Application of GOCI to the Estimate of Habitat for Mackerel in the South Korea Exclusive Economic Zone = Application of GOCI to the Estimate of Habitat for Mackerel in the South Korea Exclusive Economic Zone

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

We estimated the habitat suitability index (HSI) for mackerel to examine the spatial distribution of mackerel catches within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of South Korea from 2011 to 2019, using satellite-based environmental data and the amount of catch data information provided by the government. The HSI is well-regarded for its effectiveness in identifying and predicting fishing grounds. By integrating mackerel catch data with satellite-derived environmental variables including chlorophyll-a concentration (CHL), sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height (SSH) and primary productivity (PP), we identified optimal environmental thresholds: CHL (0.32 to 1.6 mg m^-3), SST (14.45 to 26.72℃), SSH (0.61 to 0.84 m), and PP (654.94 to 1,731.3 mg C m^-2 d^-1). Then, based on the calculated HSI, habitat suitability maps for mackerel were generated for each season, which were then compared with the distribution of catchment data in terms of validation. These results indicate that our HSI estimation is reliable for predicting mackerel fishing grounds in the South Korean EEZ. This study provides insights into mackerel’s spatial distribution patterns and environmental preferences in South Korean oceans, offering valuable information for enhancing fisheries management practices.