Long-term environmental variability and pelagic fisheries in Talcahuano, Chile

Abstract

Multiple regression analysis was used to explain the observed variability of the abundance index and catch of the fishery for common sardine Clupea bentincki and anchovy Engraulis ringens between 1965 and 1976, and for the fishery for jack mackerel Trachurus murphyi between 1974 and 1989 in the area off Talcahuano, Chile (35–38°S). The multiple regression model for the first case included fishing effort, sea surface temperature and turbulence index as explanatory variables (r 2 = 0,92). However, for the jack mackerel, sea level, turbulence index, air temperature and fishing effort were the predictive variables, explaining 92 percent of the observed fluctuations in catch and abundance.