A METHOD FOR THE QUANTITATIVE-EVALUATION OF FISH MOVEMENTS IN SALT PONDS BY ACOUSTIC TELEMETRY

Previously used in metallurgy, the acoustic positioning system has been adapted in this work for fish tracking. Details of methodology, accuracy of the information derived and limitations of the technique are described. Experimental evaluation of the constant of error as allocated per unit area (e.g., ·m-2) enabled estimation of the maximal error in the distance travelled and provided accurate comparison of the swimming activities of different specimens. The tracking system as outlined here can be satisfactorily used to study fish behaviour in ponds, with special reference to habitat utilization and levels of swimming activity linked to natural variations in the environment. © 1990.