Effects of Sea Surface Temperature on Tuna Catch of Purse Seine in Eastern Pacific Ocean

Increase in ocean temperature is one of the primary direct consequences of climate change. Tuna, a commercially important pelagic fish species, demonstrates sensitivity to changes in sea surface temperature (SST). Increased SST has potential impact on the reproductive success and survival of tuna, on the ability to catch it, and may pose a problem to the management of tuna species. This paper applies the production function approach to estimate the link between catch of yellowfin and skipjack tuna by purse seine and SST in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Monthly total tuna catch and effort data in 1°x1° grid cells from the Inter-American Tropic Tuna Commission are paired with a monthly mean SST dataset from Japan Meteorological Agency. Controlling for month and grid fixed effects, results show that the volume of catch increases with SST. The magnitude of the relationship changes if we take into account the different types of sets and distance from the equator.