Automatic shoal recognition and classification based on MOVIES-B software

MOVIES-B software developed by IFREMER (Institut Francais de la Recherche pour l´Exploitation de la Mer), enables the recognition of echogram features as acoustic detection structures according to spatial-energetic contiguity criteria. These structures (shoals, plankton layers) are described by energetic, morphological, spatial and temporal descriptors. Specifying acoustic detections as individual shoals will allow shoal-by-shoal echo-integration and may lead to better biomass estimation and shoal species description. The conceptual and operational framework of MOVIES-B is presented in the first part of this paper. The second part presents a preliminary work conducted in order to assess the feasibility of classification and possible species identification of shoals using MOVIES-B software