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Course BIO333

Acoustic Methods in Fisheries and Marine Biology

Course offered :

Number of credits 5
Course offered (semester) Spring
Subject overlap MAR332; 5 stp
Schedule Schedule
Reading list Reading list

Pre-requirements

Compulsory parts of bachelor in biology/aquaculture

Learning Outcomes

After completing the lectures and reading, the student is expected to know:

  • Know the basic parameters of underwater acoustics.
  • Describe the backscattering properties of fish and other aquatic organisms.
  • Describe the fundaments for echo counting and echo integration.
  • Describe the standard calibration procedures for echo sounders.
  • Understand the difference between single beam, split beam, multibeam and sonar.
  • Describe how the two way transmission loss may be compensated for. (TVG).
  • How targets can be identified acoustically.
  • Know the advantage and statistical limitation in transect sampling, as compared to random sampling.
  • How to measure the mean target strength of fish.
  • How to measure swimming speed and swimming direction of single targets.
  • How and when biological sampling is conducted in acoustic surveys.
  • How length samples from multiple stations within strata is combined for demersal and pelagic fish surveys.
  • Know about the most recognized errors and limitations in acoustic surveys.

Contact Information

studie@bio.uib.no

Course offered (semester)

Spring

Aim and Content

The lectures give an introduction to physical and biological principals for hydroacoustic detection and measurements of marine organisms, with main focus on fish and zooplankton. The basic laws for sound in the ocean are first dealt with. Further, the function and operation of a scientific echo sounder, the echo integrator and sonar will be described and demonstrated through practical training. In particular, acoustic methods for abundance estimation of fish and zooplankton in their natural environment are demonstrated. Also, survey methods and associated statistics for describing the vertical and horizontal distribution of organisms, their identification and behavior will be dealt with. Method limitation and recognized errors will be presented.

Learning Outcomes

After completing the lectures and reading, the student is expected to know:

  • Know the basic parameters of underwater acoustics.
  • Describe the backscattering properties of fish and other aquatic organisms.
  • Describe the fundaments for echo counting and echo integration.
  • Describe the standard calibration procedures for echo sounders.
  • Understand the difference between single beam, split beam, multibeam and sonar.
  • Describe how the two way transmission loss may be compensated for. (TVG).
  • How targets can be identified acoustically.
  • Know the advantage and statistical limitation in transect sampling, as compared to random sampling.
  • How to measure the mean target strength of fish.
  • How to measure swimming speed and swimming direction of single targets.
  • How and when biological sampling is conducted in acoustic surveys.
  • How length samples from multiple stations within strata is combined for demersal and pelagic fish surveys.
  • Know about the most recognized errors and limitations in acoustic surveys.

Pre-requirements

Compulsory parts of bachelor in biology/aquaculture

Recommended previous knowledge

Compulsory parts of bachelor in biology/aquaculture

Compulsory Requirements

Compulsory exercises

Assessment methods

Oral exam

Grading Scale

The grading scale used is A to F. Grade A is the highest passing grade in the grading scale, grade F is a fail.

Contact Information

studie@bio.uib.no