Sounds from seismic air guns: gear- and species-specific effects on catch rates and fish distribution

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• Main Authors: Løkkeborg, Svein, Ona, Egil, Vold, Aud, Salthaug, Are
• Other Authors: Jech, Josef Michael
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 2012
• Subjects: Aquatic Science; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Greenland; Fishing Ground; Sebastes norvegicus
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f2012-059; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/f2012-059; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f2012-059

Previous studies found that sounds generated by seismic air guns led to pronounced reductions in commercial catches from trawls and longlines and the displacement of fish from fishing grounds. In contradiction to these findings and fishermen’s concerns, we demonstrate here that gillnet catches were...