Assessing the Impact of Seismic Airguns on Commercially and Recreationally-important Fish

An National Science Foundation (NSF)-sponsored geophysical survey to collect data along the Cascadia Subduction Zone was conducted using an array of 36 airguns as an energy source. We deployed an integrated vector sensor array (NoiseSpotter™) to measure both the pressure and the particle motion components of the acoustic disturbance from the seismic survey. We assessed the behavioral responses of rockfishes (Sebastes spp.), lingcod, and Dungeness crab to these seismic pulses using acoustic telemetry, tracking 2-D movements and acceleration. Both rockfish species had higher accelerations on the first day of the survey pass with potential habituation on subsequent days. Black rockfish exhibited clustering around the reef during the survey period, while there was no detectable change in China rockfish space use.

USD: $100,000

2021-04-23 → 2023-10-01