Acoustic Dead Zone Research Articles

Autonomous data sampling for high-resolution spatiotemporal fish biomass estimates

Many key ecological dynamics such as biomass distributions are only detectable on a fine spatiotemporal scale. Autonomous data collection with Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV) creates new possibilities for cost efficient and high-resolution aquatic data sampling. However, the spatial coverage and sampling resolution remain uncertain due to the novelty of the technology. Further, there is no established method for analysing such fine-scale autocorrelated data without aggregation, potentially compromising data resolution. We here used a USV with an echosounder, a conductivity-temperature sensor and a flourometer to collect data from April–July 2019–2023 in a 60x80km area in the central Baltic Sea. The USV covered a total distance of 8000 nmi, over 42–81 days per year, with an average speed of 0.5 m/s. We combined the hydroacoustic data with publicly available oceanographic data from Copernicus Marine Service Information (CMSI) to describe seasonal distribution dynamics of a small pelagic fish community. Key oceanographic variables collected by the USV were correlated with CMSI estimates at daily/monthly resolution, respectively, to test for suitability to scale (Temperature 0.99/0.97; Salinity −0.77/−0.26; Chlorophyll-a 0.12/0.28). We investigated two approaches of Species Distribution Models (SDMs): generalized additive models (GAM) versus spatiotemporal generalized linear mixed effect models (GLMM). The GLMMs explained the observed data better than the GAMs (R2 0.31 and 0.20, respectively). The addition of environmental variables increased the explanatory capability of GAM and GLMM by 25 % and ~ 3 %, respectively. Due to the high data resolution, we found significant amounts of positive autocorrelation (R: 0.05–0.30) across more than 50 lags of observation. However, we found that diel patterns in fish detection strongly affected the abundance estimates due to diel vertically migrating species hiding in the ‘acoustic dead zone’ near the seabed. Such dynamics could only be estimated and corrected for in predictions on the high-resolution data, complicating the trade-off between autocorrelation and high-resolution for SDMs even further. We compared estimates and effect sizes/directions in identical SDMs on 2x2km/month aggregated (i.e non-autocorrelated) observations and non-aggregated (i.e. autocorrelated) observations, and found relatively little difference in spatiotemporal estimates (r = 0.80). For the first time, we predicted the distribution of a small pelagic fish community at a high spatial resolution, in an area essential to breeding top predators, opening up for new applications in ecological studies locally and globally.

Influence of near bottom fish distribution on the efficacy of a combined hydroacoustic video survey

Abstract Combining hydroacoustics and underwater video is an effective tool for generating fish population estimates. However, hydroacoustics cannot be used to differentiate fish from the seafloor within an area known as the acoustic dead zone. A common way to address this is to exclude data near the bottom. The effect of this exclusion zone on population estimates of nearshore semi-pelagic rockfish is unknown. This study explores the effect of a near bottom (0–1 m) exclusion zone by comparing ROV video data to data from a combined hydroacoustic and video method. Higher densities of semi-pelagic species (Black and Blue/Deacon Rockfish) were observed in the combined acoustic and video method, suggesting that most of the population resides above the exclusion zone. Demersal rockfish observed by the ROV did not contaminate acoustic data of semi-pelagic species, since they remained within the exclusion zone. Results demonstrate that extrapolation of school data into the exclusion zone provided a realistic correction to the acoustic data for Black Rockfish. Our work demonstrates that excluding the data within 1 m of the bottom does not negatively affect the ability of the combined video hydroacoustic method to sample semi-pelagic rockfish.

