Objectives: The annual catch of the common squid Todarodes pacificus in Korean coastal waters has gradually increased since the late 1980s. We investigated the long-term effects of climate variability on the variation in catches of the squid in the offshore fisheries of Korea. Methods: Moving average method, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were used to determine the relationship between the environmental factors and fluctuation in the catch of the squid during the past 30 years (1981- 2010). A ten-year moving average was calculated and used for each variable. Results: Squid catches in Korean coastal waters increased over time, and there were significant variations within every ten years (p < 0.001). Air temperature, atmospheric pressure, and wind grade among the meteorological factors, alongside sea surface temperature (SST) and concentrations of phosphate phosphorous, and nitrite/nitrate nitrogen in the sea water increased and were positively related with the catch size of squid (p < 0.001). However, salinity decreased and was negatively related with the catch size (p < 0.001). The increase in air temperature and SST was almost parallel, although there was a time lag between the two factors. Conclusion: These results suggest that there is a causal association between climate change and squid populations. Climate change, especially ocean warming, appears to have been largely favorable for squid range expansion into Korean seas. Although the expansion may be helpful for the human food supply, the safety of the squid caught should be monitored since the concentrations of phosphorous and nitrogen in the sea water increased, which indicates that Korean seas have grown gradually more polluted.
I. Introduction
II. METHODS
III. Results
IV. Discussion