Migration of albacore, Thunnus alalunga, in the North Pacific Ocean in relation to large oceanic phenomena |
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Authors: | SHINGO KIMURA,& MUNENORI NAKAI AND TAKASHIGE SUGIMOTO |
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Affiliation: | Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, 1-15-1, Minamidai, Nakano-ku, Tokyo, 164, Japan |
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Abstract: | On the basis of Japanese long-line fishery data during 1970–1988, anticlockwise migration routes of albacore in the North Pacific are newly proposed. The annual migration route for mature albacore is described as a closed ellipse with a centre at 20°N and 170°E, and is wider in El Niño years than non-El Niño years associated with an appearance of a cold-water region in the central and south-western North Pacific. Immature albacore also have an anticlockwise migration route in winter which extends from 25°N to 35°N and from 130°E to 180°E, when the Kuroshio has a relatively straight path. However, the migration does not persist when the Kuroshio takes a large meander path. |
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Keywords: | albacore El Niño Kuroshio migration Pacific |
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