Activity - Locating Fish
Scenario:
You and your partner are the owners of an east coast fishing fleet.  Among the many game fish your boats pursue is the highly prized Yellowfin Tuna. Currently you have boats in the following areas, Cape Hatteras, NC, Boston, MA, and Halifax, Nova Scotia.  Unfortunately at this time, your company only has enough money to support one boat to fish. The others will remain in port.

Using real time data and other sources of information, you and your partner must determine the port from which a boat would have the greatest opportunity to catch Yellowfin Tuna.  To make this decision, you will study information about the fish and about the western North Atlantic waters. Also you will determine what other factors may have an influence on your decision of which boat to send fishing.

 

Materials:

 
 
1.
Procedure:
Use the resources listed below to determine the following information about Yellowfin Tuna and record the information on the Worksheet:
Fishbase - Yellowfin Tuna (loads slowly)
  • Normal geographic range (latitudes)
  • Environment (if necessary, use glossary at bottom of page)
Comfort Temperatures
  • Normal temperature range
  • Optimal temperature range

2. 

 Study the four seasonal satellite images that show the Gulf Stream.  Although it will not be possible for you to predict exactly where the warm water is currently, it is important to have a sense of how the current fluctuates during the seasons.

Describe any major seasonal differences in the Gulf Stream's location, shape, or direction.

  • Why would it be important to know where the Gulf Stream exists?
  • What does that have to do with locating fish?
     
3.

 

 

 Study the Near Real Time satellite image of the Gulf Stream.  Based on the Yellowfin profile information gathered in step #1, can you identify possible areas of the ocean where Yellowfin Tuna may be?  Note: It may be helpful to use a blank Northern Atlantic Coastal Map or a Hurricane Tracking Chart.
Current Gulf Stream Image

Determine if there are any warm eddies (indicated by WE on the image) on the current Gulf Stream image. If there are, then assume that those would be places where Yellowfin Tuna would be feeding. Plot any warm eddies on your map.

If there are no warm eddies, then assume that the Department of Commerce has limited Yellowfin Tuna fishing to a rectangular area as follows: 36°N to 45°N by 65°W to 60°W. Plot this on your map and shade in areas where you are likely to find the Yellowfin Tuna.
4. To verify that the satellite is accurately reporting data, collect the sea surface temperature data from a buoy and compare the temperature to the color on the satellite image.

Based on the information you recorded, are satellite readings accurate?

 
5, What other type(s) of information would be helpful to obtain prior to deciding which boat to send fishing?
6.

Utilizing all of the data collected, identify which ship should leave port to fish.  Be prepared to defend your selection in a group discussion.



 		 Other Resources: