SATELLITE REMOTE-SENSING PREDICTION OF JAPANESE PILCHARD FISHING GROUND IN THE HUANGHAI SEA AND THE EAST-CHINA-SEA

The thermophily, fishing season and central fishing ground of Japanese pilchard (Sardinops melanosticta) were studied by using satellite rem ote sensing (SRS) and other methods in Haizhou Bay and Tsushima waters during 1986-1990. A rapid prediction method of fishing ground is pres ented. Moreover, the results indicated that the thermophilic values of the fish stock are 11-20 degrees C and both fishing grounds are in in creasing temperature process from the beginning to the end of the fish ing period. The Japanese pilchards gather vigorously at the sea surfac e temperature of 15-17 degrees C. The water temperature is a key facto r affecting the fishing season and the catch of the fishing ground. Th e increasing temperature process restricts the fishing season developm ent and central fishing ground formation. The accuracy of 15 predictio ns made in the Haizhou Bay fishing ground is up to 91.3%, and 37 predi ctions made in the Tsushima, fishing ground shorten the fish detection time by 13.4% - 22% on the average.