Shrinking the Haystack: Using an AUV in an Integrated Ocean Observatory to Map Atlantic Sturgeon in the Coastal Ocean

Abstract

ABSTRACTPhysical processes in the coastal Mid‐Atlantic create a complex and dynamic seascape. Understanding how coastal fishes respond to this complexity has been a major motivation in establishing coastal biotelemetry arrays. Most coastal arrays maximize the probability offish detection by positioning hydrophones near geophysical bottlenecks. The development of a real‐time ocean observatory allows for synchronous mapping of dynamic hydrographic structures important to coastal fishes. These observations provide important context for interpreting the impact of oceanographic features on the behavior of telemetered animals. In a proofofconcept mission, we deployed a Slocum glider in a real‐time ocean observatory to demonstrate how mobile listening assets could be dynamically reallocated in response to the mesoscale physics of the coastal ocean. The Slocum glider detected four Atlantic Sturgeon Acipencer oxyrinchus oxyrinchus that were in a shallow, well‐mixed, and relatively warm and fresh water mass in a region of historic Atlantic Sturgeon bycatch.