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Advances in the aquatic sciences
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Comparison of sonar-, camera- and net-based methods in detecting riverine fish-movement patterns

Leonhard Egg A , Joachim Pander A , Melanie Mueller A and Juergen Geist https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7698-3443 A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Aquatic Systems Biology Unit, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Technical University of Munich, Mühlenweg 22, D-85354 Freising, Germany.

B Corresponding author. Email: geist@wzw.tum.de

Marine and Freshwater Research 69(12) 1905-1912 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF18068
Submitted: 27 February 2018  Accepted: 12 June 2018   Published: 13 September 2018

Abstract

Monitoring of fish movement is important in understanding and optimising the functionality of fishways and in restoring riverine connectivity. This study compared fish monitoring data (ARIS sonar-based and GoPro camera-based), with catches in a multi-mesh stow net following downstream passage in a small river in Bavaria, Germany. In terms of the number of individuals, the sonar-based system (detection rate = 62.6% of net-based catches) outnumbered the counts of the camera-based system (45.4%). Smaller specimens of <100 and <150 mm were under-represented with the sonar and the camera-based systems respectively. Species identification based on the camera system was similar to that for net-based catch, whereas no proper species identification could be performed with sonar data. In conclusion, the sonar-based system can be recommended for the counting of fish >100 mm during night and turbid conditions, unless species identification is necessary. During daylight and with clear water, cameras can be a cheaper and promising option to monitor species compositions of fish >150 mm.

Additional keywords: ARIS, fish migration, fishways, fragmentation, hydropower, monitoring.


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