Mapping essential habitat of estuarine fishery species with a mechanistic SDM and Landsat data

•The mechanistic SDM provides the high capability in estuarine EFH mapping at the suitable life stage with Landsat data.•The suitable life stage is selected by an effective window filtration with a score scheme, quantifying by two constructed indicators: “habitat importance” and “descriptor predictability”.•The performance of mechanistic SDM is improved with the analysis of species life history and usage of the optically / thermally active RS predictors.•The study can bridge gaps between explicit species distribution modelling and remote sensing data accommodations.