An investigation of avoidance by Antarctic krill of RRS James Clark Ross using the Autosub-2 autonomous underwater vehicle

Brierley, Andrew S.; Fernandes, Paul G.; Brandon, Mark A.; Armstrong, Frederick; Millard, Nicholas W.; McPhail, Steven D.; Stevenson, Peter; Pebody, Miles; Perrett, James; Squires, Mark; Bone, Douglas G.; Griffiths, Gwyn. 2003 An investigation of avoidance by Antarctic krill of RRS James Clark Ross using the Autosub-2 autonomous underwater vehicle. Fisheries Research, 60 (2-3). 569-576. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-7836(02)00144-3

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Abstract/Summary

The autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Autosub-2 was deployed on eight missions ahead of RRS James Clark Ross in the northern Weddell Sea and in the Bransfield Strait, Southern Ocean, to assess avoidance of the research vessel by Antarctic krill Euphausia superba. The AUV was equipped with the same type of scientific echosounder as the research vessel (Simrad EK500 operating at 38 and 120 kHz) and measured the density of krill along transect acoustically (g m(-2) wet mass) prior to the ship's arrival. We hypothesised that if krill avoided the ship, perhaps in response to radiated noise, then the ship should detect less krill than the AUV which is known to have much lower noise levels than the ship. We were unable to detect any significant difference between the density of krill detected by the ship or the AUV, either at the transect level or at finer scales within transects. We conclude, therefore, that avoidance by krill of RRS James Clark Ross will not significantly bias acoustic estimates of krill abundance by this vessel.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-7836(02)00144-3
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Antarctic Science in the Global Context (2000-2005) > Dynamics and Management of Ocean Ecosystems
ISSN:	0165-7836
Additional Keywords:	acoustic survey, avoidance, autosub, Antarctic krill, biomass estimate, Euphausia superba, vessel noise
NORA Subject Terms:	Marine Sciences Zoology Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	17 Feb 2012 10:57 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/12601

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