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Many methods which are commonly used for sea surface temperature (SST) retrieval are frequently based on theoretical studies which may limit the needs of a real-time monitoring of hydro-climatic changes in the ocean. The method for SST retrieval described here, calls for a multi-temporal processing of data from the Meteosat series geostationary satellite coupled with the sea-truth measurements provided by ships of opportunity. In the Atlantic inter-tropical region, and especially in coastal areas, the method helps to obtain a very satisfactory monitoring on the important seasonal changes, with an easier and higher spatio-temporal resolution than other available methods. In this case the process of enrichment of coastal zones needs a detailed spatio-temporal description, leading to the choice of a more suitable time scale for studies of small spatial scale biological changes.An original preliminary SST climatology has been produced from Meteosat satellite data covering the 1984-1989 period of the upwelling season along the Mauritanian and Senegalese coasts. Its precision in coastal upwelling areas largely overcomes existing climatology and allows a precise calculation of SST anomalies. The real-time production of daily SST maps provides assistance for a local tuna fishery and has been used for this purpose in the tropical Atlantic Ocean at Meteo-France (Lannion, France) and at the University of Abidjan (Ivory Coast).

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