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June 9, 2014
Counting migratory fish, studying fish behavior, and visually assessing aquatic habitat can typically only occur in environments with clear and shallow water. In more turbid streams such as the Sacramento River, seeing what's below the waterline often requires the use of sophisticated sonar technology. Dual-Frequency Identification Sonar ( DIDSON) has been used extensively to estimate abundances of migratory fishes (mostly salmon) with relatively high accuracy ( Holmes et al. 2006); to remotely measure fish swimming past the camera ( Burwen et al. 2010); and to study fish behavior under a variety of conditions (e.g. Mueller et al. 2006, Boswell et al. 2008). Murky waters pose no obstacle to this camera because it relies on pulsed sound waves rather than light to generate images of fish and the underwater landscape. As a consequence, sonar technology has become a valuable tool for fish and habitat surveys when environmental conditions limit traditional approaches.
Improvements to the resolution and clarity of sonar imagery have been made possible through Adaptive Resolution Imaging Sonar (ARIS), sometimes referred to as the "next generation "DIDSON." Last year, FISHBIO used this technology from shore, with the camera mounted securely to an adjustable steel casing. More recently, the talented hands in our FABLAB have devised a custom-fabricated boat mount for our ARIS, with electric motors that allow us to control the pan and tilt of the unit. This mounting system gives us the flexibility to visually assess habitat complexity in areas where suitable shoreline access is limited, and to conduct mobile surveys across long reaches of nearshore habitat.
However, what's hidden below the water's surface often only tells half the story. Always striving for innovative approaches to environmental monitoring and research, our technicians decided to pair a traditional video recording system with the ARIS. Merging and synchronizing such technologies makes it much easier to relate underwater structures to reference points on land, and can provide a hybrid view of nearshore habitat. During a recent survey on the Sacramento River, we were excited to catch a glimpse of some turtles, first basking on a log, then obligingly diving off their perch to give us an ARIS perspective as they sought refuge under water (as shown in this video). Clearly, potential uses for this technology are diverse, and we'll be sure to share our findings as we continue to explore novel applications of this hybrid approach.
 | | ARIS Sonar Sacramento River 2014 |
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Recent Blog Posts
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World Fish Migration Day is a Success!
FISHBIO hosted two successful events in Laos and in California as part of the first-ever World Fish Migration Day on May 24. We were very excited to participate in this international celebration of migratory fish, and used it to bring together local communities around our own international work.  In Laos, we celebrated World Fish Migration Day with an assembly at one of the schools participating in our Three Rivers education program. The assembly marked the culmination of a months-long program, where students shared what they had learned about the Mekong River and its special fishes. Student presentations included a fish song, a quiz about Mekong fishes, an original illustrated storybook about the Giant Mekong Catfish, and this great video of student presentations. We were very impressed by the students' creativity and enthusiasm, and are so proud of them!  In California, we hosted our first-ever Salmon Run, a 5K fun run through Chico's beautiful Bidwell Park. The event was a great opportunity for community members to come together and celebrate local salmon and steelhead. With more than 100 registered participants, activities for kids, and great support from local businesses... Read more>
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IN THE NEWS: Recent stories you might have missed...
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Chico News and Review
 After languishing in the planning stage for going on a decade, a project to rehabilitate a fish ladder on Big Chico Creek in Upper Bidwell Park was recently abandoned by the city of Chico. Since its initial proposal, there has been debate-should millions of dollars be invested in a ladder that would benefit a relatively small salmon run? Ultimately, that decision was no. After all, there hasn't been an official report of spring-run chinook salmon in Big Chico Creek since 2011, the last year the North State experienced above-average precipitation. Until now... Read more >
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Oregon commission voting on plan to limit hatchery salmon, steelhead
Associated Press
A state proposal to stop stocking hatchery salmon and steelhead in a few coastal rivers has not gone over well with some of the anglers who fish those rivers, or some county officials. The Coastal Multi-Species Conservation and Management Plan covers salmon, steelhead and cutthroat trout in 50 coastal river basins, from Port Orford to Tillamook Bay. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission is scheduled to vote on the proposal Friday in Salem... Read more >
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El Ni�o not likely to be drought-buster
SF Gate  The odds of an El Ni�o helping shake California out of its prolonged drought got a bit bleaker this week with a new forecast from the U.S. Climate Prediction Center. While the agency's monthly report still projects that summer or fall will give rise to an El Ni�o - the warming ocean surfaces that can tip worldwide weather - federal scientists say the phenomena is most likely to be only of moderate strength. In Northern California, El Ni�os that have been weak or moderate have had little correlation with winter weather conditions... Read more >
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13 West Coast fish species added to 'sustainable' list
Los Angeles Times
West Coast trawler fishermen just got some new opportunities. The Marine Stewardship Council on Tuesday listed 13 species of fish as "sustainable," opening up new markets for boats working out of ports in California, Oregon and Washington. The designation, announced in Portland, Ore., comes after three years of rebuilding stocks under a cooperative program involving fishermen, environmentalists and fishery managers. The improvement was spurred by a "catch-share" program that uses a scientific formula to set quotas on catches... Read more >
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Catfish 'see' their next meal with acid-sensing whiskers
Live Science
Catfish have evolved sensors on their whiskers that can help the animals hunt in the dark by detecting slight changes in water acidity, the first time such sensors have been seen in fish, researchers say. Scientists investigated the Japanese sea catfish (Plotosus japonicas), a nocturnal, 5.9-inch-long (15 centimeters) fish very common in southern Japan that cruises the seafloor at night capturing worms and crustaceans... Read more >
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