Fish-aggregating-devices are viable for ocean model currents verification

Abstract We have leveraged the rapid growth of satellite-tracked drifting fish-aggregating-devices used by the fishing industry to evaluate their potential as ocean observing systems. Ocean currents derived from fish-aggregating-devices were compared with those from the Australian Bureau of Meteorol...

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Main Authors: Saima Aijaz, Gary B. Brassington, Lauriane Escalle
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Communications Earth & Environment
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02415-w
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author Saima Aijaz
Gary B. Brassington
Lauriane Escalle
author_facet Saima Aijaz
Gary B. Brassington
Lauriane Escalle
author_sort Saima Aijaz
collection DOAJ
description Abstract We have leveraged the rapid growth of satellite-tracked drifting fish-aggregating-devices used by the fishing industry to evaluate their potential as ocean observing systems. Ocean currents derived from fish-aggregating-devices were compared with those from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology’s global ocean forecast system and the Global Drifter Program in the Western Central Pacific Ocean. Using the Lagrangian modeling framework OceanPARCELS, we assessed the model’s ability to reproduce fine-scale circulation features. Our analysis revealed a strong correlation between fish-aggregating-devices speeds and observed currents both from drifter buoys and modeled currents from the forecast system. These findings demonstrate the value of fish-aggregating-devices as a complementary observational platform for verifying global ocean forecast systems. Their large numbers and broad spatial coverage offer a key advantage over the relatively sparse drifter buoy network, enhancing the resolution and reliability of ocean current observations in data-sparse regions.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2662-4435
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
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series Communications Earth & Environment
spelling doaj-art-4058eb5f06d5403d9a18967e6c30f3752025-08-20T04:01:36ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352025-07-016111310.1038/s43247-025-02415-wFish-aggregating-devices are viable for ocean model currents verificationSaima Aijaz0Gary B. Brassington1Lauriane Escalle2Bureau of MeteorologyBureau of MeteorologyPacific CommunityAbstract We have leveraged the rapid growth of satellite-tracked drifting fish-aggregating-devices used by the fishing industry to evaluate their potential as ocean observing systems. Ocean currents derived from fish-aggregating-devices were compared with those from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology’s global ocean forecast system and the Global Drifter Program in the Western Central Pacific Ocean. Using the Lagrangian modeling framework OceanPARCELS, we assessed the model’s ability to reproduce fine-scale circulation features. Our analysis revealed a strong correlation between fish-aggregating-devices speeds and observed currents both from drifter buoys and modeled currents from the forecast system. These findings demonstrate the value of fish-aggregating-devices as a complementary observational platform for verifying global ocean forecast systems. Their large numbers and broad spatial coverage offer a key advantage over the relatively sparse drifter buoy network, enhancing the resolution and reliability of ocean current observations in data-sparse regions.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02415-w
spellingShingle Saima Aijaz
Gary B. Brassington
Lauriane Escalle
Fish-aggregating-devices are viable for ocean model currents verification
Communications Earth & Environment
title Fish-aggregating-devices are viable for ocean model currents verification
title_full Fish-aggregating-devices are viable for ocean model currents verification
title_fullStr Fish-aggregating-devices are viable for ocean model currents verification
title_full_unstemmed Fish-aggregating-devices are viable for ocean model currents verification
title_short Fish-aggregating-devices are viable for ocean model currents verification
title_sort fish aggregating devices are viable for ocean model currents verification
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02415-w
work_keys_str_mv AT saimaaijaz fishaggregatingdevicesareviableforoceanmodelcurrentsverification
AT garybbrassington fishaggregatingdevicesareviableforoceanmodelcurrentsverification
AT laurianeescalle fishaggregatingdevicesareviableforoceanmodelcurrentsverification