Side-Scan Sonar and White Sturgeon Acipenser

Side-Scan Sonar and White Sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus in the Snake River Jacob B. Hughes Idaho Power Company

Acknowledgements Joe Hightower Jared Flowers

Tim Stuart, Dave Meyer, Chad Reininger & Brandon Bentz

Introduction

Side-Scan Images

Pilot Study

Questions

What is Sonar? Transmission and detection of sound waves underwater.

http://www.naval.com.br/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/sonar-1.jpg

https://noaaoceanscience.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/swimbladder.jpg

---- Imaging sonar produces realistic images ----

Side-Scan Sonar

http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/sfmapping/sonar.htm

Introduction

Side-Scan Images

Pilot Study

Questions

Recreational vs. Scientific-grade

http://www.in-fisherman.com/files/2012/04/INFS-120022-SIDIMG-04.png

http://www.marinesonic.com/products/seascanARC-right.html# http://www.humminbird.com/Pro ducts/XHS-9-HDSI-180-T/

http://www.panbo.com/assets_c/2012/03/Lowrance_LSS2_Structure_Map_at_MIBS_cPanbo-thumb-465x352-5329.jpg

Introduction

Side-Scan Images

Pilot Study

Questions

Common application

http://ets.wessexarch.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/03-SidescanSonarSurvey.jpg http://www.marinesonic.com/sonar_data/sshds/group3_training/captures/WF0010.bmp

Introduction

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Pilot Study

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Current fisheries applications

Introduction

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Pilot Study

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Side-Scan Sonar Potential WS stock assessment tool

Versus Mark-Recapture Side-Scan Sonar Pros: • Saves time = Saves $$$ • Repeatable transects • Gear not dependent on certain fish behavior (e.g., hungry) • True “Snapshot” – Abundance – Distribution

• Reduces handling

Side-Scan Sonar Cons: • Upfront costs • No Capture history • Less biological data • Limitations

Introduction

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Pilot Study

Questions

Sturgeon Snapshots http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/publications/docs/images/sturgeon/sturgeon-esturgeon.jpg

Introduction

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Pilot Study

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Sturgeon Snapshots

Introduction

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Pilot Study

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Sturgeon Snapshots

Introduction

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Pilot Study

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Introduction

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Pilot Study

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Challenges

Introduction

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Population Assessment Pilot Study 10

ID 9

8

7

OR 6

5 4

3

2

1

Boise

Car hole rkm 780

15 rkm (9.3 mi)

C.J. Strike Dam rkm 795

Introduction

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Methods & Survey Design Deployment: Fixed mount @ 0.6 m depth Sonar Settings: 1200 kHz 20 m range (per side)

Survey: 10 sites 3 passes per site Collect & Post-process: SonarWiz 5 Shadow and Length to ID Estimate Abundance: N-Mixture Model (Bayesian)

Introduction

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Results

Effort: 3 man-days to survey (1.5 days) 1.5 days to process

Survey Length: 66 transects; 1-4 transects per pass Mean transect length = 357 m (R: 146-913 m) Count data: Pass 1 = 102

Pass 2 = 81

Pass 3 = 97

Range of counts = 0 to 30 Largest count range within sites = 12 Mean count range within sites = 3.8

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Side-Scan Sonar Results 35 Pass 1

Pass 2

Pass 3

30 Number Counted

Introduction

25

20 15 10 5 0 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Site

Model Results (95 % BCI ) Abundance (N) = 131 (120-150) Detection probability (p) = 0.71 (0.61-0.79)

9

10

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Side-Scan Sonar     

What we learned Substrate size and type matters Not all fish can be measured or seen Colder water = less fish movement Overlap is good – if not necessary Abundance estimate Looking Ahead 2016 - CJS-Swan Falls Dam - Compare to M/R

Introduction

Side-Scan Images

Pilot Study

Questions

Questions? “Counting fish is like counting trees, except they are invisible and they keep moving.” – John Shepherd