Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 19, 2025

Development of New Methods for Quantifying Fish Density Using Underwater Stereo-video Tools
Published on: November 20, 2017
The sources and prevalence of anthropogenic noise in Rockfish Conservation Areas with implications for marine reserve
Katrina Nikolich1, William D Halliday2, Matthew K Pine1
1Fisheries Ecology and Marine Conservation Laboratory, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Abstract:
Underwater noise pollution is a recognized threat to marine life. In British Columbia, Canada, Pacific rockfish (Sebastes spp.) were historically overfished, prompting the establishment of Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCAs). However, there are no restrictions prohibiting vessel transits in RCAs. We hypothesized that RCAs do not protect rockfish from sub-lethal harm from noise. We compared noise levels at three RCAs with adjacent unprotected reference sites from August 2018-June 2019. While RCAs had lower levels of noise overall than reference sites, this trend was inconsistent; some RCA sites had higher levels of noise during certain time periods than non-RCA sites. A vessel noise detector was the best predictor of noise level over three frequency bands (20-100 Hz, 100-1000 Hz, 1-10 kHz), and predicted sound levels which could mask rockfish communication. We conclude that RCAs do not reliably protect rockfish from noise pollution, and recommend further study into potential impacts on stock recovery.
Related Concept Videos
Habitat Fragmentation
Conservation of Declining Populations
Sustainable Development
Conservation of Small Populations

