Satellite Remote Sensing of Herring (Clupea pallasii) Spawning Events: A Case Study in the Strait of Georgia

In this proof-of-concept study, we show how satellite remote sensing can be used to detect and monitor Pacific herring spawning events in the Strait of Georgia (SoG), British Columbia, Canada. Multi-sensor medium-resolution (similar to 300 m) and high-resolution (3-30 m) images reveal bright waters in the SoG due to high concentrations of herring milt from multiple spawning events. The milt-infused waters lead to enhanced reflectance with unique spectral characteristic that can be distinguished from other optically active constituents such as suspended sediments, coccolithophores, whiting particles, and shallow bottoms. While the medium-resolution images may be used to search for cloud-free and potential spawning sites, high-resolution images show more details in milt distributions. Given the increased availability of high-resolution satellite imagery at the global scale, this demonstration may promote more applications of satellite remote sensing in fisheries and ocean ecology research.

Automated summary

This proof-of-concept study demonstrates the use of satellite remote sensing to detect and monitor Pacific herring spawning events in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, Canada. The study utilized multi-sensor medium-resolution and high-resolution images to accurately identify waters with high concentrations of herring milt, showing the potential for satellite remote sensing in fisheries and ocean ecology research on a global scale.