Accurate and precise stock assessments are predicated on accurate and precise estimates of life history parameters, abundance, and catch across the range of the stock. NOAA Fisheries is increasingly looking to advanced fishery-independent survey methods to estimate stock abundance and many authors have highlighted the continued need for development of non-intrusive methods that can be used in areas both open and closed to fishing, as well as for stocks where extractive sampling may remove a significant portion of the yearly quota. While it is commonly agreed that a combination of survey methods is preferable to any single method, in order to be used effectively and efficiently, such methods must be quantitatively evaluated and compared. The development of adequate calibration factors allows pooling of data from disparate methods to generate robust metrics of abundance. In this study, we quantitatively compare a suite of autonomous optical, acoustic, and cooperative research fishery-independent sampling methods for estimating species-specific size-structured abundance for six snapper species and one grouper species, which comprise the major insular commercial fishery in the Main Hawaiian Islands (known as the Deep 7 bottomfish complex). This comparison serves as the basis for an operational, fishery-independent survey for stock assessment in the Main Hawaiian Islands.

These data contain shipboard active acoustics data collected in the Pacific, both pelagic and near shore environments. Data is collected using Simrad EK60 splitbeam multifrequency systems with the transducers pointing vertically down in the water column. The echosounders operate up to four frequencies at 38 kHz, 70 kHz, 120 kHz, and 200 kHz.

Integrated acoustic and trawl surveys are used to assess the distribution, biomass, and biology of Pacific hake along the Pacific coasts of the United States and Canada. Scientists from the Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) and Department of Fisheries and Oceans-Canada are responsible for conducting the survey. The survey consists of a series of transects that are oriented generally east-west, and are spaced at a nominal 10-nautical mile interval. Sea depth at the nearshore end of individual transects is typically 50 m; offshore extents are typically at a depth of 1,500 m. Geographical coverage extends from near Morro Bay, CA north to Dixon Entrance. Acoustic data are collected during daylight hours with a Simrad EK60 scientific echo sounder coupled with the ER60 software system. Trawl samples from pelagic and bottom trawls are used to classify the observed backscatter layers to species and size composition and to collect specimens of Pacific hake and other organisms. Analysis of acoustic data involves identification and delineation of backscatter layers that are attributed to Pacific hake. The biomass estimate and length-at-age composition of Pacific hake generated from this survey are used in analysis and management of the stock. This survey is conducted on a biennial basis. There is a firm deadline for producing the biomass estimate in the middle of the December following the survey. Oceanographic data collected from CTDs, XBTs, SBEs, and the ADCP.

The Southeast Fishery-Independent Survey (SEFIS) was created by the National Marine Fisheries Service in 2010 and operates out of the NOAA Beaufort Laboratory. The survey conducts fishery-independent sampling and related applied research, focusing on the assessment of spatial variability in distribution and abundance of marine fish species within the snapper-grouper complex, via data collected from fish traps, video cameras, and acoustics. The NOAA ship Pisces departed Morehead city on 5 July 2014 for a SEFIS research cruise in continental shelf and shelf-break waters off the southeastern U.S. During this survey, 227 sq km of multibeam data were collected from 48 discrete areas between 33.5 Deg N and 35.0 Deg N. A total of 391 concomitant trap-camera samples were collected.

Sikuliaq Cruise SKQ201812T (EK60)

This Bio Acoustic data was collected in July 2011 under the IMOS Ship of Opportunity (SOOP) Bio Acoustic (BA) program on Austral Fisheries FV Austral Leader II (IMOS platform code: VHLU). Departed: Australia, July 7, 2011 Arrived: Australia, July 12, 2011 Bio acoustic signals allow understanding how mid-water prey species (known collectively as micronekton) such as small fish, squid, krill and jellyfish are distributed. Mid-water prey form the core of the ocean food web, transferring energy from primary producers at the ocean surface to top predators such as tunas, billfish, sharks, seals and seabirds.The mass and distribution of micronekton reflects broad-scale patterns in the structure and function of the ocean, as well as the dynamics of marine ecosystems. Acoustic mapping is done from fishing and scientific vessels that are equipped with scientifically-calibrated 38 kHz digital echo-sounders that record a slice of acoustic backscatter to a depth of 1500 meters.

