Applications of GIS to fisheries management

Some 20 per cent of the Earth’s marine area is conducive to a natural biological productivity rate such that it is attractive to intensive fish production. Thus, most coastal shelf areas in both tropical and temperate regions, plus the major nearshore upwelling areas, have long been the scenes for the high biomass yields, which have encouraged fishery activity. More recently, this activity has turned towards some Arctic shelf waters, which are also proving to be highly productive. The other 80 per cent of the marine area, which may be considered as open oceanic, is less biologically productive but it is able to support extensive fisheries for highly migratory pelagic species such as tuna and shark.