This data contains densities of fishes detected using mobile fisheries sonar on board the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster. The data were acquired in concert with a multibeam bathymetry survey of Grand Northeast Ecological Corridor. Fish densities are presented by size classes, corresponding to individual lengths inferred from the intensity of acoustic target return, in units of fish per 100 square meters.
1. To design and implement a mobile fisheries sonar survey in concert with multibeam echosounder hydrographic surveys to assess and map fish densities and biomass within management priority areas. 2. To assess distribution of fish densities relative to management areas and habitat types. 3. To assess location and size of purported reef fish spawning aggregations.
ground condition
Not for Navigation
101 Pivers Island Road
Not applicable
These data consist of fish densities in Grand Northeast Ecological Corridor, Puerto Rico. The data was collected during corresponding multibeam operations. The scientific echosounders were calibrated using standard calibrations techniques(FOOTE et. al. 1981).
Acoustic data was collected aboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster using ES38B splitbeam transducer. The Kongsberg ES38B transducer was hull mounted aboard the R/V Nancy Foster. Kongsberg ES transceivers and Simard ES60 software was used in the data acquisition. Data was collected during all shifts of multibeam survey.
Echoview 5.2 was used in this step of the data processing. The EK60 .raw file format was edited for erroneous ping returns and acoustic noise. Fish were track using a tracking algorithm and the fish tracks were export in a .csv format.
An acoustic processing script(V6.4) was used to calculate the density and size of fish through out the water column. Then projected(WGS84) in 100 square meter resolution ESRI shapefile.
Arc Catalog was used to merge the daily shapefiles into one cruise shapefile. Metadata was added using arc catalog.
Unique Feature Identifier
ERSI
Geometric Shape
Area of the survey divided into 100 meter square sections
Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research (CCFHR)
The angular distance north or south of the earth's equator, measured in degrees. The center point of the 100 meter squared intervals.
The angular distance East or West from the Prime Meridian, measured in degrees. The center point of the 100 meter squared intervals.
Average Size of Small Fish <11cm in a given interval.
Density of Small Fish(<11cm) in a given interval.
Average Size of Medium Fish between 11cm and 29cm in a given interval
Density of Medium Size Fish(between11cm and 29cm) in a given interval
Average Size of Large Fish >29cm in a given interval
Density of Large Fish >29cm in a given interval
Total density of fish for the given interval.
Average distance above the bottom of the fish within a given interval
Date of the data during collection for a given interval in EST
Eastern Standard Time of the data during collection for a given interval
Date of the data during collection for a given interval in Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time of the data during collection for a given interval
The originating acoustic data file
101 Piver Island Road
These data were prepared by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, make any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference therein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. Any views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Although all data have been used by NOAA, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by NOAA as to the accuracy of the data and/or related materials. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by NOAA in the use of these data or related materials.NOAA makes no warranty regarding these data, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA can not assume liability for and damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data, nor as a result of the failure of these data to function on a particular system.
Contact Chris Taylor @ chris.taylor@noaa.gov