Multispecies acoustic dead-zone correction and bias ratio estimates between acoustic and bottom-trawl data

Abstract In this study, we extended the original work of Kotwicki et al. (2013. Combining bottom trawl and acoustic data to model acoustic dead zone correction and bottom trawl efficiency parameters for semipelagic species. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 70: 208–219) to jointly estimate the acoustic dead-zone correction, the bias ratio, and the gear efficiency for multiple species by using simultaneously collected acoustic and bottom-trawl data. The model was applied to cod (Gadus morhua) and haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) in the Barents Sea and demonstrated a better or similar performance compared with a single species approach. The vertical distribution of cod and haddock was highly variable and was influenced by light level, water temperature, salinity, and depth. Temperature and sunlight were the most influential factors in this study. Increase in temperature resulted in decreasing catch and fish density in the acoustic dead zone (ADZ), while increasing sun altitude (surrogate for light level) increased the catch and fish density in the ADZ. The catch and density of haddock in the ADZ also increased at the lowest sun altitude level (shortly after midnight). Generally, the density of cod and haddock changed more rapidly in the ADZ than in the catch (from bottom to the effective fishing height) indicating the importance of modelling fish density in the ADZ. Finally, the uncorrelated variability in the annual residual variance of cod and haddock further strengthen the conclusion that species vertical distribution changes frequently and that there are probably many other unobserved environmental variables that affect them independently.

Improved estimates of orange roughy biomass using an acoustic-optical system in commercial trawlnets

Abstract Echo integration is a well-established method for estimating fish biomass, but is challenging for a low target strength (TS), deep-living fish species such as orange roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus). A novel approach has been to utilize the infrastructure of the fishing vessel's trawlnet by attaching an acoustic-optical system (AOS) to the net's headline. Deep deployment of the AOS via the trawlnet reduces uncertainties associated with hull-mounted acoustics that include the influence of weather on data quality, low resolution due to the long range to target, large acoustic dead zone on sloping seabed, and inability to identify and differentiate other fish that co-occur with the target species. The AOS system simultaneously records acoustic data at multiple frequencies (38 and 120 kHz), species composition in video and stereo imagery, and environmental data as the net collects biological samples and/or commercial catch. All data streams were considered in a multiple-lines-of-evidence approach to give improved estimates of orange roughy biomass with low error due to species uncertainty. AOS-based biomass estimates, made over a 5-year period from 11 key spawning locations in Australia and New Zealand, showed a strong correlation (r2 = 0.97, n = 39) between frequencies (38 and 120 kHz); the 38 kHz estimates were, on average, 8% higher than 120 kHz, with a standard deviation of 20%. This similarity in estimates across frequencies improves confidence in results compared with single-frequency surveys that are potentially prone to large errors resulting from unknown (mixed) species composition and target strengths, calibration, and sound absorption uncertainties.

Factors affecting the availability of walleye pollock to acoustic and bottom trawl survey gear

Abstract Abundances of semi-pelagic fish are often estimated using acoustic or bottom trawl surveys, both of which sample only a fraction of the water column. Acoustic instruments are effective at sampling the majority of the water column, but they have a near-surface blind zone and a near-bottom acoustic dead zone (ADZ), where fish remain undetected. Bottom trawls are effective near the seabed, but miss fish that are located above the effective fishing height of the trawl. Quantification of the extent of overlap between these gears is needed, particularly in cases where environmental factors play a role. We developed logistic regression models to predict the availability (qa) of walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) to both acoustic and bottom trawl gears using factors shown to affect qa (depth, light intensity, fish length) and introducing additional factors (tidal currents, surface and bottom temperature, sediment size). Results build on earlier studies and quantify the uncertainty associated with the estimation of the ADZ correction using Bayesian methods. Our findings indicate that on average during the day, walleye pollock are more available to the bottom trawl than to the acoustics. Availability to both gears depends mostly on bottom depth, light conditions, and fish size, and to a lesser extent sediment size. Availability to the acoustic gear is also related on surface temperature. Variability in availability to both gears also depends on environmental factors.

Correcting density-dependent effects in abundance estimates from bottom-trawl surveys

