Use of nighttime visible images to detect Japanese common squid Todarodes pacificus fishing areas and potential migration routes in the Sea of Japan

Abstract

This study used Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)/Operational Linescan System (OLS) satellite images to classify and analyze the spatial and temporal variability of nighttime fishing vessel lights in the Sea of Japan. OLS images can detect the powerful lights used to attract squid. We examined DMSP/OLS nighttime visible images from 1994 to 1999. Fishing areas of the Japanese common squid Todarodes pacificus were defined as the bright areas created by 2-level slicing methods on DMSP/OLS images. T. pacificus fishing areas were mainly found along the east coast of Korea, between Cheju and Tsushima Islands, around the Yamato Rise, along the coast of Honshu, and in northern areas of the Sea of Japan. Using image classification and separability analysis, we divided the Sea of Japan into 7 areas based on different temporal variability in squid fishing area characteristics. The classification takes the potential northern and southern squid migration patterns into account. One of the potential northern migration patterns formed along Honshu Island to the north; another appeared along the east coast of Korea, northward through Yamato Rise. Southern migration patterns were almost the reverse of northern migration patterns. These 7 classified areas also correspond to the oceanographic characteristics of the Sea of Japan, i.e. a polar front at latitude 40°N, the inflow of the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC), and warm eddies. The use of remotelysensed data demonstrated in this study offers a powerful and innovative way in which to determine the migration and ecology of the Japanese common squid.

Seasonal Habitat Patterns of Japanese Common Squid (Todarodes Pacificus) Inferred from Satellite-Based Species Distribution Models

“…The Japanese common squid (Todarodes pacificus) is one of the most economically important marine resources in the Sea of Japan [1,2]. In Japan, the Japanese common squid catch constitutes roughly 56% of the total cephalopod catch.…”

Stock Identification of Todarodes pacificus in Northwest Pacific

“…부산주변해역에서 채집된 살오징어는 외투장의 크기에 따라 먹이 생물의 조성이 다르고, 계 절에 따라서는 산란기에 관계없이 연중 섭이하였다 (Song et al, 2006). DMSP/OLS영상은 야간조업어선의 불빛을 이용하여 어선의 분포 및 어획량에 근거한 어장 중심을 추정하는 방법으로, 회유 경로의 변화를 파악하는 것이 가능하다 (Kiyofuji et al, 2004;Choi et al, 2008). 그리고 성숙된 살오징어는 교미하여 알을 낳고 (Murata, 1990;Sakurai et al, 2003) 그 알이 부화하는 과정에 대한 연구 Sakurai, 2006)들이 이루어졌으며, 갓 태어난 유생들의 분포 (Goto, 2002;Kim, 2008)에 대한 분석은 산란장 추 정에도 이용되었다 (Sakurai et al, 2000;Rosa et al, 2011 (Kasahara and Ito, 1968;Osako and Murata, 1983;Mori and Nakamura, 2001;Kidokoro et al, 2010).…”

Application of DMSP/OLS Nighttime Light Images: A Meta-Analysis and a Systematic Literature Review

“…Recent studies have included monitoring forest fires and their impacts on aerosol properties and burned areas [40,68], monitoring gas flares [69], detecting fishing vessels [70], and identifying lightning flashes [71]. The challenges in this category are threefold.…”