Seismic surveying noise has species-specific effects on two commercial fish, Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) and witch flounder (Glyptocephalus cynoglossus), as shown using deepwater acoustic telemetry

Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) and witch flounder (Glyptocephalus cynoglossus) are fished in deep water (>500m) along the continental slope of eastern Canada, which is an area of oil and gas exploration. Virtually no information is available regarding the effects of noise on these species at this depth, however, some commercial fish harvesters believe that noise from seismic surveying displaces fish and causes reductions in catch. We used acoustic telemetry and a control-impact study design to test this hypothesis by measuring fish movement in response to weeks of industrial seismic survey noise. There were no large-scale displacements of tracked fish from the impacted area for either species. Greenland halibut movement, while in the study arrays, did not change with proximity to seismic activity. Witch flounder remained in the impact array longer than the control array and were more likely to remain stationary with increased seismic noise. Noise impact in this study revealed different behavioral effects, even within these two flatfish species, and suggests that effects on commercial catch rates will vary according to species.