The Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems and opportunities for acoustical applications.

Abstract

NANOOS, the Pacific Northwest Regional Association of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), aims to provide coastal ocean observations improving understanding and enabling decisions to improve safety, enhance the economy, and protect the environment. Biological aspects of ocean observing lag behind physical because of the difficulty of observing animal behavior beneath the surface; yet information about the behavior and survival of marine species in the ocean is identified as a critical need for fisheries management and marine spatial planning. Acoustics are poised to contribute to this need; however, limitations of acoustic arrays must be addressed. NANOOS recognizes opportunities for acoustical applications and has begun exploring these. NANOOS and POST deployed an acoustic receiver on a seaglider to test feasibility of using gliders to extend the scope of acoustic tracking arrays into deeper water and as a rapid deployment technology to test fixed arrays and investigate oceanographic features. During a 3‐month test deployment, July–October 2010, a receiver mounted on the seaglider worked flawlessly and made two detections: one from a salmon and one from a Humboldt squid. NANOOS has proposed to develop methods for integrating instruments for tracking migrations of fish and marine mammals into ocean observing networks.