POSTER SESSION 1
15:30–17:30, Monday, September 14
Poster Session | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Schedule at a Glance
ABSTRACT 1414 | POSTER 149
MODIS-AQUA NEAR-SURFACE OBSERVATIONS OF GYRE-INDUCED UPWELLING AND THE 2020 PELAGIC FISHERY TRANSITION IN GUINEA-BISSAU
In 2020, industrial fishing activity in Guinea-Bissau underwent a marked shift, with foreign-flagged fleets moving from demersal fisheries towards the exploitation of pelagic resources. This transition resulted in intensive harvesting of Cunene horse mackerel (Trachurus trecae), with reported catches exceeding 29,000 metric tonnes. Analysis of MODIS-Aqua satellite observations at 1-km spatial resolution during winter 2020 revealed a distinct increase in near-surface chlorophyll-a concentrations within the Guinea Dome region. This productivity enhancement was associated with a cyclonic gyre that promoted upwelling and increased nutrient availability in surface waters. The spatial coincidence between elevated biological productivity and exceptionally high T. trecae catches suggests that these oceanographic conditions may have favoured the aggregation and increased availability of this species to industrial fleets, including purse seiners and factory vessels. These findings highlight the value of integrating satellite-derived oceanographic indicators with fisheries data to monitor environmentally driven biomass aggregations and support ecosystem-based fisheries management in this highly dynamic marine ecosystem.
Diones Nonque*, University of the Azores, [email protected]
Tiago Serpa, University of the Azores, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8176-6769
Ana Martins (Presenting), University of the Azores, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4169-8201
Régis Santos, University of the Azores, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4167-3573
Poster Session | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Schedule at a Glance
