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Observed variations in the tropical phytoplankton community structure and biogeochemical processes have been linked to the El Nino Southern Oscillation, a driver of large-scale natural climate variability on interannual timescales. Satellite bio-optical algorithms have allowed us to derive complex biological parameters from the surface ocean via remote sensing, providing a scientific platform to investigate biological relationships with climate indices. Studies have focused in-depth on contrasting types of the ENSO types with various physical parameters with only a few recent studies focusing on satellite-observed chlorophyll-a, with however none focusing on phytoplankton biomass itself. Here we review the types of ENSO and its effect on backscattering-based biomass using different statistical techniques, over the 1997-2007 period. We also contrast the responses of phytoplankton biomass with those of chlorophyll-a and their physical drivers in various types of ENSO. Signatures of various ENSO types are observed in the physical and biological fields.