Fish Behavior and Catch Rates Before and After a 2015 Marine Seismic Survey

A study quantifies the impact of a 2-D seismic survey in the Gippsland Basin, Australia, on fish behavior and commercial catch rates. The research involved acoustic tagging of three shark species and analysis of Commonwealth fisheries logbook data from January 2012 to October 2015. The dataset, associated with a 2018 publication, found limited evidence of seismic survey-induced changes in the targeted species.

Use Cases

• Modeling changes in commercial catch rates for 15 fish species based on logbook data before and after a seismic event.
• Analyzing changes in diel movement patterns and swimming speed in flathead in relation to seismic operations.
• Comparing acoustic detection rates of tagged gummy and swell sharks in experimental versus control zones.
• Investigating potential correlations between seismic survey operations and species-specific catch rate increases or decreases.

Strengths

• Includes data from a controlled field study with acoustic tagging in experimental and control zones.
• Integrates long-term commercial fisheries logbook data covering a period from January 2012 to October 2015.
• Focuses on 15 specific fish species and two gear types (Danish seine, gillnet) for catch rate analysis.

Limitations

• Behavioral data were limited as many tagged 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

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

Field-based acoustic tagging and monitoring combined with desktop analysis of Commonwealth fisheries logbook data.

Time Range

Primary study in April 2015, with catch rate data from January 2012 to October 2015.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-25 18:17:20.772905; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Gippsland Basin, Bass Strait, Australia.