Synthetic aperture radar imaging of sea surface life and fishing activities

During the Halieutics Radar Experimentation Mediterranean Sea (HAREM) experiment, conducted in August 1989 in the Gulf of Lion, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images of the sea and lagoon surface and concurrent independent observations and measurements were collected in order to test the potential of some applications of SAR imaging theories to halieutics. These theories have been developed to explain the SAR signal modulation in relation to small variations of water roughness induced by internal wave or current or wind field variations. Analysis of the HAREM data indicates, for the first time, that the marine surface life and fishing activities generate an SAR signal modulation of comparable order of magnitude at the C-band (5.3 GHz). The results of satellite simulations, considering ERS1 characteristics, are presented and show good promise for fishing activity surveys, indicating that the aerial SAR data and, under certain conditions, satellite SAR data may greatly enhance and complement classical methods used in fishery management