Acoustic tags can provide information about fish populations beyond just presence/absence. If detections are uniformly spaced with high precision, fish behaviors like moving towards and away from objects, holding positions, defecating, downstream migration, fish passage, searching, and predator avoidance can be assessed. Examples showed tagged fish exhibiting these behaviors as detected by multiple precisely positioned hydrophones.

1. Acoustic tagging studies – beyond
presence/absence
Kevin Kumagai, Sam Johnston, and Colleen Sullivan
Hydroacoustic Technology, Inc.
47th Annual Conference of the California-Nevada Chapter AFS
April 4th - April 6th, 2013
Davis Veterans Memorial Center

2. Overview
• Acoustic tags can provide information about fish
populations. For example, presence/absence.
• If detections are uniformly spaced to a high level of
precision, these detections can assess fish behavior.
• Example behaviors include:
• Moving towards and away
• Holding
• Defecation
• Downstream migration
• Fish passage
• Searching
• Predator avoidance

3. Acoustic tags = information
• Acoustic tags can provide information about fish
populations. For example, presence/absence.

4. Single hydrophone deployments
• Can provide presence/absence
Hydrophone 1
Upstream
Barrier
Downstream
Hydrophone 12

5. Detection histories
• Are chronology of time-stamped tag detections

6. Fish survival and fish passage
• Can measured from the these detection histories

7. Uniform spacing, high precision: fish
behavior
• Acoustic tags can provide information about fish
populations.
• If detections are uniformly spaced to a high level of
precision, these detections can assess fish behavior.
Tag ID encoded in unique period
(adapted from Ehrenberg and Steig, 2009)

8. Acoustically tagged fish movement animation

9. Display 1

10. Display 2

11. Display 3

12. Display 4

13. Display 5

14. Display 6

15. Display 7

16. Single hydrophone example behaviors
• Acoustic tags can provide information about fish
populations.
• If detections are uniformly spaced to a high level of
precision, these detections can assess fish behavior.
• Behaviors in this example include:
• Moving toward and away
• Holding
• Defecation

17. Single upstream hydrophone example
moving toward and away

18. Single downstream hydrophone example
moving toward and away

19. Moving toward and away

20. Single hydrophone example behaviors
• Acoustic tags can provide information about fish
populations.
• If detections are uniformly spaced to a high level of
precision, these detections can assess fish behavior.
• Behaviors in this example include:
• Moving toward and away
• Holding
• Defecation

21. Single hydrophone example holding behavior
Time duration 1 hour

22. Defecation
• Acoustic tags can provide information about fish
populations.
• If detections are uniformly spaced to a high level of
precision, these detections can assess fish behavior.
• Behaviors in this example include:
• Moving toward and away
• Holding
• Defecation

23. Defecation
Time duration 1 hour

24. Hydrophone
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Basic Tracking
Flow

25. Nearest Green Hydrophone

26. Nearest Maroon Hydrophone

27. Nearest Orange Hydrophone

28. Nearest Turquoise Hydrophone

29. Nearest Yellow Hydrophone

30. Nearest Blue Hydrophone

31. Hydrophone Detections: Summary

32. 2D tracks example behaviors
• Acoustic tags can provide information about fish
populations.
• If detections are uniformly spaced to a high level of
precision, these detections can assess fish behavior.
• Behaviors in this example include:
• Holding
• Downstream migration
• Searching
• Fish passage
• Predator avoidance

33. Multiple hydrophone deployment
Downstream
Upstream
Barrier
Time Slider
Steelhead 2D positions(green)
Striped bass 2D positions(red)
Sun and moon gadget

34. Holding, 23:03-23:04
Tagged striped bass (red spheres) holding between blue and yellow
hydrophones. Data courtesy of CDWR.

35. Holding, 23:04-23:05
Tagged striped bass continues holding. Steelhead tag (light green
spheres) approaching array below pink and green hydrophones. Data
courtesy of CDWR.

36. Downstream migration, 23:05-23:06
Steelhead tag continues moving downstream through upstream array.
Striped bass continues to hold. Data courtesy of CDWR.

37. Downstream migration, 23:06-23:07
Steelhead tag approaching barrier while striped bass continues to hold.
Data courtesy of CDWR.

