Syah et al.: Predicting potential fishing zones for Cololabis saira 
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probability of occurrence of Pacific saury remained for 
east and southeast of Hokkaido and south of the Ku- 
ril Islands. During the same month, the results from 
the predicted HSI indicated the Kuroshio-Oyashio 
transition zone at 40°N, and a correspondingly high 
probability of occurrence of Pacific saury (Fig. 6, G-I). 
In November, the high predicted HSI in the transi- 
tion zone (38-42°N and 142-156°E) increased, espe- 
cially off the Sanriku (39-41°N) and Joban (38-39°N) 
coasts (Fig. 6, J-L). At the end of the fishing season 
in December, the predicted probability of occurrence 
dramatically decreased in the offshore areas but re- 
mained high off the Sanriku and Joban coasts (Fig. 
6, M-0). In general, the distribution of Pacific saury 
based on the HSI showed moderate spatial correlation 
with actual fishing locations derived from OLS imag- 
es, although it did so with relatively low HSI values, 
particularly in August. 
Discussion 
We used fishing locations for Pacific saury and oceano- 
graphic variables with maximum entropy models to pre- 
dict the potential fishing zones for Pacific saury in west- 
ern North Pacific waters. Analyses of OLS nighttime 
images allowed us to locate fishing vessel lights across 
space and time, and we assumed that Pacific saury were 
caught in areas where fishing vessels were identified. 
On the basis of the derived fishing vessel locations, we 
were able to estimate the spatial and temporal distribu- 
tion of potential fishing zones for Pacific saury. 
