The influence of environmental factors and fishing effort on demersal fish species in Ghanaian waters

Disentangling the effects of fishing and environment on fish abundance distribution is essential for informing future fisheries management measures. Fishery-independent trawl survey data (8 years between 1999 2016) were examined to test influences effort environmental variables (temperature, oxygen salinity) spatial two species groups (5 economically important 3 non-commercial species) continental shelf Ghana. Fishing influenced year-to-year variability in 5 negatively 2 positively, with 1 unaffected. All showed significant spatio-temporal associations temperature, salinity levels within region. We observed some interannual consistency distributions given climatic variables’ correlation; however, appeared reflect tracking shifts variables, such as inshore–offshore goatfish, red pandora cornetfish associated thermal shifts. While habitat models did not entirely explain these spatiotemporal patterns, overall, both commercially targeted non-targeted demersal be impacted by also track temporal changes conditions from year-to-year. Future regulations region should incorporate spatially resolved measures alongside variables.