Comparison of AVHRR and SeaWiFS imagery with fishing activity and in-situ data in San Matias Gulf, Argentina

WILLIAMS, GABRIELA; SAPOZNIK, MARYSOL; OCAMPO REINALDO, MATÍAS; SOLÍS, MIRIAM; NARVARTE, MAITE; GONZÁLEZ, RAÚL; ESTÉVES, JOSÉ LUIS; GAGLIARDINI, DOMINGO ANTONIO

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING

Taylor & Francis

Lugar: London; Año: 2010 vol. 31 p. 4531 - 4542

0143-1161

Seven years (January 2000-December 2006) of AVHRR and SeaWiFS data were used to estimate monthly climatological means and to present SST and chlorophyll-a seasonal evolution in San Matías Gulf, located between 40º 47´ S and 42º 13´ S on Argentine coast. SST and chlorophyll-a satellite maps corresponding to spring-summer, showed two well differentiable sectors: the southern zone presented colder waters and higher chlorophyll-a concentration while the northern one showed warm water and lower chlorophyll-a. Hake (Merluccius hubbsi) is the most important resource in terms of landings and economical revenues of the San Matias Gulf. Fishing activity data gathered by a Vessel Monitoring System (2004-2006) were linked with SST and chlorophyll-a maps showing that the fishing vessels operated on the thermal front fromNovember to March and had the maximum hake yields. In addition, AVHRR-SST- and SeaWiFS-chlorophyll-a data were compared with temperature and chlorophyll-a measured in oceanographic surveys carried out in 2007.