Abstract Indices of abundance are important for estimating population trends in stock assessment and ideally should be based on fishery-independent surveys to avoid problems associated with the hyperstability of the commercial catch per unit effort (cpue) data. However, recent studies indicate that the efficiency of the survey bottom trawl (BT) for some species can be density-dependent, which could affect the reliability of survey-derived indices of abundance. A function qe∼f(u), where qe is the BT efficiency and u the catch rate, was derived using experimentally derived acoustic dead-zone correction and BT efficiency parameters obtained from combining a subset of BT catch data with synchronously collected acoustic data from walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) in the eastern Bering Sea (EBS). We found that qe decreased with increasing BT catches resulting in hyperstability of the index of abundance derived from BT survey. Density-dependent qe resulted in spatially and temporarily variable bias in survey cpue and biased population age structure derived from survey data. We used the relationship qe∼f(u) to correct the EBS trawl survey index of abundance for density-dependence. We also obtained a variance–covariance matrix for a new index that accounted for sampling variability and the uncertainty associated with the qe. We found that incorporating estimates of the new index of abundance changed outputs from the walleye pollock stock assessment model. Although changes were minor, we advocate incorporating estimates of density-dependent qe into the walleye pollock stock assessment as a precautionary measure that should be undertaken to avoid negative consequences of the density-dependent qe.

Combining bottom trawl and acoustic data to model acoustic dead zone correction and bottom trawl efficiency parameters for semipelagic species

We present a modeling method that combines acoustic and bottom trawl abundance measurements and habitat data to estimate acoustic dead zone (ADZ) correction and bottom trawl efficiency parameters. Bottom trawl and acoustic measurements of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) abundance and available habitat data from the eastern Bering Sea are used to illustrate this method. Our results show that predictions of fish abundance in the ADZ can be improved by incorporating bottom habitat features such as depth and sediment particle size, as well as pelagic habitat features such as water temperature, light level, and current velocity. We also obtain predictions for trawl efficiency parameters such as effective fishing height, density-dependent trawl efficiency, and catchability ratio between trawl and acoustic data by modeling bottom trawl catches as a function of acoustic measurements and the environmentally dependent ADZ correction. We conclude that catchability of walleye pollock for either survey is spatially and temporarily variable. Our modeling method can be applied to other semipelagic species to obtain estimates of ADZ correction and bottom trawl efficiency parameters.

Can acoustic methods be used to monitor grenadier (Macrouridae) abundance in the Ross Sea region?

Grenadiers Macrourus spp. are the main bycatch species in the exploratory longline fishery for toothfish Dissostichus spp. in the Ross Sea, Antarctica. Ongoing monitoring tools are needed to assess stock status of grenadiers in the Ross Sea and to ensure ecological relationships are maintained. There may be potential to use fisheries acoustic methods to obtain estimates of grenadier abundance. Acoustic data collected during New Zealand’s International Polar Year Census of Marine Life survey in February–March 2008 provide evidence that single targets close to the bottom over the Ross Sea slope are grenadiers. The acoustic target strength distribution of single targets was very similar to that predicted based on the measured size range of grenadiers. There are also positive correlations between acoustic backscatter and trawl and longline catches of grenadiers. Key uncertainties of the acoustic method are mark identification away from the bottom, and technical issues with low signal-to-noise ratio at depths greater than 1000 m and the acoustic dead-zone close to the bottom.

A simple method to correct the results of acoustic surveys for fish hidden in the dead zone

Summary In lentic freshwater systems, vertical acoustics may underestimate fish abundance in the acoustic dead zone where fish detection capability is limited. To estimate this bias, the height of fish above the lead-line of a benthic multi-mesh gillnet (1.5 m high) was used to quantify both the vertical distribution of fish near the bottom and the proportion residing within the acoustic dead zone. The study was carried out at the percid-dominated Biesbosch Reservoirs in the Netherlands. Acoustic dead zones were estimated at 7 cm above flat bottoms, and 12–34 cm above 8° sloped bottoms at depths of 5–27 m, respectively. Depending on the habitat, 36 to 75% of the gillnet catch by number was present in the acoustic dead zone, representing 5–51% of the biomass. Near-bottom depths were highly preferred by ruffe Gymnocephalus cernua, often used by perch Perca fluviatilis and pikeperch Sander lucioperca, plus seemingly devoid of smelt Osmerus eperlanus. The total amount of fish hidden in the acoustic dead zone was estimated to be 13–39% of the whole water column. The proportion of biomass obscured in the dead zone was lower (1–12%). The conclusion is that undetected fish in the acoustic dead zone can seriously bias density assessment, which can be corrected by concurrent sampling with benthic gillnets.

