Relationship of spatial and temporal characteristics of water conditions and Rastreliger kanagurta production in the Malacca Strait using satellite imagery

Abstract

The eastern coast waters of North Sumatra is a fishing ground with a high level of exploitation. One of commodity catches in the eastern coast of Sumatra is mackarel (Rastrelliger kanagurta). By understanding the parameters of oceanography, especially sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-a, it can help to predict fishing area which are used as a guide for the purpose of fishes catching or exploitation. One of the satellites that can detect sea water temperature and chlorophyll-a is Aqua (EOS PM) with a moderate resolution imaging spectro radiometer sensor (MODIS). Mackerel catch data were obtained from ocean fishing port in Belawan. Sea surface temperature eastern coast of North Sumatra based on Aqua MODIS image analysis ranged from 29.55-31.66°C, and chlorophyll-a distribution has a range of 1.56-4.65 mg/m3. Mackerel catches fluctuations every month. The highest average catch is 232.174 tons which occurred in February. While the lowest catch is 201.457 which occurred in May. The results of the correlation between catching mackerel and sea surface temperature of -0.337 have a weak and not direct relationship. Relationship of chlorophyll-a with catches obtained a positive correlation value of 0.660 which indicates that between chlorophyll-a and catches has a strong and direct relationship.