looking at the color of an area of the ocean, the concentration of phytoplankton can be estimated. Because phytoplankton changes an ocean's color, they are ideal candidates for tracking eddies and currents, detecting pollution, and observing meteorological events. (http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov)

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Sea Floor Topography  
A sudden rise in sea floor topography (banks, seamounts, etc.) can significantly enhance the upwelling of cold, nutrient rich waters from the depths of the ocean. This upwelling brings fertile water up to the surface, which can attract small fish. The small fish, of course, act as bait for larger fish.  These larger fish, of course, attract fisherman.

 

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Various Organizations and Agencies involved with international remote sensing:

Search Engines

Tools to help you find your proverbial needle in the Internet haystack:

 

 

 

 

 

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