Validation of current acoustic dead‐zone estimation methods in lakes with strongly sloped bottoms

Inland water bodies contain extremely steep‐sloped bottoms compared with those typically occurring during marine vertical surveys. These steep bottom slopes can cause high acoustic dead zones, biasing our estimates of living organisms. The studies so far have used the assumption that the first contact between the acoustic wavefront and bottom will be at the point where the radial ray from the transducer is normal to the bottom (90°), which we refer to as the normal ray assumption (NRA). Nevertheless, as acoustic energy dramatically decreases laterally due to the beam's pattern, this assumption may not be fulfilled further from the acoustic axis. It is reasonable to believe that the methods assuming the NRA can fail at quite steep slopes. We installed a calibration benthic gillnet of known height at sites with different bottom slopes, ranging from 12° to 50°. The gillnet's float‐line served as a good visible marker above the monitored lake bottom and was successfully used for measuring the acoustic dead‐zone height empirically. By comparing the observed and modeled dead zones based on the NRA, we can show that the current methods for their estimation are invalid at quite sloping angles. We conclude that the current dead‐zone estimation methods are not always applicable for surveying inland water bodies with extremely steep bottom slopes. Installing a simple calibration net as an off‐bottom marker can provide help for in‐situ dead‐zone measurements.

Assessing rockfish abundance in complex habitats using acoustics and cameras.

Many species of rockfishes (Sebastes spp.) are difficult to assess using trawl surveys due to their propensity to aggregate near the seafloor in rocky high relief areas. A feasibility study was conducted during October 2009 in such an area south of Kodiak Island, AK, to evaluate the use of standard fisheries acoustic survey methods in conjunction with stereo‐video cameras for estimating the distribution and abundance of dusky and northern rockfishes. Uniformly spaced parallel transects were repeatedly surveyed using single beam echosounders over several days. A multibeam echosounder was used to characterize the seafloor as trawlable or untrawlable and these designations were corroborated by camera. Rockfish abundance was estimated using a combination of acoustic and camera measurements. At least 80% of the rockfish detections were observed in untrawlable habitat areas, and within 2.0 m of the seafloor. Over half of the rockfish seen by the camera were within the acoustic dead zone. Repeat passes exhibited high precision and there was no significant difference in fish abundance or height off bottom between night and day. Future work is planned during summer 2011 to evaluate the feasibility of using these methods in broader areas and for other rockfishes in the Gulf of Alaska.

Endocervical ultrasound applicator for integrated hyperthermia and HDR brachytherapy in the treatment of locally advanced cervical carcinoma

The clinical success of hyperthermia adjunct to radiotherapy depends on adequate temperature elevation in the tumor with minimal temperature rise in organs at risk. Existing technologies for thermal treatment of the cervix have limited spatial control or rapid energy falloff. The objective of this work is to develop an endocervical applicator using a linear array of multisectored tubular ultrasound transducers to provide 3-D conformal, locally targeted hyperthermia concomitant to radiotherapy in the uterine cervix. The catheter-based device is integrated within a HDR brachytherapy applicator to facilitate sequential and potentially simultaneous heat and radiation delivery. Treatment planning images from 35 patients who underwent HDR brachytherapy for locally advanced cervical cancer were inspected to assess the dimensions of radiation clinical target volumes (CTVs) and gross tumor volumes (GTVs) surrounding the cervix and the proximity of organs at risk. Biothermal simulation was used to identify applicator and catheter material parameters to adequately heat the cervix with minimal thermal dose accumulation in nontargeted structures. A family of ultrasound applicators was fabricated with two to three tubular transducers operating at 6.6-7.4 MHz that are unsectored (360 degrees), bisectored (2 x 180 degrees), or trisectored (3 x 120 degrees) for control of energy deposition in angle and along the device length in order to satisfy anatomical constraints. The device is housed in a 6 mm diameter PET catheter with cooling water flow for endocervical implantation. Devices were characterized by measuring acoustic efficiencies, rotational acoustic intensity distributions, and rotational temperature distributions in phantom. The CTV in HDR brachytherapy plans extends 20.5 +/- 5.0 mm from the endocervical tandem with the rectum and bladder typically <8 mm from the target boundary. The GTV extends 19.4 +/- 7.3 mm from the tandem. Simulations indicate that for 60 min treatments the applicator can heat to 41 degrees C and deliver > 5EM(43 degrees C) over 4-5 cm diameter with Tmax < 45 degrees C and 1 kg m(-3) s(-1) blood perfusion. The 41 degrees C contour diameter is reduced to 3-4 cm at 3 kg m(-3) s(-1) perfusion. Differential power control to transducer elements and sectors demonstrates tailoring of heating along the device length and in angle. Sector cuts are associated with a 14-47 degrees acoustic dead zone, depending on cut width, resulting in a approximately 2-4 degrees C temperature reduction within the dead zone below Tmax. Dead zones can be oriented for thermal protection of the rectum and bladder. Fabricated devices have acoustic efficiencies of 33.4%-51.8% with acoustic output that is well collimated in length, reflects the sectoring strategy, and is strongly correlated with temperature distributions. A catheter-based ultrasound applicator was developed for endocervical implantation with locally targeted, 3-D conformal thermal delivery to the uterine cervix. Feasibility of heating clinically relevant target volumes was demonstrated with power control along the device length and in angle to treat the cervix with minimal thermal dose delivery to the rectum and bladder.

