Geospatial Modeling of Habitat Suitability and Seasonal Variability of Bullet Tuna (Auxis rochei) in the Central Indonesian Coral Triangle Using Remote Sensing Data

Abstract

Understanding habitat suitability for Bullet Tuna (Auxis rochei) is crucial for sustainable fisheries management, yet limited studies have integrated geospatial modeling for this purpose, particularly in the Banda Sea, part of the Indonesian Coral Triangle. This study employs remote sensing and geospatial analysis to predict Bullet Tuna habitat suitability and fishing seasonality. Key oceanographic parameters, including sea surface temperature (SST), chlorophyll-a (CHL), sea surface salinity (SSS), sea surface height (SSH), and ocean current velocity (CUR), were derived from MODIS and Copernicus satellite products and integrated with catch per unit effort (CPUE) records from 2018 to 2022. The MaxEnt model was selected for its robustness in predicting species distribution from presence-only data, while remote sensing enables continuous monitoring of dynamic oceanographic conditions across broad spatial scales. The Fishing Season Index (FSI) was applied to determine seasonal fishing patterns, and validation was conducted using 2023 fishing data to verify model predictions. Results indicate that SSS and SSH are the most significant determinants of habitat suitability, with optimal ranges of 33.50–34.00 psu and 0.72–0.74 m, respectively. The peak fishing season occurs from December to March, coinciding with high habitat suitability values and elevated CPUE. These findings offer actionable insights for dynamic fisheries management, marine protected area planning, and real-time monitoring of Bullet Tuna habitats in the Banda Sea and broader Coral Triangle region.

Access to Document

Other files and links

• Link to publication in Scopus
• Open Access Version Available

Fingerprint