Abstract: Exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) can reveal complex spatial phenomenon and identify dynamic spatial pattern of fish population.It is a powerful tool to help us understand the spatial pattern and change of wintering anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) in central and southern Yellow Sea.On the basis of ESDA and GIS, this study investigated the spatial pattern and dynamic variations of wintering anchovy and its relationship with water temperature, using data collected by bottom trawl surveys and remote sensing in the central and southern Yellow Sea, during 2002-2015.The results indicated that the stations with similar stock density of anchovy aggregated in most years, but there wasn't change rule about the aggregating degree between years.The aggregation areas with high stock density were located in the central and eastern waters, and the aggregation areas with low stock density were located in the coastal and northern areas.The relationship between spatial pattern of wintering anchovy and water temperature showed that the high-high areas of stock density gather at the tongue of Yellow Sea warm current and its east regions, and the low-low areas of stock density are concentrated between the converging areas of cold water and warm water.There was a good correspondence between the latitude center of high-high areas of wintering abundance and the mean latitude of the preferred temperature isotherms, suggesting that the latitudinal distribution of high-high aggregation areas is affected by water temperature.