FOOTPRINT OF SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE CHANGES IN SKIPJACK TUNA (KATSUWONAS PELAMIS) IN THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL PACIFIC OCEAN

Skipjack tuna (Katsuwonas pelamis) is the determinant catch species in the tuna fishery in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO). Although models had showed tropical skipjack tuna habitat was away from the WCPO on the future warming scenarios, it is unclear the detail responses of skipjack tuna to the occurring sea surface temperature (SST) changes. To address this gap, we assessed the sensitivities and response rates of skip jack tuna to the SST during the global warming hiatus period using a distributed lag non-linear model. Strong and significant negative correlations were investigated between the SST and the mean catch-per-unit-efforts (CPUE) in the higher SST region, specifically in the region between 10 S and 10 N. Moreover, the mean CPUE significantly decreased after a 12-month lag when the SST was below 28.7 degrees C. Our results recommended that more rigorous tuna fishery managements in the WCPO will be needed to carry out to adapt the future ocean warming.