Environmental effects on forage and longline fishery performance for albacore (Thunnus alalunga) in the American Samoa Exclusive Economic Zone

The South Equatorial Counter Current (SECC) strongly influences the American Samoa Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and changes strength on a seasonal and ENSO cycle. A strong SECC is associated with a predominantly anticyclonic eddy field as well as increased micronekton biomass and catch‐per‐unit‐effort (CPUE) for albacore tuna, the economically important target species of the local longline fishery. A strong SECC carries chlorophyll a ‐rich waters from upwelling regions at the north coast of New Guinea towards the EEZ, most likely resulting in the observed increase in micronekton biomass, forage for albacore. Relatively stable anticyclonic eddies show a further increase in micronekton biomass, apparently advected from neighboring SECC waters. The presence of forage presumably concentrates albacore, thus resulting in the observed increase in CPUE. High shear regions of neither anticyclonic nor cyclonic eddies correlate with increased micronekton biomass. Areas characterized by South Equatorial Current (SEC) waters correspond to areas with the lowest micronekton biomass and the highest number of aggregative structures, which are most likely small pelagic fish shoals. Micronekton composition in SEC waters differs from that in the SECC. During El Niños, the seasonal signals at the north shore of New Guinea and in the SECC are exceptionally strong and correspond to higher albacore CPUE in the EEZ. My results suggest that the strength of upwelling and the resulting increase in chlorophyll a at New Guinea, as well as the Southern Oscillation Index, could be used to predict the performance of the local longline fishery for albacore tuna in the American Samoa EEZ.