Habitat Mapping

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Habitat Mapping Mark Meekan (AIMS) Cary McLean
(AIMS) David Williams (NRETA)
Jewfish Workshop 2006
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Aim

• Provide a description of aggregation sites in
  terms of bathymetry and current flow

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Map of sample sites
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Caution Point
Darwin
Chambers Bay
Channel Point
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Objectives
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• Put the listening station results into a spatial
  context
• Are fish occupying a particular habitat type?
• How do movement patterns relate to current flows?

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• Used an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler
• Profiled a series of transects across the study
  sites over flood and ebb tides
• Caution Point
• Chambers Bay
• Peron Islands

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Work in Progress
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• Develop model of current flow
• Add listening stations
• Look at spatial patterns of sonar signals (fish
  distributions) in relation to current flow
• Catching a bigger jewfish than Chris Errity