The acoustic dead zone: theoretical vs. empirical estimates, and its effect on density measurements of semi-demersal fish

Abstract Mello, L. G. S., and Rose, G. A. 2009. The acoustic dead zone: theoretical vs. empirical estimates, and its effect on density measurements of semi-demersal fish. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 1364–1369. The height of the acoustic dead zone, the region near the seabed where fish cannot be resolved acoustically, was calculated both theoretically (DZt) and empirically (DZe). The DZe was based on measurements of depth and trawl geometry from sensors (SCANMAR) mounted on a bottom trawl deployed during a survey off Newfoundland and Labrador in winter 2007. Acoustic data were acquired while trawling, using a 38-kHz echosounder (Simrad EK500) with a hull-mounted transducer. The DZe was calculated as the difference between the trawl-footrope depth and the corresponding acoustically sensed, seabed depth. EK500 and SCANMAR estimates of seabed depth were significantly different. The fish caught were mostly Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). The estimates of DZe ranged between 2.0 and 3.5 m and were greater than DZt by 0.1–0.9 m in more than half the cases. Three values of acoustically derived cod densities were estimated for each tow, without dead-zone correction and with corrections for DZt and DZe. When compared with DZt corrections, DZe resulted in negative (6–12%) and positive (9–35%) corrections to cod density. A general linear model revealed that the seabed depth gradient, standard deviation of estimated fish density in the dead zone, and wind direction and force explained 85% of the difference between DZt and DZe estimates. These factors affected the detection of the seabed and biased acoustically derived indices of demersal-fish abundance.

A statistical-spectral method for echo classification

Abstract Demer, D. A., Cutter, G. R., Renfree, J. S., and Butler, J. L. 2009. A statistical-spectral method for echo classification. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 1081–1090. The frequency dependence of sound-scatter intensity is commonly exploited to classify fish, zooplankton, and the seabed observed in acoustic surveys. Although less utilized, techniques based on the statistics of echo amplitudes can also be used to extract information. For example, single-frequency echo statistics have been used to determine whether backscatter originates from single or multiple fish or from rough or smooth seabeds, and to estimate scatterer sizes and densities. The efficacies of the amplitude-based techniques are challenged, however, by the usual requirement to group echo measurements to facilitate meaningful comparisons with model predictions. Groupings of data over space, time, or both, can combine scatter from multiple taxa or species, confounding the comparisons. These methods are improved with a hybrid, statistical-spectral method for target identification (SSID), which incorporates information contained in both the signal amplitudes and phases. The SSID uses multifrequency echo statistics from individual time-space intensities (pixels) to identify general scattering types, before applying model-based identification schemes for target identifications. The effectiveness of the SSID is demonstrated for fine-scale separation of scatter from demersal fish and the seabed and estimating seabed depth, within-beam slope, hardness and roughness, and the height of the dynamic acoustic dead zone.

