Towards the inclusion of broadband acoustic methods in the assessment of benthopelagic fish stocks

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

Echo-counting using broadband echosounders is an effective tool for assessing benthopelagic fish stocks, yielding slightly higher population estimates than traditional echo-integration and stock assessment models. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.METHODOLOGICAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

doi:10.1016/j.fishres.2026.107847

August 25, 2026Fisheries ResearchOpen Access

Towards the inclusion of broadband acoustic methods in the assessment of benthopelagic fish stocks

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Key Points

Evaluate broadband echo-counting for assessing benthopelagic fish stocks and compare its abundance estimates against echo-integration and the SAM assessment model.
Deployed broadband echosounders to resolve and count individual Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in Nuuk fjord, Greenland.
Compared echo-counting stock estimates directly to echo-integration measurements and outputs from the state-space assessment model SAM.
Applied the Sawada index to establish a fish-density threshold (>0.04) for switching between echo-counting and echo-integration in dense patches.
Echo-counting estimated 12% more cod biomass than traditional echo-integration.
Echo-counting produced 6.3% higher cod abundance estimates compared to the SAM stock assessment model.
Echo-counting effectively resolved individual targets in low-to-medium densities but required supplementation with echo-integration when the Sawada index exceeded 0.04.

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Implication

Acoustic survey demonstrates that broadband echo-counting increases Atlantic cod abundance estimates relative to echo-integration, suggesting enhanced accuracy for benthopelagic stock assessments.

Abstract

Highlights- Broadband echosounders provide effective detection of individual fish and open new opportunities for echo-counting.- Echo-counting is used to assess the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) stock of the Nuuk fjord, Greenland, and is compared to echo-integration and to the stock assessment model SAM.- Echo-counting estimates 12% more cod than echo-integration and 6.3% more than SAM.- Echo-counting is proposed as a stock assessment tool for benthopelagic fish, supplemented with echo-integration for high-density patches (Sawada index is >0.04).

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A 2026 study studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a8fe91710c91c1e92620b88 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2026.107847

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Towards the inclusion of broadband acoustic methods in the assessment of benthopelagic fish stocks

Key Points

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Cite This Study

Towards the inclusion of broadband acoustic methods in the assessment of benthopelagic fish stocks

Key Points

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

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