Validation of Statistical Significance for the Influence of Climatic Factors on the Schoolmaster Gonate Squid (Berryteuthis magister) Fishery Capacity off the Kuril Islands

Abstract

There was no statistical significant relationship between catches of the schoolmaster gonate squid per unit of effort off the Kuril Islands and changes in the North Pacific Index (NPla, Aleutian Low). Such a relationship has been studied earlier, but here we analyze it using a more detailed time series and more powerful statistical methods, such as Generalized Additive Mixed Models. The inclusion of the Aleutian Low index in the calculation of abundance index based on fishery statistics has improved the model only slightly; however, this could be due to the use of relatively short time series of 15 years for catch data.