Featured Image Credit: NOAA/PIFSC
By Jessica Kittel
Well it’s no surprise that it’s not the easiest task to get an accurate estimate of fish that live 300-900 feet below the ocean surface. Hawaii’s state and federal scientists have struggled for many years to come up with an effective strategy to acquire these counts. In order to manage the species known as bottomfish effectively, reputable population estimates are entirely necessary.
Up until now, scientists and policy makers relied primarily on stock assessments derived from the number of snappers and groupers commercial fishermen reported catching. According to civilbeat.org, this strategy has been somewhat controversial. The peer-reviewers of the official 2014 Deep7 bottomfish stock assessment decided that the data was insufficient for some of the resulting decisions. Some people have suspected commercial fisherman of under-reporting catch records and information.
But that’s all about to change thanks to a plan that’s been in the works for five years! The Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) reported that scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) are getting ready to undertake a revamped approach to collecting data on these bottomfish. A group of researchers are prepped to commence a research expedition that will take 15 days and will hit 66 locations, all around the main Hawaiian Islands.
This new strategy is made up of two phases. The first phase began in September and involved a group of scientists and fishermen. This survey was designed to mimic commercial fishing techniques, but while standardizing the effort by having each vessel use the same type of equipment (hook, line, and bait). The fishermen recorded the species, size, and number of each fish they caught.
The second phase will involve a group of 12 researchers that will use a state-of-the-art underwater camera system. Within the camera rig there will be two underwater cameras that are extremely light sensitive. These cameras are capable of recording videos at depths of 300 to 900 feet without needing any artificial light. The scientists will then identify the species of fish in the video, count them, and measure them.
After all the fun stuff is finished, the scientists will have about six months of data analysis ahead of them. The data they collect will supplement the data from the commercial fishermen and both sets of data will be employed in stock assessment reports. These reports, in turn, will be the basis for management and conservation strategies in the years to come.
This new strategy will likely prove to be much more robust and accurate than previous efforts, and it should also lend itself to more effective and appropriate management.
Sounds like a fin-win to us!