Inferring the acoustic dead-zone volume by split-beam echo sounder with narrow-beam transducer on a noninertial platform

Acoustic measurement of near-bottom fish with a directional transducer is generally problematical because the powerful bottom echo interferes with weaker echoes from fish within the main lobe but at greater ranges than that of the bottom. The volume that is obscured is called the dead zone. This has already been estimated for the special case of a flat horizontal bottom when observed by an echo sounder with a stable vertical transducer beam [Ona, E., and Mitson, R. B. (1996). ICES J. Mar. Sci. 53, 677-690]. The more general case of observation by a split-beam echo sounder with a transducer mounted on a noninertial platform is addressed here. This exploits the capability of a split-beam echo sounder to measure the bottom slope relative to the beam axis and thence to allow the dead-zone volume over a flat but sloping bottom to be estimated analytically. The method is established for the Simrad EK60 scientific echo sounder, with split-beam transducers operating at 18, 38, 70, 120, and 200 kHz. It is validated by comparing their estimates of seafloor slope near the Lofoten Islands, N67-70, with simultaneous measurements made by two hydrographic multibeam sonars, the Simrad EM100295 kHz and EM30030 kHz systems working in tandem.

Combining acoustics and video to image fish in the acoustic dead zone

A stationary acoustical‐optical platform (AOP) has been developed to detect groundfish presence and to estimate biomass. The AOP is a new approach to fisheries science because sampling from a platform on the ocean floor overcomes limitations of traditional surface acoustic surveys, where echoes from groundfish near the seafloor are obscured by stronger reflections from the ocean bottom. The AOP capitalizes on the complementary strengths of acoustical and optical sampling techniques by using acoustics for fish enumeration and optics for species identification and measurements of fish length. Each AOP is equipped with four video cameras, two 200‐kHz sonar transducers, and a suite of environmental sensors. One sonar face is mounted in the horizontal direction to image the area directly above the seafloor, whereas the second transducer is oriented vertically to sample the water column above the platform. Acoustic backscatter, target species, size, and observation angle were quantified when fish were simultaneously detected by the sonar and optical sensors. Calculations of target strengths were then related to fish size and orientation, for incorporation into biomass estimates. The AOP is designed to be used in an observation system with multiple platforms elements, so fish populations can be monitored over large spatial scales. [Work supported by NOAA.]

Multisectored interstitial ultrasound applicators for dynamic angular control of thermal therapy

Dynamic angular control of thermal ablation and hyperthermia therapy with current interstitial heating technology is limited in capability, and often relies upon nonadjustable angular power deposition patterns and/or mechanical manipulation of the heating device. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of multisectored tubular interstitial ultrasound devices to provide control of the angular heating distribution without device manipulation. Multisectored tubular transducers with independent sector power control were incorporated into modified versions of internally cooled (1.9 mm OD) and catheter-cooled (2.4 mm OD) interstitial ultrasound applicators in this work. The heating capabilities of these multisectored devices were evaluated by measurements of acoustic output properties, measurements of thermal lesions produced in ex vivo tissue samples, biothermal simulations of thermal ablation and hyperthermia treatments, and MR temperature imaging of ex vivo and in vivo experiments. Acoustic beam measurements of each applicator type displayed a 35 degrees -40 degrees acoustic dead zone between each independent sector, with negligible mechanical or electrical coupling. Thermal lesions produced in ex vivo liver tissue with one, two, or three sectors activated ranged from 13-18 mm in radius with contiguous zones of coagulation between active sectors. The simulations demonstrated the degree of angular control possible by using variable power levels applied to each sector, variable duration of applied constant power to individual sectors, respectively, or a multipoint temperature controller to vary the power applied to each sector. Despite the acoustic dead zone between sectors, the simulations also showed that the variance from the maximum lesion radius with three elements activated is within 4%-13% for tissue perfusions from 1-10 kg m(-3) s(-1). Simulations of hyperthermia with maximum tissue temperatures of 45 degrees C and 48 degrees C displayed radial penetration up to 2 cm of the 40 degrees C steady-state contour. Thermal characterizations of trisectored applicators in ex vivo and in vivo muscle, using real-time MR thermal imaging, reinforced angular controllability and negligible radial variance of the heating pattern from the applicators, demonstrated effective heating penetration, and displayed MR compatibility. The multisectored interstitial ultrasound applicators developed in this study demonstrated a significant degree of dynamic angular control of a heating pattern without device manipulation, while maintaining heat penetration consistent with previously reported results from other interstitial ultrasound applicators.

