scuba diving transects for research

[Scuba_18]

I am doing my undergrad in biology with a specialization in freshwater aquatic ecology. I am doing a 4th year thesis project this summer on round goby distribution on shipwrecks in the three basins of lake erie. I am interested in help in setting up dive transects. I have done transects in rivers with electrofishers but never with dive gear. I am going to be doing 3 transects per wreck with divers and then 3 transects with an ROV.

Is there a standard procedure for using diving on shipwrecks to assess fish populations or do I have to write my own procedure.

thanks so much for your help.
eric

 

[archman]

I'm sure you would either go with a roving diver survey or the static "circley" protocol whose exact name eludes me. Every scuba or ROV-based fish counter I know uses the roving method, where you just wander about and count fish. Some people follow compass bearings... which I doubt would be useful on a wreck.

You could always check with Christie Patengill over at REEF. Her dissertation work was on evaluating reef fish populations, and now she's REEF's scientific coordinator.

 

[kjundvr]

I also do transects for assessing fish population and distribution. If I am assessing an area say in your case the shipwreck I plan out a pattern to dive similar to a search pattern you may use for finding a lost diver. this assures you that you have covered the entire AOI and reduces double fish counts.

 

[Benthos]

You can start with the NOAA Diving Manual if you’re new to scientific diving. Second do a literature search in biosis or similar. If your not sure how go see your librarian, that’s what their there for. Talk to your Diving Safety Officer and Post Doc's with subtidal experience or fish ecology backgrounds. A great deal of work has been on this topic.