Topic 3e - Fisheries
From the early days of Landsat, attempts were made to translate satellite data to a guide of where fish stocks were to be found in the ocean. The resolution of these early satellite cameras , and the opacity of the water made direct detection of fish unlikely, but researchers worked on a range of indirect indicators of likely fish presence, such as how cloudy the water was, and what colour it was. Some commercial services use a combination of sea surface temperature, ocean colour, phytoplankton distribution and ocean currents – measured by a wide range of different instruments – to offer advice to trawlers on where to fish.
Satellites can track events which might prove harmful to fishing such as large-scale algal blooms. A range of other satellite applications including radar can be used to track fishing vessels, including those operating illegally.
Featured Educators:
- Professor Trevor Platt
View featured satellites on the satellite tracking app
Don’t forget you can download the video, transcript and take any quizzes available with the links on the right.
