Guidelines for standardisation of hydroacoustic methods

The use of transmitted underwater sound to survey fish
populations (known effectively interchangeably as hydroacoustics,
echo sounding or sonar) has a long and
extensive record of successful applications in the marine
environment where most of its major developments have
historically taken place. The very efficient transmission
of sound in water, particularly when compared with that
of light, makes this remote-sensing technique highly effective
in most aquatic ecosystems and under many environmental
conditions. As a result, it provides a valuable
complement to capture-based and frequently destructive
fish sampling techniques. In recent decades, technological
developments, including the miniaturisation of electronic
components and rapidly increasing computing
power, have facilitated the production of hydroacoustic
systems which can be readily deployed from small vessels
on fresh waters including lakes and reservoirs.