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Report of the Working Group on Fisheries Acoustics, Science and Technology (WGFAST)

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Report of the Working Group on Fisheries Acoustics, Science and Technology (WGFAST) ICES WGFAST REPORT 2014 SCICOM STEERING GROUP ON ECOSYSTEM SURVEYS, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ICES CM 2014/SSGESST:07 REF. SCICOM & ACOM Report of the Working Group on Fisheries Acoustics, Science and Technology (WGFAST) 6-9 May 2014 New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA International Council for the Exploration of the Sea Conseil International pour l’Exploration de la Mer H. C. Andersens Boulevard 44–46 DK-1553 Copenhagen V Denmark Telephone (+45) 33 38 67 00 Telefax (+45) 33 93 42 15 www.ices.dk [email protected] Recommended format for purposes of citation: ICES. 2014. Report of the Working Group on Fisheries Acoustics, Science and Tech- nology (WGFAST), 6-9 May 2014, New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA. ICES CM 2014/SSGESST:07. 41 pp. For permission to reproduce material from this publication, please apply to the Gen- eral Secretary. The document is a report of an Expert Group under the auspices of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea and does not necessarily represent the views of the Council. © 2014 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea ICES WGFAST REPORT 2014 | i Contents Executive summary ................................................................................................................ 1 1 Opening of the meeting ................................................................................................ 2 2 Adoption of the agenda ................................................................................................ 2 3 TOR a: List of papers originating in the community of the WGFAST Working Group 2013–2014 ........................................................................................... 4 4 TOR b: Applications of acoustic methods to characterize ecosystem .................. 5 4.1 Contributions to the session ................................................................................ 5 4.2 Summary of session ............................................................................................ 10 5 TOR b: Acoustic properties of marine organisms ................................................. 12 5.1 Contributions to the session .............................................................................. 12 5.2 Summary of session ............................................................................................ 15 6 TOR b: Emerging technologies, methodologies, and protocols .......................... 17 6.1 Contributions to the session .............................................................................. 17 6.2 Summary of session ............................................................................................ 24 7 TOR b: Biomass estimation: Best practice and guidance ..................................... 25 7.1 Contributions to session .................................................................................... 25 7.2 Summary of session ............................................................................................ 29 8 TOR d: Organize international acoustic symposium ............................................ 30 9 TOR e: Organize joint sessions at ICES ASC ......................................................... 31 10 Reports and updates from associated groups and miscellaneous issues .......... 31 10.1 Update from SSGIEOM...................................................................................... 31 10.2 Study Group on Calibration of Acoustic Equipment (SGCAL) ................... 32 10.3 Topic Group on metadata standards ............................................................... 32 10.4 Working group on acoustic multi- frequency target classification (WGTC) ................................................................................................................ 32 10.5 Workshop on fishing vessels as scientific platforms ..................................... 33 10.6 Miscellaneous issues .......................................................................................... 33 Annex 1: List of participants............................................................................................... 34 Annex 2: Agenda ................................................................................................................... 37 Annex 3: Group photo ......................................................................................................... 39 Annex 4: WGFAST multi-annual terms of reference (TORs) for the period 2014–2016 ....................................................................................................................... 40 ii | ICES WGFAST REPORT 2014 ICES WGFAST REPORT 2014 | 1 Executive summary The Working Group on Fisheries Acoustics, Science and Technology (WGFAST) met in New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA, from 6–9 May 2014. Verena Trenkel (France) served as Chair and Stephane Gauthier (Canada) as rapporteur. There were 66 partic- ipants from 14 countries who contributed to the four terms of reference with 49 presen- tations of new and exciting research in a diversity of subjects related to fisheries acoustics as well as reports from the topic group on Metadata standards, the study group on Calibration of acoustic equipment, the newly formed Working Group on Acoustic Target Classification (WGTC), and other initiatives. Highlights • The major themes addressed during the meeting included: • Applications of acoustic methods to characterize ecosystems • Acoustic properties of marine organisms • Emerging technologies, methodologies, and protocols (special topic: Biomass esti- mation: Best practice and guidance) A separate session was held for each theme, where the participants first presented the latest results of their work, followed by a discussion. The abstracts and discussion sum- maries are given in the report. The contributions exemplified the broad range of eco- system-related problems to which acoustic methods are currently being applied within the wider ICES community. A recurrent theme was the importance, and often diffi- culty, of effective ground-truthing. A great deal of interest currently surrounds work on mesopelagic fish, which are challenging to work with due to their variable acoustic properties. Multiple examples illustrated that acoustic surveys are well positioned to provide indices for Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (e.g. zooplankton and euphau- siid abundance indices). With regard to acoustic properties, the contributions illus- trated the range of activities that are being carried out, especially now that multifrequency discrimination of species is becoming standard practice. The develop- ment of wideband acoustic systems is rapidly advancing, as is the integration of acous- tic systems into new technologies (e.g. gliders), and the development of calibration methods for existing and new acoustic systems. Acoustic technologies are applied at both large and small temporal and spatial scales to biological and non-biological ques- tions. From the presentations and discussions it emerged that scientists using acoustics for biomass estimation have invested much thought and effort into identifying and estimating sources of uncertainty and into reducing these uncertainties when possible, e.g. by improving TS equations, ground-truthing using optics, analysing vertical dis- tributions and diel variations, carrying out simulations, etc. Paradoxically however, these efforts to understand and quantify sources of uncertainty can lead users to erro- neously conclude that acoustic biomass estimates are too unreliable to be useful, com- pared with, for example, commercial landings data or bottom-trawl survey abundance indices for which bias and uncertainties caused by spatio-temporal variations in catch- ability, gear performance, species behaviour, etc. remain largely unexplored and there- fore are commonly ignored. 2 | ICES WGFAST REPORT 2014 1 Opening of the meeting Verena Trenkel (Ifremer, France), WGFAST chair, opened the meeting, and welcomed the working group members to New Bedford. She thanked the host Mike Jech for his hospitality and for organising the meeting. The chair Verena Trenkel introduced the structure of the working group and the terms of reference. Study groups and other initiatives will be reporting on progress. Stephane Gauthier (DFO, Canada) was appointed as rapporteur for the meeting. 2 Adoption of the agenda The Working Group on Fisheries Acoustics, Science and Technology (WGFAST), chaired by Verena Trenkel, France, will meet in New Bedford, USA, May 5–9 2014, to work on ToRs and generate deliverables as listed in the Table below. WGFAST will report on the activities of 2014 (year 1) by 30 June 2014 to SSGESST. ToR descriptors ToR Description Background Duration Expected deliverables a Produce a list of papers origi- The WGFAST community produces Year 1, 2 An updated list nating in the community of the several papers every year, and an and 3 of references WGFAST working group update on recent WGFAST activities that acknowledges ICES is important. b Present recent work within the Create a venue for informing the 1,2,3 Report topics “Applications of group members on recent activities acoustic methods to and seeking input to furhter characterize ecosystems”, developement. An overview of the “Acoustic properties of marine different contributions will be organisms“, “Behaviour“, and presented in the annual report. “Emerging technologies, methodologies, and protocols“. c Write a review to showcase After three years a review paper will 3 year Write a review the work of WGFAST with be written to showcase the
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