Acoustic data in the Canadian Arctic

• Main Authors: Fortier, Louis, LeBlanc, Mathieu, Geoffroy, Maxime
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Cryospheric Information Network 2017
• Subjects: Abundance; Acoustic; Arctic cod; Arctic Ocean; Biomass; Canada; Fishes; ArcticNet Network of Centres of Excellence of Canada; Arctic; ArcticNet; Zooplankton
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5884/12841; https://www.polardata.ca/pdcsearch/?doi_id=12841

The dataset is composed of raw files (.raw) recorded with a SIMRAD EK60 three-frequency (38, 120, 200 kHz) split-beam echosounder that was operated continuously during the ArcticNet cruise aboard the CCGS Amundsen from 2006 to 2016 (no data were collected in 2012 due to the CCGS Amundsen being in dry dock). All three 7° transducers were hull-mounted and calibrated prior to departure. The acoustic signal was recorded continuously on a PC using ER60 software version 2.0.0. Ping rate varied from 1 to 2 seconds depending on maximum depth, and the pulse length was set at 1.024 milliseconds. The files can be read with the open source programming software R, other proprietary programming software like MATLAB or with specific proprietary software for hydro-acoustic analysis such as Echoview (https://www.echoview.com/​). : Purpose: Arctic cod is the most abundant and dominant pelagic fish in the Arctic marine food web, transferring the energy from zooplankton to top predators. In the Canadian Arctic, the large biomass of this key species that must exist to support predator consumption estimates has eluded detection. Sampling difficulties in the harsh environment usually limit studies of Arctic cod to coastal shallow waters during summer and to the immediate under-ice water. The purpose of the collection of this massive dataset is to estimate Arctic cod's biomass distribution and describe cod behavior from acoustic backscatter data in the Canadian Arctic. : Summary: Not Applicable