Interannual monsoon wind variability as a key driver of East African small pelagic fisheries
Jebri, F.; Jacobs, Z.L.; Raitsos, D.E.; Srokosz, M.; Painter, S.C.; Kelly, S.; Roberts, M.J.; Scott, L.; Taylor, S.F.W.; Palmer, M.; Kizenga, H.; Shaghude, Y.; Wihsgott, J.; Popova, E. (2020). Interannual monsoon wind variability as a key driver of East African small pelagic fisheries. NPG Scientific Reports 10(1): 15 pp. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-70275-9
In: Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group). Nature Publishing Group: London. ISSN 2045-2322; e-ISSN 2045-2322, more
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| Authors | | Top |
- Jebri, F.
- Jacobs, Z.L.
- Raitsos, D.E.
- Srokosz, M.
- Painter, S.C.
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- Kelly, S.
- Roberts, M.J.
- Scott, L.
- Taylor, S.F.W.
- Palmer, M.
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- Kizenga, H.
- Shaghude, Y.
- Wihsgott, J.
- Popova, E.
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| Abstract |
Small pelagic fisheries provide food security, livelihood support and economic stability for East African coastal communities—a region of least developed countries. Using remotely- sensed and field observations together with modelling, we address the biophysical drivers of this important resource. We show that annual variations of fisheries yield parallel those of chlorophyll-a (an index of phytoplankton biomass). While enhanced phytoplankton biomass during the Northeast monsoon is triggered by wind-driven upwelling, during the Southeast monsoon, it is driven by two current induced mechanisms: coastal “dynamic uplift” upwelling; and westward advection of nutrients. This biological response to the Southeast monsoon is greater than that to the Northeast monsoon. For years unaffected by strong El-Niño/La-Niña events, the Southeast monsoon wind strength over the south tropical Indian Ocean is the main driver of year-to-year variability. This has important implications for the predictability of fisheries yield, its response to climate change, policy and resource management. |
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