Variability in the Spatiotemporal Distribution Patterns of Greater Amberjack in Response to Environmental Factors in the Taiwan Strait Using Remote Sensing Data

Abstract

The environmental characteristics of the Taiwan Strait (TS) have been linked to variations in the abundance and distribution of greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) populations. Greater amberjack is a commercially and ecologically valuable species in ecosystems, and its spatial distribution patterns are pivotal to fisheries management and conservation. However, the relationship between the catch rates of S. dumerili and the environmental changes and their impact on fish communities remains undetermined in the TS. The goal of this study was to determine the spatiotemporal distribution pattern of S. dumerili with environmental characteristics in the TS from south to north (20°N–29°N and 115°E–127°E), applying generalized additive models (GAMs) and spatiotemporal fisheries data from logbooks and voyage data recorders from Taiwanese fishing vessels (2014–2017) as well as satellite-derived remote sensing environmental data. We used the generalized linear model (GLM) and GAM to analyze the effect of environmental factors and catch rates. The predictive performance of the two statistical models was quantitatively assessed by using the root mean square difference. Results reveal that the GAM outperforms the GLM model in terms of the functional relationship of the GAM for generating a reliable predictive tool. The model selection process was based on the significance of model terms, increase in deviance explained, decrease in residual factor, and reduction in Akaike’s information criterion. We then developed a species distribution model based on the best GAMs. The deviance explained indicated that sea surface temperature, linked to high catch rates, was the key factor influencing S. dumerili distributions, whereas mixed layer depth was the least relevant factor. The model predicted a relatively high S. dumerili catch rate in the northwestern region of the TS in summer, with the area extending to the East China Sea. The target species is strongly influenced by biophysical environmental conditions, and potential fishing areas are located throughout the waters of the TS. The findings of this study showed how S. dumerili populations respond to environmental variables and predict species distributions. Data on the habitat preferences and distribution patterns of S. dumerili are essential for understanding the environmental conditions of the TS, which can inform future priorities for conservation planning and management.

Habitat changes and catch rate variability for greater amberjack in the Taiwan Strait: The effects of El Niño–southern oscillation events

“…In the present study, we discovered that the optimal MLD range was much lower in spring and summer (9-16 m) and much higher in autumn and winter (17-39 m). Moreover, the highest catch rates for the greater amberjack in the TS were mostly found in waters with an MLD range of 10-50 m (Mammel et al, 2022). This was similar to the optimal range (11-50 m) in the western-central Gulf of Mexico (Murie et al, 2011).…”

“…Such research can be used to assess the effects of climate-related changes on marine environments and the quality of species-suitable habitats, which may be crucial for fishery management. Seasonal greater amberjack fishing, which was associated with various catch rates and marine environmental characteristics, was widely distributed from the southern to the northern TS (Mammel et al, 2022). Anomalous climate events and marine environmental variability can lead to changes in catch rates and influence the spatial distribution patterns of the greater amberjack in the southern and the northern regions of the TS.…”

“…This difference may be related to the selection of favorable marine habitat areas and physiological requirements of the greater amberjack. Mammel et al (2022) reported that significant seasonal catch rate variations were strongly influenced by the marine environment, and that catches were widely distributed from north to south, indicating that the greater amberjack expanded their habitat spatial distribution range throughout the entire TS. Because all seasons are crucial for greater amberjack fisheries in the TS, we included all seasons in our study.…”

“…The optimal EKE range was 0.011-0.019 m 2 /s 2 and remained similar across seasons. Studies have reported that EKE is a significant predictor of the distributions of several pelagic fish species (Champion et al, 2018;Champion et al, 2021;Mammel et al, 2022), and low EKE values have a favorable effect on the quality of kingfish (Seriola lalandi) habitats in Australian waters (Brodie et al, 2015;Champion et al, 2020).…”

“…Our results indicate that the impact of ENSO on the greater amberjack catches was affected by the phase of the ENSO event. There have been many model-based approaches used to analyze habitat suitability for pelagic fish species under changing climatic conditions, and environmental variability has become a prevalent aspect of fishery research (Brodie et al, 2015;Lee et al, 2020;Mammel et al, 2022). The HSI model is among the most effective and extensively used techniques for analyzing the effects of climate variability on rapid changes in the habitat suitability for fish over time and space (Gong et al, 2011).…”