Article
Environmental Sciences
Melinda L. Rekdahl, Sarah G. Trabue, Carissa D. King-Nolan, Samantha Strindberg, Howard C. Rosenbaum
Summary: This study investigated the spatiotemporal distribution of harbour porpoise in the NY-NJ Harbour Estuary from 2018-2020. The results showed that harbour porpoises were present at low levels year-round, with seasonal peaks in winter to spring (February to June). Sea surface temperature and chlorophyll-a concentration were significant predictors of harbour porpoise presence, but further research is needed to understand this relationship.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biology
Lotte Kindt-Larsen, Gildas Glemarec, Casper W. Berg, Sara Konigson, Anne-Mette Kroner, Mathias Sogaard, David Lusseau
Summary: Incidental captures (bycatch) of harbour porpoise in European Union fisheries remain a significant threat to cetaceans. A long-term monitoring program in Denmark using electronic monitoring has provided detailed data on porpoise bycatch and gillnet fishing effort. The study highlights the importance of considering fishing characteristics in estimating bycatch rates and emphasizes the need for effective monitoring methods and mitigation techniques.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Weilun Li, Jiansong Qiu, Peiyu Lei, Xiaohong Chen, Fei Fan, Xiaojun Deng, Yingen Dai, Yanqing Deng, Kexiong Wang, Zhigang Mei
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the activities of Phocoenidae in fresh and coastal waters by recording their echolocation clicks using a real-time passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) system. The developed Real-time Porpoise Click Detector-II (RPCD-II) was deployed under a docked fishing vessel and successfully detected signals of Yangtze finless porpoise in real-time. The results were consistent with another control device, validating the ability of RPCD-II for real-time detection in the field.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Derrick T. de Kerckhove, Brian J. Shuter
Summary: Fish schools reduce predator encounter rates by evasive maneuvers and increasing distances between prey patches. However, isolated prey fish face a similar challenge during diel school formation. A study using an Ideal Gas movement model found that as the stock sizes of fish who form schools daily decrease, school densities remain unchanged but their average sizes become smaller and the number of isolated prey dramatically increases. Predator encounter rates remain consistent across different stock sizes, with a slight peak at intermediate prey densities. However, even slight benefits from predator evasion maneuvers could substantially decrease predation rates on larger schools.
ECOLOGICAL MODELLING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Laura Palmer, Douglas Gillespie, Jamie D. J. MacAulay, Carol E. Sparling, Debbie J. F. Russell, Gordon D. Hastie
Summary: The study conducted in Scotland showed that harbour porpoises exhibited significant avoidance of a tidal turbine when it was operating, with avoidance increasing with flow speed. The temporal variability in encounter rate highlighted the need for long-term baseline monitoring to understand collision risk more comprehensively. It is important to assess the generality of avoidance rates presented in this study for different sites, turbine types, array sizes, and cetacean species as the tidal industry expands, to balance the benefits of avoidance responses with potential chronic effects of displacement from important habitats.
AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lachlan R. Phillips, Gemma Carroll, Ian Jonsen, Robert Harcourt, Andrew S. Brierley, Adam Wilkins, Martin Cox
Summary: Understanding how marine predators encounter prey across patchy landscapes remains challenging. This study used GPS and dive loggers to measure the at-sea behavior of little penguins and assessed the prey field through boat-based acoustic surveys. The results showed that penguin tracks had higher prey encounter rates compared to random movements, but reductions in prey encounters and abnormal body mass were observed when prey was sparse or deep.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biology
Heather Vance, Peter T. Madsen, Natacha Aguilar de Soto, Danuta Maria Wisniewska, Michael Ladegaard, Sascha Hooker, Mark Johnson
Summary: Research shows that toothed whales can adjust clicking rates to track prey movements and escape responses quickly. Their neurokinetic response times in echolocation are similar to visual tracking responses, indicating a common neural underpinning.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Charlotte R. Findlay, Dmitry Aleynik, Adrian Farcas, Nathan D. Merchant, Denise Risch, Ben Wilson
Summary: This study utilized acoustic modeling to investigate the impact of ADD noise on cetaceans on the west coast of Scotland, highlighting potential risks to harbour porpoises and the importance of considering unintended consequences of management interventions to reduce human-wildlife conflicts.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Jamie Macaulay, Al Kingston, Alex Coram, Michael Oswald, Rene Swift, Doug Gillespie, Simon Northridge
Summary: A passive acoustic monitoring system was developed to track the behavior of harbour porpoises around fishing nets. By localizing their acoustic clicks, highly detailed 3D movement data can be obtained. The study revealed various behaviors of harbour porpoises in proximity to nets, including active foraging.
METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
A. K. Holdman, N. Tregenza, S. M. Van Parijs, A. Deangelis
Summary: Offshore wind energy development in the east coast of the United States overlaps with harbor porpoise habitats. Data collected from 2020 to 2022 showed year-round presence of porpoises in the Gulf of Maine, with peak detections in the summer and fall. Porpoise occurrence in Southern New England was high in fall, winter, and spring, but low in the summer. Factors such as time of year, hour of day, lunar illumination, and temperature were found to significantly contribute to porpoise presence and foraging effort. Early identification of important areas, mitigation of impacts, and monitoring of changes are crucial for the protection of harbor porpoises in US waters.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Tammy L. Silva, Tabitha Breault, Travis M. Lowery, Nicholas M. Calabrese, Kevin D. E. Stokesbury, David N. Wiley, Gavin Fay
Summary: Insufficient sampling has led to scarce data on abundance and distribution of forage fish. This study used video trawl survey data to document the abundance and distribution of northern sand lance in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, as well as the spatial overlap with Atlantic cod. The findings highlight the potential of video trawl data in monitoring and understanding fluctuations in forage species and supporting ecosystem-based management.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Floor H. Soudijn, P. Daniel van Denderen, Mikko Heino, Ulf Dieckmann, Andre M. de Roos
Summary: The study shows that the impact of fishing for forage fish on piscivores depends on the fishing mortality of the piscivores. When the fishing mortality of piscivores is high, fishing for forage fish benefits the piscivores, but when fishing mortality of piscivores is low, overfishing of forage fish can lead to declines in piscivore biomass.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Benjamin M. Binder, Guillaume Rieucau, James V. Locascio, J. Christopher Taylor, Kevin M. Boswell
Summary: Coastal fish communities in South Florida exhibit high level of adaptability to heavy rainfall events, but raise questions regarding the threshold at which fish communities and reproductive activities are disrupted.
Review
Acoustics
Audrey Looby, Santiago Bravo, Francis Juanes, Rodney Rountree, Amalis Riera, Hailey L. Davies, Brittnie Spriel, Sarah Vela, Laura K. Reynolds, Charles W. Martin, Kieran Cox
Summary: This study systematically reviewed the prevalence of acoustic behaviors in marine, subtropical fishes and the factors influencing their pervasiveness. The most common behavioral context associated with active sound production was disturbance, followed by aggression and reproduction. The reporting of sound production behaviors varied depending on the study environment and fish family.
JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Clinton Factheu, Athena M. M. Rycyk, Sevilor Kekeunou, Lucy W. W. Keith-Diagne, Eric A. A. Ramos, Mumi Kikuchi, Aristide Takoukam Kamla
Summary: The African manatee is a hard-to-detect, data-deficient, and endangered species that lives in marine and freshwater systems in Western and Central Africa. Traditional visual surveys have difficulty in detecting this species. The invasion of Giant Salvinia further limits their detectability, impacting their movements and habitat. In order to assess detection methods, vessel surveys were conducted in Lake Ossa, Cameroon using visual point scans, 360 degrees sonar scans, and passive acoustic monitoring. Passive acoustics proved to be the most successful method, followed by sonar scans and visual point scans. Water depth and transparency significantly influenced manatee detection likelihood. Passive acoustic methods are recommended for future surveys to enhance African manatee detections.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Carlos Mesquita, Helen Dobby, Graham J. Pierce, Catherine S. Jones, Paul G. Fernandes
Summary: This study analyzed the spatial distribution and population abundance of brown crab around Scotland, establishing abundance and recruitment indices for the species for the first time. The findings are crucial for the stock assessment of brown crab and can help improve fisheries management advice for this species in Scotland.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Benedetta Veneroni, Paul G. Fernandes
Summary: The study used Fishers' Ecological Knowledge (FEK) to determine historical baselines for conservation in the Northern Adriatic Sea (NAS). Results showed a significant decline in catch rates of four commercial demersal species over a 60-year period, and evidence of a Shifting Baseline Syndrome (SBS) among novice fishers.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Idongesit E. Ikpewe, Alan R. Baudron, Aurore Ponchon, Paul G. Fernandes
Summary: The study found that as sea temperatures increase, the body size of demersal fish species decrease, while the size of juveniles increase, resulting in smaller adult fish. These changes are closely correlated with rising sea temperatures, providing empirical evidence that global warming is impacting the body size of commercial fish species.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Thuy Thi Thanh Pham, Ragnhildur Fridriksdottir, Charlotte T. Weber, Jonas R. Vidarsson, Nikos Papandroulakis, Alan R. Baudron, Petter Olsen, Juliana A. Hansen, Unn Laksa, Paul G. Fernandes, Tarub Bahri, Sigurdur O. Ragnarsson, Michaela Aschan
Summary: Climate change significantly impacts fisheries and aquaculture, with challenges arising from differing perceptions and a lack of documented adaptation strategies. Guidelines for developing climate adaptation plans involve a collaborative approach with stakeholders to assess risks, identify measures, and operationalize plans, offering a stepwise process towards climate adaptation. Lessons learned highlight the importance and challenges of developing CAPs, applicable not only to fisheries and aquaculture but also to other natural resource-based systems.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Anneli Lofstedt, Baukje de Roos, Paul G. Fernandes
