Study of the relationships between SST and mackerel abundances in the Yellow and East China Seas

Based on the purse-seine production statistic data of mackerel from 1998 to 2004, the sea surface temperature (SST) data and Elniño 3.4A during the same period in the Yellow and East China Seas, the Yellow and East China Seas are divided into southern and northern fishing grounds by 31° N, the mackerel abundances and spatial-temporal distribution of the fishing grounds and their relationships with SST in these areas were analyzed respectively by using Geography Information System (Marine Explorer 4.0).The results showed that the average catch per unit of effort(CPUE)in northern fishing ground is higher than that of the southern fishing ground and the former is more stable.By analysis of the relationship between SST of spawning ground and fishing resource abundance, it was found that there was a negative relationship between SST in the spawning season during April and May and CPUE at the same year in southern fishing ground, but a positive relationship between the Elniño 3.4A in March and April of every year and CPUE of the following year.