Satellite monitoring of SST for forecasting of the North-east arctic cod year class strength

No abstracts are to be cited without prior reference to the author.

Continuous long-term database on the sea surface temperature (SST) comprising results of regional differentiated satellite monitoring is used to resolve several applied problems. Authors have analyzed indirect influence of SST (the NOAA satellites data) on strength of the North-east Arctic cod year class strength (abundance at age 3+). Four areas have been selected in the area of the cod distribution to analyze SST in particular months: spawning grounds off the Lofoten islands to analyze SST (March –April) and three zones of the larval drift and the pelagic young fish distribution: the West-Spitsbergen waters and the Bear- Spitsbergen (Nordcap) area (MayOctober), and Murman-Novaya Zemlya area to analyze SST in June-October. Mean monthly SST and anomalous values are computed for the selected areas on the basis of the weekly SST maps for the period of 1998-2008. These maps were plotted with the satellite SST data, as well as information of vessel, buoy, and coastal stations. All data on each the area were classified by seasons and years