- Title
- Connectivity of Large-Bodied Fish with a Recovering Estuarine Tidal Marsh, Revealed Using an Imaging Sonar
- Creator
- Bennett, Mark A.; Becker, Alistair; Gaston, Troy; Taylor, Matthew D.
- Relation
- Estuaries and Coasts Vol. 44, Issue 6, p. 1579-1587
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12237-020-00822-0
- Publisher
- Springer
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2021
- Description
- Tidal wetlands represent important fish habitats, particularly as nurseries for many exploited species. However, usage of these habitats by large-bodied fish is poorly studied. Imaging sonar represents a relatively novel technology for ecologists and allows for the discrete observation of fish in conditions where a light-based camera is ineffective, such as turbid estuarine habitats. An imaging sonar uses sound waves to create video-like images where swimming direction, fish length and distance from the sonar can be inferred. This technology was applied to examine connectivity of large-bodied fish between a recovering Ramsar-listed wetland and the adjacent estuary, by censusing fish traversing the entrance to the wetland. Fish lengths ranged between ~ 8 and 109 cm. More fish were observed traversing the entrance to the wetland during the day (~ 365 fish h−1) compared with night (~ 198 fish h−1), possibly as a predator avoidance strategy. Under some conditions, biomass flux of large-bodied fish was estimated to exceed 100 kg fish h−1. Fish did not appear to have a consistent preference for moving with or against the flow of the tide. These novel findings highlight the utility of imaging sonar for conducting fish census in wetland habitats and also highlights that wetlands are valuable habitats for large-bodied fish.
- Subject
- saltmarsh; wetland; DIDSON; BRUV; census; restoration
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1475510
- Identifier
- uon:49576
- Identifier
- ISSN:1559-2723
- Language
- eng
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