High-Resolution Acoustic Cameras Provide Direct and Efficient Assessments of Large Demersal Fish Populations in Extremely Turbid Waters

Type Article
Date 2021-02
Language English
Author(s) Artero CelineORCID1, 2, Marchetti Simon3, Bauer Eric3, Viala Christophe4, Noël Claire3, Koenig Christopher2, Berzins Rachel1, Lampert LuisORCID5
Affiliation(s) 1 : Office Français de la Biodiversité (ex Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage), 97338 Cayenne CEDEX, French Guiana
2 : Coastal and Marine Laboratory, Florida State University, St Teresa Beach, FL 32358, USA
3 : SEMANTIC T.S., 83110 Sanary-sur-Mer, France
4 : Seaviews, 13600 La Ciotat, France
5 : Institut Français de Recherche Pour l’Exploitation de la MER, Dyneco/Pelagos, 29280 Plouzané, France
Source Applied Sciences (2076-3417) (MDPI AG), 2021-02 , Vol. 11 , N. 4 , P. 1899 (16p.)
DOI 10.3390/app11041899
WOS© Times Cited 12
Note This article belongs to the Special Issue New Ways to Monitor and Analyse Biodiversity in the Marine Environment
Keyword(s) fish stock survey, turbid waters, acoustic camera, demersal fish, distribution, detectability
Abstract

Monitoring fish species populations in very turbid environments is challenging. Acoustic cameras allow work in very poor visibility but are often deployed as a fixed observation point, limiting the scope of the survey. A BlueView P900-130 acoustic camera was deployed in rocky marine habitats off the coast of French Guiana in order to assess the total abundance, size structure and spatial distribution of a demersal fish population. The relevancy of using an acoustic camera to achieve these three objectives was evaluated by comparing acoustic data to those obtained from fishing surveys. The detection and identification of large demersal fish species were possible with the shape and size of the acoustic signal and acoustic shadow silhouette as well as swimming behavior. Mobile surveys combined with stationary surveys increased the probability of distinguishing individuals from inanimate objects. Estimated total length based on the acoustic signal underestimated the actual length of fish measured on deck, but the data showed the same trends in spatial and temporal variation. Acoustic cameras overcame the extreme lack of visibility by increasing knowledge of fish use of habitat, therefore providing much more efficiency in the effort, more accurate data on the abundance, size structure and spatial distribution than the fishing method. Thus, despite few limitations, acoustic camera surveys are far superior to fishing surveys in evaluating large demersal fish stock status.

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Artero Celine, Marchetti Simon, Bauer Eric, Viala Christophe, Noël Claire, Koenig Christopher, Berzins Rachel, Lampert Luis (2021). High-Resolution Acoustic Cameras Provide Direct and Efficient Assessments of Large Demersal Fish Populations in Extremely Turbid Waters. Applied Sciences, 11(4), 1899 (16p.). Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.3390/app11041899 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00687/79907/