Efeitos da variabilidade ambiental na distribuição e abundância relativa da albacora branca (Thunnus alalunga, Bonaterre 1788) no Atlântico Sul

Abstract

Analysis between the environmental variability in the pelagic ocean environment, distribution and abundance of the main oceanic fishing resources, have been evaluated in several studies, mainly with the intensification of global climate changes in the recent decades. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the relations between the catches (CPUE) of albacore(Thunnus alalunga) and some environmental parameters, together with spatio temporal data of fishing activities during the period between 1980 and 2007. The fishing data used, including the spatio temporal distribution of effort and catches are referred of long line fleet operations of Brazil (BNDA) and China Taipei (ICCAT). The environmental parameters (SST– Sea Surface Temperature and DML – Depth Mixed Layer) were obtained in international oceanographic data banks. Generalized Additive Models (GAM’s) were used for analyses between CPUE (dependent variable) and the environmental variability. Furthermore, spatio temporal aspect(latitude, longitude, month and year) of fish activity were included, in order to evidence the seasonality in catches. The results obtained show that the environmental variability on oceanographic conditions have a strong influence in the distribution and abundance of albacore, and, consequently, in its catch rate (CPUE). The SST (positive correlation with latitude, for the area of this study) was the most important environmental parameter in catch rates (CPUE). Besides that, we inferred that catches received a positive influence in areas where the thermocline is more superficial and there is a seasonal pattern in the distribution and abundance characteristic. These aspects seem to be in relation with the migratory movements of this specie in the South Atlantic Ocean, including the concentration along the Brazilian coast for spawn in austral summer.