Analysis of juvenile North Atlantic albacore (Thunnus alalunga) catch per unit effort by surface gears in relation to environmental variables

• Published in: ICES Journal of Marine Science
• Main Authors: Goñi, Nicolas, Arrizabalaga, Haritz
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press (OUP) 2005
• Subjects: Ecology; Aquatic Science; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Oceanography; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.icesjms.2005.05.014; http://academic.oup.com/icesjms/article-pdf/62/7/1475/29126008/62-7-1475.pdf

Abstract The relationship between the catch per unit effort (cpue) of trolling and baitboat fisheries targeting juvenile North Atlantic albacore (Thunnus alalunga, Bonnaterre, 1788) and several environmental variables was studied. A multiple linear regression and a generalized least squares model (GLS) showed a significant negative relationship between age 2 albacore trolling and baitboat cpue, and the average agitation of the sea and the duration of insolation. No clear relationship was found between the juvenile albacore cpue and sea surface temperature, precipitation, and NAO or Gulf Stream Index. Underlying processes that could explain the negative effect of agitation and insolation are discussed, especially relating to the habitat of age 2 albacore above the seasonal thermocline. Results highlight the necessity of considering environmental variables in the standardization of albacore cpue series used for calibrating age-structured stock assessments.