Tracking fishing ground parameters in cloudy region using ocean colour and satellite-derived surface flow estimates: A study in the Bay of Bengal

ABSTRACT A new conceptual framework, based on ocean bio-physical observations from different satellites, has been proposed to track fishing ground parameters to identify Potential Fishing Zones (PFZ) in the Bay of Bengal (BoB). The proposed technique also attempts to provide a short-term forecast based on feature propagation, even under cloudy conditions. The current study has been carried out to understand the link between possible fish catch availability and satellite-derived parameters such as chlorophyll concentration, sea surface temperature, sea-level anomaly, ocean surface currents and wind vectors. Net Ekman transport obtained from the upfront and downfront components of the wind relative to the frontal direction provides valuable information on the forecast of PFZ regions and its possible shift. Comparison of the identified PFZs with limited in situ fish catch data proves that the suggested approach holds the promise in improved monitoring of possible fish catch locations. The study provides a novel approach for the monitoring and short-term forecasting of PFZ even for cloud-contaminated regions by using all possible ocean information from space-based platforms.