Underwater sounds from the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and Cape Cod

Soniferous Fishes Of Stellwagen Bank

Title: Identification of soniferous fishes on Stellwagen Bank: validation of their sound production characteristics and association of sounds with specific habitats and behaviors.

Principle investigators: Rountree, R.A., F. Juanes (UMASS-Amherst), and J. Blue (Leviathan Legacy, Inc., Orlando, Florida).

Funded by: National Undersea Research Program, North Atlantic & Great Lakes ( http://www.nurc.uconn.edu/)

**New photo gallery added

***New cusk sound recording added May 05

Science Party: Rodney Rountree, Meg Hendry-Brogan, Rebecca Jordan, and David Howe.

Photo gallery I photos from first cruise

Photo gallery II photos from otherа project cruises

Summary with selected figures and film clips:

ааааааааааа We conducted a preliminary inshore survey of soniferous fishes on Cape Cod from mid-June through October and obtained recordings of striped cusk-eel, striped searobin, oyster toadfish and other species. Based on the occurrence of vocal choruses, we found sunset spawning aggregations of the striped cusk-eels at eight of 12 locations sampled across the length of Cape Cod. This is significant because despite extensive faunal surveys in the region over several decades, the importance of the striped cusk-eels has been previously overlooked. This finding nicely demonstrates the usefulness of passive acoustics as a supplement to traditional survey methods. The seasonal and daily pattern of striped cusk-eel vocal activity agrees with published laboratory findings. We also conducted a successful passive acoustics survey of three habitat types within the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary from October 17-24, 2001. Video data indicates a strong faunal difference among sand, gravel and boulder habitats. A preliminary review of acoustic data suggests that fish sounds were only heard in the boulder habitat. Strong circumstantial evidence suggests that the sounds recorded were from the Cusk, Brosme brosme. This is the first known recording of a vocalization of cusk in US waters, though Norwegian scientists may have recently recorded spawning sounds for the species. This finding is significant because it demonstrates that passive acoustics coupled with an ROV may be an important new tool to study the behavior and habitat use patterns of this little known and overexploited species. Extensive data on the noise characteristics of the ROV and support ship together with recordings of fish sounds will allow us to evaluate the feasibility of developing the Soniferous Fish Locator (SFL) device. Preliminary findings suggest that although the ROV is unexpectedly noisy, the ROV can be used as a platform for the SFL under certain conditions. Namely, that the ROV be stopped and held motionless on the bottom with all its thrusters shut down during signal acquisition and source bearing determination. Finally we have demonstrated for the first time that an ROV can be successfully used as a platform for the acquisition of passive acoustics data in conjunction with video data on fish presence, behavior and habitat type.

Quick Look Cruise Report - brief description of cruise results compiled during the cruise.

Figure 1. Location of inshore study site locations (squares) and Stellwagen Bank Cruise Stations (circles). As part of the inshore survey of fish sounds we sampled 12 locations (circles) throughout Cape Cod at least once between June and October 2001. Sounds of striped cusk-eels were recorded in eight of the 12 locations (red circles), but were not recorded at Skaket beach, Ockway bay, Megansett Beach or the Cape Cod Canal (green squares). Seven of eight potential stations were planned for the offshore cuise (red and blue circles), however we were only able to sample three of the stations due to weather delays (blue circles). In addition, we sampled at the Gloucester Fish Pier when our departure was delayed by weather.

Figure 2. Photograph taken of a cusk, Brosme brosme, on boulder habitat in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Closed fishing area. The ROV was stationary with all thrusters off and only infrared lights on. A prolonged series of intermittent fish sounds were recorded while this individual remained in the ROV vicinity (note, photographs were captured from VHS, higher quality stills we be obtained from the hi-8 recordings at a latter date).

Click to hear the first recording of the sounds made by the cusk

Figure 3. Small Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, associated with an isolated rock and sponge in sand bottom habitat in the closed fishing area.

Figure 4. Haddock observed in boulder habitat from the closed fishing area on Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.

Short film clips from the cruise (taken from VHS backup tapes, high quality footage will be added at a later date).

1. Lobster in Gloucester harbor.

Stellwagen Sand habitat

2. Ocean pout - a pair of ocean pout associated with an isolated rock

3. Winter flounder - note typical feeding posture with head held high (spiny dogfish passing through)

4. Atlantic cod - small cod associated with a rock (small rocks are widely scattered in sand)

5. Squid - pair of squid, at end of ROV dive after tapes had run out we saw a squid eating a large cod (2 x the size of the squid) which it had apparently killed only momments before the head was already torn apart.

6. Bluefish - an adult bluefish made infrequent appearances during the night dive, a spiny dogfish also appears in the clip

Stellwagen Bank Gravel habitat

7. White hake - an adult observed during a noon time dive

8. Ocean pout - small individual

Stellwagen Bank Boulder habitat

9. Cunner - note, the cunner strongly avoided the ROV and usually keep in the distance

10. Cusk - the cusk strongly avoided the ROV while it was running and with its lights on, note this one's startle response when the ROV bumps on the bottom and makes a loud noise.

11. Cusk - A cusk that remained in the ROV vicinity for an extended period of time when the ROV's lights and thrusters were off, filmed with IR lighting.

12. Feeding frenzy - mixed school made up of lots of pollock and some Atlantic cod and haddock

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This page was last modified on December 11, 2001