n2 Three complementary seabed characterization tools with different spatial resolution were

• Main Author: At Pennsylvania State U
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2002
• Subjects: impact studies; ITI positioning system; otter trawling; RoxAnn; sidescan sonar; video-sledge; Barents Sea; Bear Island
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.572.7079; http://icesjms.oxfordjournals.org/content/61/1/53.full.pdf

ow nloaded from used to locate a research site and to assess physical effects of experimental otter trawling in the Barents Sea: an acoustic seabed classification system (RoxAnn), sidescan sonar and a video-sledge. The marine protected area (MPA) around Bear Island was chosen as it offered unfished reference sites. The area was topographically complex which resulted in certain challenges for choice of the experimental site due to the requirements of representativity and homogeneity and suitable sampling substrate. Systematic waylines with RoxAnn gave broad-scale patterns of bottom conditions, the more informative sidescan revealed topographic reliefs, whilst detailed information on sediment composition and small-scale seabed features was provided by the video-sledge. Accurate positioning of towed gears (trawl, sidescan and video-sledge) ensured unbiased data acquisition. Trawl doors and rockhopper gear created furrows that were visible by sidescan sonar and video. Intensive trawling also caused changes in the acoustic properties by increasing roughness and decreasing hardness. Results are consistent with a possible resuspension of the sediment and a homogenizing effect from the trawl doors and ground gear ploughing the area. The suitability and advantages of using spatially overlapping tools in trawl impact studies are discussed.