Environmental indicators and the predictability of commercial fish stocks

Commercial landings data for Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) were examined along with historical conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) data to demonstrate an approach for assessing seasonal, annual, and interannual relationships between fish stocks and their environment, and to develop predictive models for the distributions of stocks over Georges Bank. A spatially explicit analytical/ numerical model was used to demonstrate the predictive capability o f such relationships. Results show that bottom temperature alone accounts for up to 40% o f the spatial variance within the smoothed monthly catch distributions. Less than 20% is explained by bottom sediment type and bottom depth. The same model accounts for a much smaller percentage o f the observed catch variance in individual years.

Article from Marine Science Symposia Vol. 219 - "Hydrobiological variability in the ICES Area, 1990-1999", symposium held in Edinburgh, 8-10 August 2001. To access  the remaining articles please click on the keyword "MSS Vol. 219".