Acoustic Telemetry

The Fisheries and Conservation Biology Lab at MLML uses acoustic telemetry to quantify the movements of fishes, often relative to marine reserve boundaries—a technique that has become increasingly more common. A combination of passive acoustic receivers deployed on the seafloor and active acoustic tracking from a surface vessel can provide both long-term and fine-scale information. The following research projects have been administered, at least in part, by Dr. Rick Starr and/or graduate students of his Fisheries & Conservation Biology Lab at MLML:

Mediterranean Grouper

In the Mediterranean Sea, overfishing has driven Mediterranean grouper stocks below sustainable levels and has even eliminated them from much of their range. The Medes Islands Marine Reserve was established in the early 1990s near L'Estartit, Spain, in order to provide refuge for some of the last remaining Mediterranean groupers. Researchers from the University of Barcelona and the Fisheries & Conservation Biology Lab at MLML have been studying population trends and movements of Mediterranean groupers, seabreams, and other fished species in the Medes Islands Marine Reserve in order to determine if the marine reserve has been successful in increasing populations of fished species. Read more

Prickly Sharks in the Monterey Canyon (2005-2009)

Between March and August 2005, fifteen subadult prickly sharks (Echinorhinus cookei), from 170 – 270 cm TL were tagged with acoustic tags in the Monterey Canyon. The movements and activity patterns of 10 female and 5 males were examined using manual tracking and acoustic monitoring techniques. Read more...

Elkhorn Slough Leopard Sharks (2003-2005)

From May 2003 to February 2005, 20 female leopard sharks (78 – 140 cm TL) were tagged with acoustic transmitters in Elkhorn Slough, California, and their movements and habitat use were examined using acoustic tracking techniques. Read more...

Black Rockfish in Carmel Bay (2006-2007)

Movements of 23 sub-adult and 10 juvenile black rockfish (Sebastes melanops) implanted with acoustic transmitters were monitored during 16 months in Carmel Bay, California. Read more...

Carmel Bay Lingcod (2005-2006)

Lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus) comprise a major component of recreational and commercial fisheries along the west coast of North America, yet populations have fluctuated dramatically in recent years. For fisheries managers, knowing how Lingcod move over space and time will be useful for creating stock models, designing marine protected areas and deciding when and where seasonal fishery closures should occur. Read more...

Carmel Bay Rockfish (2008-2009)

We are developing a series of three-dimensional digital animations that will convincingly demonstrate how fishes move relative to attributes of the seafloor and marine reserve boundaries. Active acoustic tracking from surface vessel will be coupled with a passive acoustic array to track the movements of ten surgically-tagged blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) within and adjacent to the Carmel Pinnacles State Marine Reserve and the Carmel Bay State Marine Conservation Area in Central California. Read more...

Nassau Grouper (2001-2006)

In the Southeastern US and in the Caribbean, overfishing has driven Nassau grouper stocks below sustainable levels and has even eliminated them from much of their range. Read more..

Lingcod in Alaska: Are marine reserves an effective tool for conserving stocks of lingcod?

Stock assessments conducted by the Pacific Fishery Management Council have indicated large population declines for lingcod along the West Coast of North America. This dramatic decline in population has led some fishery managers to suggest the use of marine reserves as a management tool for conservation of lingcod stocks. Read more...

Underwater Tagging of Rockfishes (1997-1998)

In August and September of 1997 and 1998, the Fisheries & Conservation Biology Lab at MLML used SCUBA techniques to surgically implant Vemco V16 series acoustic transmitters in 6 greenspotted rockfish (Sebastes chlorostictus) and 16 bocaccio (S. paucispinis) on the flank of Soquel Canyon in Monterey Bay, California. Read more...