38. Searching, 23:07-23:08
Steelhead tag begins searching along barrier. Striped bass continues to
hold. Data courtesy of CDWR.

39. Searching, 23:08-23:09
Steelhead tag continues searching along barrier. Striped bass continues
to hold. Data courtesy of CDWR.

40. Searching, 23:09-23:10
Steelhead tag continues searching along barrier. Striped bass continues
to hold. Data courtesy of CDWR.

41. Searching, 23:10-23:11
Steelhead tag continues searching along barrier. Striped bass continues
to hold. Data courtesy of CDWR.

42. Fish passage, 23:11-23:12
Steelhead tag passes barrier via culvert. Striped bass continues to hold.
Data courtesy of CDWR.

43. Fish passage, 23:12-23:13
Steelhead tag continues past barrier. Striped bass continues to hold.
Data courtesy of CDWR.

44. Fish passage, 23:13-23:14
Steelhead tag continues past barrier. Striped bass begins to move. Data
courtesy of CDWR.

45. Predator avoidance, 23:14-23:15
As steelhead tag passes over striped bass, steelhead tag appears to
avoid bass moving counter-clockiwse. Striped bass also moves
downstream. Data courtesy of CDWR.

46. Predator avoidance, 23:15-23:16
Steelhead tag continues circling counter-clockwise as striped bass
moves slightly downstream. Data courtesy of CDWR.

47. Predator avoidance, 23:16-23:17
Steelhead tag continues circling counter-clockwise as striped bass
moves slightly downstream. Data courtesy of CDWR.

48. Predator avoidance, 23:17-23:18
Steelhead tag continues circling counter-clockwise as striped bass
moves slightly downstream. Data courtesy of CDWR.

49. Predator avoidance, 23:18-23:19
Steelhead tag continues circling counter-clockwise as striped bass
moves slightly downstream. Data courtesy of CDWR.

50. Predator avoidance, 23:19-23:20
Steelhead tag appears to avoid striped bass again as passes by. Data
courtesy of CDWR.

51. Predator avoidance, 23:20-23:21
Both tags moving downstream. Data courtesy of CDWR.

52. Predator avoidance, 23:21-23:22
Steelhead tag leaves downstream. Striped bass holding further
downstream. Data courtesy of CDWR.

53. Summary 2D tracks

54. 2010 Animation
Eonfusion screen capture showing concurrent tag tracks, hydrophone
positions, tidal, velocity, flow, flap gate operation, sun and moon phase
within a geo-referenced image of the ORT area. Data courtesy of CDWR.

55. 2011 Animation
Eonfusion screen capture showing concurrent tag tracks, hydrophone
positions, river stage height, sun and moon phase within a geo-
referenced image of the ORT area. Data courtesy of CDWR.

56. Summary
• Acoustic tags can provide information about fish
populations. For example, presence/absence.
• If detections are uniformly spaced to a high level of
precision, these detections can assess fish behavior.
• Example behaviors include:
• Moving towards and away
• Holding
• Defecation
• Downstream migration
• Fish passage
• Searching
• Predator avoidance

57. References
• Ehrenberg, J. E., and Steig, T. W. 2009. A study of the relationship between
tag-signal characteristics and achievable performances in acoustic fish-tag
studies. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 1278–1283.
• Kumagai, K.K., S.V. Johnston, C. Sullivan, and P.A. Nealson. 2010. Two-
dimensional fish tracking study in the Old River at Tracy barrier in 2010.
Report to California Department of Water Resources, Sacramento, Calif., by
Hydroacoustic Technology, Inc., Seattle, Wash.
• Tunnicliffe, C., K.K. Kumagai, and S.V. Johnston. 2011. Two-dimensional
fish tracking study in the Old River at Tracy barrier in 2011. Report to
California Department of Water Resources, Sacramento, Calif., by
Hydroacoustic Technology, Inc., Seattle, Wash.

58. Acknowledgments
• California Department of Water Resources
(CDWR)

59. Questions?
Kevin Kumagai, Sam Johnston, and Colleen Sullivan
Hydroacoustic Technology, Inc.
For more information: www.htisonar.com