A 2015 study in Bass Strait acoustically tagged three shark species and analyzed Commonwealth fisheries logbook data from 2012-2015 to quantify seismic survey impacts. Only 35% of gummy sharks and 30% of swell sharks were detected two days post-release, while tiger flathead showed altered swimming speeds and diel patterns. Catch rates changed for nine of fifteen modeled species in the six months following the seismic operations.
Use Cases
- Modeling changes in commercial catch rates based on logbook data for 15 species and two gear types.
- Analyzing fish movement patterns and swimming speeds before, during, and after seismic operations.
- Comparing behavioral responses between an experimental zone and a control zone using acoustic tagging data.
Strengths
- Combines field-based acoustic tagging data with desktop analysis of multi-year (Jan 2012 – Oct 2015) commercial fisheries logbook data.
- Examines impacts on 15 distinct fish species and two gear types (Danish seine, gillnet).
- Provides specific detection rates for tagged species (35% gummy sharks, 30% swell sharks).
Limitations
- Behavioral data were limited as many sharks left the acoustic receiver array before the seismic survey commenced.
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
Provenance
- Source
- Australian Ocean Data Network
- Collection Method
- Field-based acoustic tagging and desktop analysis of Commonwealth fisheries logbook data.
- Time Range
- Acoustic tagging study in April 2015; logbook data from Jan 2012 – Oct 2015.
- Freshness
- Last updated 2026-04-16 15:28:08.500216; freshness should be verified.
- Geography
- Gippsland Basin, Bass Strait, Australia.