Vertical migration, catchability and acoustic assessment of semi-pelagic Cape horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus capensis in the southern Benguela

The vertical distribution and migration of the Cape horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus capensis were investigated on the basis of midwater and bottom trawl collections taken over diel cycles at two sites on South Africa's south coast. Attempts were also made to investigate the relationship between bottom trawl catch rates and acoustic abundance estimates. During the first cycle, horse mackerel were dispersed in midwater during the night, and towards sunrise they coalesced into schools and migrated to the seabed where they remained throughout the day. During that cycle, horse mackerel did not appear to feed, despite the prevalence of potential food, mainly Calanus copepods and euphausiid larvae, in the water column. In contrast, during the second cycle, horse mackerel remained near the seabed during the 24-h experiment, but they exhibited a marked feeding periodicity, with most feeding taking place in the late afternoon. They appeared to select for larger copepods in the water column. Several reasons are advanced to explain the difference in the vertical migratory behaviour of horse mackerel between the two sites, on the basis of the vertical distribution of their potential prey. Diel differences in acoustic estimates of horse mackerel abundance were significantly reduced after applying an acoustic deadzone correction factor. Trawl catches, however, could not be reconciled with acoustic estimates during the day, when horse mackerel were too close to the bottom for effective echo-integration.

An adaptive, integrated “acoustic-trawl” survey design for Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) with estimation of the acoustic and trawl dead zones

Abstract The objectives of this study were to design an operationally efficient groundfish survey integrating both acoustic and trawl methodologies, to measure the changing vertical availability of cod to each method over 24 h and to compare cod-biomass estimates from the two methods within two experimental sub-regions. The two-phased sampling design involved (i) conducting an initial systematic acoustic survey to locate an area of high cod concentrations, (ii) using the acoustic-backscatter information to stratify the sub-regions into density strata for the allocation of trawl hauls, and (iii) conducting a second systematic acoustic survey at the same time as a random-stratified trawl survey. This protocol permitted the optimization of trawl sampling according to population density and the realization of simultaneous trawl and acoustic estimates for direct comparison. These cod showed extensive diel vertical migrations, which affected their availability to the trawl gear at night and the acoustic beam by day. An acoustic dead-zone correction was applied to the acoustic estimates, averaging 4–15% of the biomass for the night-time transects and 11–36% for the daytime transects. The detailed temporal acoustic monitoring of the vertical migrations permitted the quantification of the change in cod availability to the trawl gear. From 6% to 47% of cod were above the effective trawl height at night, while 0–10% of cod were in the “trawl dead zone” by day. Estimated cod densities were very similar between the two methods on a haul-by-haul basis after correcting each method for their respective inherent sampling biases. The total biomass estimates were also comparable between the two methods for one sub-region, although significantly higher from the trawl data for the other. The discrepancies were most likely a result of differences in the sampling density of the two methods.

Diurnal variation in acoustic densities: why do we see less in the dark?

Diurnal fluctuations in total integrated echo abundance and in vertical density profiles were examined using data from the Norwegian combined acoustic and bottom-trawl survey for demersal fish during winter in the Barents Sea. The total echo abundance was about 40%–50% higher at day than at night. An unknown amount of fish was lost close to the seabed in the acoustic dead zone, but the systematic changes in the near-bottom vertical density profiles did not indicate that migration in and out of the dead zone was the major reason for the large diurnal differences in echo abundance. A more plausible explanation could be that diurnal changes in fish behaviour affect the mean acoustic target strength. Based on the present study, we recommend that the time series of acoustic surveys should be re analysed, taking the diurnal bias into account. Any comparison of the fish densities indicated by trawl and acoustic surveys will suffer if this bias is not corrected. We believe that model development utilizing this type of information is crucial for future ecosystem-based monitoring.