November 2, 2011
The Habitat Ecology Team recently completed a survey of demersal fishes in southern California using Nuytco's occupied Dual Deepworker submersible. This survey is part of a "calibration study" to understand the capabilities of various technologies and methods to assess West Coast groundfishes. All data from this survey will be analyzed to estimate abundance, size composition, biomass, and species diversity of demersal fish assemblages in untrawlable rocky habitats. Our results will be compared with those from two other studies conducted with an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV; NWFSC) and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) coupled with hydroacoustics (SWFSC).
Learn more:
Understanding the capabilities of new technologies and methods to survey west coast groundfishes: Results from a visual survey conducted in 2011 using the Dual Deepworker manned submersible at Footprint and Piggy banks off Southern California.
Final report to NMFS Science Advisor for Stock Assessments, March 2013.
Related item: Development of Predictive Models to Relate Population Abundance of Rockfishes and Habitats
The Ascension-Monterey Canyon System: Habitats of demersal fishes and macroinvertebrates along the central California coast of the USA
Reactions of fishes to two underwater survey tools, a manned submersible and a remotely operated vehicle
Contact: SWFSC Fisheries Ecology Division, Habitat Ecology Team