Summary: The seafood dietary recommendations and supplies vary significantly across European countries. Coastal nations and those with traditional fish-eating cultures generally have adequate seafood supplies to meet recommendations, while landlocked countries in Central and Eastern Europe lack sufficient supplies. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering sustainability in food production systems when developing dietary recommendations.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joshua M. Lawrence, Paul G. Fernandes
Summary: The Clyde Sea ecosystem has recovered due to reductions in fishing pressure after being heavily impacted by human activities for over 200 years. The disappearance of herring led to the replacement by sprat, possibly due to a combination of factors such as warming sea, bycatch in prawn fishery, and poor herring recruitment.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
J. M. Lawrence, P. G. Fernandes
Summary: This study introduces a methodology for clustering surface-piercing oil and gas platforms in the North Sea to select a representative subset for survey design. The most important distinguishing variable was found to be platform type, followed by geographic trend. This can facilitate the efficient use of limited funding for related studies.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Ana Couto, Benjamin J. Williamson, Thomas Cornulier, Paul G. Fernandes, Shaun Fraser, James D. Chapman, Ian M. Davies, Beth E. Scott
Summary: This study investigates the ecological interactions influencing predator behavior and distribution in tidal stream environments, specifically focusing on the presence of marine renewable devices and their potential impacts. The research concludes that different categories of seabirds, such as benthic and pelagic foragers, exhibit distinct preferences and responses to prey presence, water velocity, and fish schools. Additionally, the study emphasizes the importance of considering both physical and biological data when assessing the ecological impacts of tidal turbines.
Article
Fisheries
R. E. Danby, E. D. Clarke, R. J. Kynoch, D. G. Reid, P. G. Fernandes
Summary: This article investigates the capture efficiency and abundance estimation of two commercially valuable fish species, anglerfish, in the Northern European region. The study finds that capture losses are dependent on fish length, with higher proportions of fish escaping at night. The results have important implications for future stock assessment and management.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
James Dunning, Teunis Jansen, Alan J. Fenwick, Paul G. Fernandes
Summary: This paper presents a novel in-situ method to estimate Fish Target Strength (TS) based on fish body length. Using a broadband scientific echosounder, this study combines the advantages of ex-situ and in-situ measurements, yielding results similar to previous studies using narrowband systems.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
B. Scoulding, S. Gastauer, J. C. Taylor, K. M. Boswell, D. V. Fairclough, G. Jackson, P. Sullivan, K. Shertzer, F. Campanella, N. Bacheler, M. Campbell, R. Domokos, Z. Schobernd, T. S. Switzer, N. Jarvis, B. M. Crisafulli, C. Untiedt, P. G. Fernandes
Summary: An integrated acoustic-optical survey method is proposed to estimate the abundance of fish in complex reef habitats. By using concurrent underwater video, the acoustic backscatter can be partitioned to different species, allowing for the estimation of the abundance of important fishery species and other members of the fish community.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Edward C. P. Sibley, Travis S. Elsdon, Michael J. Marnane, Alethea S. Madgett, Euan S. Harvey, Thomas Cornulier, Damon Driessen, Paul G. Fernandes
Summary: Imaging sonars are increasingly used in fish surveys, either in combination with or as substitutes for optical instruments. This study compared the data obtained from sonars at different frequencies with optical camera footage, and found that sonars detected three times more fish than optics. The study also identified limitations of imaging sonars, including difficulties in discriminating fishes from benthic growth and detecting fishes in complex habitats.
FISHERIES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
E. C. P. Sibley, A. S. Madgett, J. M. Lawrence, T. S. Elsdon, M. J. Marnane, P. G. Fernandes
Summary: This study investigates the ability of imaging sonars (IS) to identify fish species, and proposes an alternative method for describing fish assemblages irrespective of species identity. The results show that IS can identify reef fish with variable success, and suggests a new way to categorize fish detected by IS.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Ecology
Edward C. P. Sibley, Alethea S. Madgett, Travis S. Elsdon, Michael J. Marnane, Euan S. Harvey, Paul G. Fernandes
Summary: Reef fish assemblages in tropical and temperate latitudes are facing increasing threats from human impacts and climate change. Efficient survey methods are necessary for quantifying these communities and guiding management strategies. Imaging sonars (ISs), a high-frequency acoustic device, can produce clear images of fish in turbid and dark water, making it a valuable tool for detecting fish in poor visibility and at night. This review examines previous attempts to quantify abundance, species richness, and fish size using IS and compares these findings with alternative methods. The review also discusses the limitations of IS and suggests using alternative methods to complement the estimates obtained from IS.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2023)
