Dynamics of Japanese common squid [Todarodes pacificus] fishing fleets derived from nighttime visible satellite data and its nonstationary prediction

The Japanese common squid (Todarades pacificus) comprises the majority of the Japanese squid catch, and is one of the country's most important fisheries resources. T. pacificus has also been included as one of the target spices in the Total Allowance Catch (TAG) system since 1998. Therefore squid fishing ground, fishing season and stock abundance should be grasped and managed efficiently for a resustainable utilization. The operation of squid fishing in Japan is characterized by using lights equipped on fleets at night. Those lights distribution is identified from nighttime OLS (Operational Linescan System) images of the DMSP( Defense Meteorological Satellite Program). This paper presents a nonstationary prediction of center of fishing fleet derived from the nighttime visible satellite data. The results suggest that it is worth while to investigate more elaborate definithions for fishing fleet spatial distribution.