Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    Quantifying the acoustics packing density of fish schools with a multi-beam sonar

    249091_113080_79793_published.pdf (284.5Kb)
    Access Status
    Open access
    Authors
    Parsons, Miles
    Parnum, Iain
    McCauley, Robert
    Date
    2013
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Parsons, M. and Parnum, I. and McCauley, R. 2013. Quantifying the acoustics packing density of fish schools with a multi-beam sonar. Acoustics Australia. 41 (1): pp. 107-112.
    Source Title
    Acoustics Australia
    ISSN
    08146039
    School
    Centre for Marine Science and Technology
    Remarks

    Reproduced with permission of Australian Acoustical Society

    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/49358
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Multi-beam (swath) sonar systems provide the capability to ensonify an entire aggregation of fish in a single pass. However, estimation of abundance and discrimination between species via the use of target strength are considerably more complex than using traditional echosounders, because they ensonify targets at a much wider range of incidence angles. The beam pattern and along beam resolution of multi-beam swaths can produce individual sample volumes that are of similarmagnitude to an individual fish (particularly for large fish, say >1m in length). If individual fish can be resolved, (either as a single fish within a sample, or as multiple contiguous samples that delineate a single fish), and if one assumes that this situation applies to the whole school, acoustic packing density can be determined by dividing the volume of the school by the number of detected acoustic targets. This estimate is proportional to the actual packing density of the fish, defined asthe number of fish per unit volume of water. Acoustic backscatter of fish from a number of schools comprising different species were collected off Perth, in 2005 and 2007, using a Reson Seabat 8125 and 7125 respectively. Nearest neighbour distances of between 1 and 3 body lengths were observed and packing density of acoustic targets showed distinct variation between some species. However, schools of the same species also displayed different acoustic packing densities at differentstages of their growth and development. Such differences were more difficult to observe in schools of fewer fish because the variations in packing density had less impact on the overall volume of the smaller schools associated with fewer fish. Therefore discrimination between species was only deemed possible when surveying two species of different sized fish at the same time. Video ground truth data is recommended to confirm species composition whatever the type of schoolobserved.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • An investigation into active and passive acoustic techniques to study aggregating fish species
      Parsons, Miles James Gerard (2009)
      Techniques of single- and multi-beam active acoustics and the passive recording of fish vocalisations were employed to evaluate the benefits and limitations of each technique as a method for assessing and monitoring fish ...
    • Estimates of variability of goldband snapper target strength and biomass in three fishing regions within the Northern Demersal Scalefish Fishery (Western Australia)
      Gastauer, S.; Scoulding, B.; Parsons, Miles (2017)
      Goldband snapper (Pristipomoides multidens) is an ecologically and economically important species in the Northern Demersal Scalefish Fishery (NDSF). The Carolina M, a trap fishing vessel operating in the NDSF, was equipped ...
    • Seabed biotope characterisation based on acoustic sensing
      Kloser, Rudolf J (2007)
      The background to this thesis is Australia’s Oceans Policy, which aims to develop an integrated and ecosystem-based approach to planning and management. An important part of this approach is the identification of natural ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.