| Summary: | Credit Australia's Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) is enabled by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). It is operated by a consortium of institutions as an unincorporated joint venture, with the University of Tasmania as Lead Agent. Credit CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere Credit Austral Fisheries Credit Sealord Credit Australian Longline Credit National Institute of Water and Atmosphere (NIWA) Credit Marine National Facility Overview: The IMOS Bio-Acoustic Ship Of Opportunity (BASOOP) sub-facility is part of a major international effort that aims to develop a global ocean Mid-trophic Automatic Acoustic Sampler (MAAS) being proposed as part of the CLimate Impacts on Oceanic TOp Predators (CLIOTOP) program. This SOOP dataset covers the Indian Ocean and waters south and east of Australia and across to New Zealand. BASOOP commenced on the 1st of July 2010 to collect underway acoustic data while vessels are transiting ocean basins. At present, nine vessels are participating in the BASOOP program. Six are commercial fishing vessels that have agreed to record data during transits to and from fishing grounds. The remaining three are scientific research vessels collecting underway acoustic data during transits and science operations. Bio acoustic signals allow understanding how mid-water prey species (known collectively as micronekton) such as small fish, squid, krill and jellyfish are distributed. Micronekton form the core of the ocean food web, transferring energy from primary producers at the ocean surface to top predators such as tunas, billfish, sharks, seals and seabirds. The mass and distribution of micronekton reflects broad-scale patterns in the structure and function of the ocean, as well as the dynamics of marine ecosystems. The mapping complements established observing systems such as physical sampling of ocean currents, surveys of ocean chemistry and biology (plankton and zooplankton), and electronic tagging and tracking of large marine fish and mammals. ...
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