Development of a shallow-water underwater acoustic recording system - version 2

Commercial underwater noise recorders are expensive and often vulnerable to loss or entanglement in fishing nets, while developing affordable alternatives is challenging and requires expertise in electronics and low-level programming. Consumer-grade microcomputer platforms offer a cost-effective and efficient solution for monitoring underwater noise, particularly in shallow coastal areas. This paper investigates a method for developing an autonomous underwater acoustic recorder based on earlier work. The developed system able to store acoustic data over mid-term deployments and is suitable for applications such as environmental noise assessment, aquatic animal monitoring, and recording impulsive or vessel-generated noise. The performance of the developed device was validated in air using a purpose-built acoustic coupler and sine wave signals, following a comparative hydrophone system calibration procedure and tested during the field measurements in the Klaipėda Harbour area, Lithuania. • Development of a low-cost autonomous underwater sound recording system. • Validation of the system using a comparative hydrophone calibration procedure. • Experimental measurements of ship noise using the developed system.