Articles scientifiques
FAO (2009)
Guidelines for acoustic surveys in the northwest African region/Directives pour les campagnes acoustiques dans la région de l'Afrique du Nord-Ouest
FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department Publications, Rome, Italy.
The R/V DR FRIDTJOF NANSEN has a long tradition of carrying out acoustic surveys in the northwest African region. In recent years, Mauritania, Morocco and Senegal have acquired research vessels capable of conducting routine acoustic assessment surveys. It has therefore been a long-term goal that these vessels should perform their own acoustic surveys, with the aim of assessing the pelagic fish stocks of the entire region, without the assistance from the R/V DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN. To achieve this goal it became apparent that it was necessary to standardize all survey routines in the region. Only then could one get comparable results of the shared stocks from the different vessels. It was thus decided to produce a standard survey protocol for all acoustic assessment surveys in the region. This manual describes the standardized survey routines that should be followed during hydroacoustic fish abundance surveys in the northwest African region; nevertheless it should also be useful for other regions with similar sea conditions and fish species of concern. The principles explained have mainly been adopted from the survey strategy followed during surveys with the R/V DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN. The manual covers topics such as survey design, calibration of hydroacoustic equipment, instrument settings, echo identification, biomass estimation, statistical analysis, standard format for data storage, environmental sampling and presentation of survey results
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