This Bio Acoustic data was collected in September 2011 under the IMOS Ship of Opportunity (SOOP) Bio Acoustic (BA) program on Austral Fisheries FV Austral Leader II (IMOS platform code: VHLU). Departed: Australia, September 4, 2011 Arrived: Australia, September 11, 2011 Bio acoustic signals allow understanding how mid-water prey species (known collectively as micronekton) such as small fish, squid, krill and jellyfish are distributed. Mid-water prey form the core of the ocean food web, transferring energy from primary producers at the ocean surface to top predators such as tunas, billfish, sharks, seals and seabirds.The mass and distribution of micronekton reflects broad-scale patterns in the structure and function of the ocean, as well as the dynamics of marine ecosystems. Acoustic mapping is done from fishing and scientific vessels that are equipped with scientifically-calibrated 38 kHz digital echo-sounders that record a slice of acoustic backscatter to a depth of 1500 meters.

Summer surveys of the Chukchi Sea indicate that high densities of age-0 gadid fishes, historically Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) but recently also walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus), dominate the pelagic fish community. Adults are comparatively scarce, suggesting that either overwinter survivorship of age-0 gadids is low, or that they emigrate to other areas of the Pacific Arctic. To examine population movement, we conducted repeat acoustic surveys with saildrone autonomous surface vehicles equipped with echosounders throughout summer 2018. Results of these surveys were published in Levine et al. (2021). The survey was completed by two 7-meter saildrone USVs. The primary water column acoustic instrument for the survey was a Simrad EK80 mini scientific echosounder system equipped with a dual frequency ES38-18/200-18CR transducer (38 kHz split-beam, 200 kHz single beam). The vessels departed Dutch Harbor, AK on 30 June 2018, conducted acoustic surveys of the eastern Chukchi Sea from 20 July to 11 September, and returned to Dutch Harbor on 06 October. The echosounder system was calibrated via the standard sphere method before and after the cruise. Levine, R.M., De Robertis, A., Grünbaum, D., Woodgate, R., Mordy, C.W., Mueter, F., Cokelet, E., Lawrence-Slavas, N. and Tabisola, H. (2021), Autonomous vehicle surveys indicate that flow reversals retain juvenile fishes in a highly advective high-latitude ecosystem. Limnol Oceanogr, 66: 1139-1154. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.11671

This Bio Acoustic data was collected in September 2011 under the IMOS Ship of Opportunity (SOOP) Bio Acoustic (BA) program on Austral Fisheries FV Southern Champion (IMOS platform code: VHGI). Departed: Australia, September 6, 2011 Arrived: Australia, September 8, 2011 Bio acoustic signals allow understanding how mid-water prey species (known collectively as micronekton) such as small fish, squid, krill and jellyfish are distributed. Mid-water prey form the core of the ocean food web, transferring energy from primary producers at the ocean surface to top predators such as tunas, billfish, sharks, seals and seabirds.The mass and distribution of micronekton reflects broad-scale patterns in the structure and function of the ocean, as well as the dynamics of marine ecosystems. Acoustic mapping is done from fishing and scientific vessels that are equipped with scientifically-calibrated 38 kHz digital echo-sounders that record a slice of acoustic backscatter to a depth of 1500 meters.

Acoustic-Trawl Surveys of Walleye Pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) in the Gulf of Alaska (SH2019-04). The Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering (MACE) program of NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) conducted acoustic-trawl (AT) stock assessment surveys in the Shelikof Strait, Chirikof shelf break,and Marmot Bay areas of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) in the late winter/early spring of 2019 to estimate the distribution and abundance of walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus). This survey was conducted aboard NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada, a 64 meter stern trawler equipped with acoustic and oceanographic instrumentation. The primary acoustic instrument for the survey was a Simrad EK60 split-beam echosounder system utilizing five frequencies (18, 38, 70, 120, and 200 kHz). The vessel departed Kodiak, Alaska on 6 March and conducted an acoustic system calibration in Kalsin Bay, Kodiak Island 7 March. The Shelikof Strait was conducted 7-16 March, the Chirikof shelf break sure was conducted 16-18 March, and the Marmot Bay survey was conducted 19-20 March. A post-cruise acoustic system calibration was conducted 20-21 March in Kalsin Bay and the vessel arrived in Kodiak, Alaska on 21 March.