Development of An Integrated Acoustical-Optical Platform for Detecting Groundfish

Traditional acoustical and trawl surveys have limitations on the study of groundfish species because they are close to the seafloor. A stationary underwater observatory that sits on the ocean bottom has the potential to provide accurate estimates of groundfish resources. The development of an ocean groundfish observing system for New England waters is described. The stationary acoustical-optical platform (AOP) system consists of an array of AOP elements, surface buoys, and a data collection station. Each AOP, equipped with embedded PC/104-Plus computers, is used to collect sonar data, video images, and environmental data. A buoy provides space for a telemetry system and for solar panels to charge the underwater battery. The data collection station retrieves data from the embedded computers and is used to store a large volume of collected data. An adaptive background model is utilized to help detect fish targets; stereo cameras are employed to estimate fish length. This ocean observing system integrates acoustical and optical techniques and can be employed to assess groundfish species distribution, abundance, and biomass in the offshore waters of New England