University of Tasmania
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Flynn_et_al_2018_ECE3_4301_Rev_EV.pdf (1.31 MB)

Gigapixel big data movies provide cost-effective seascape scale direct measurements of open-access coastal human use such as recreational fisheries

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posted on 2023-05-19, 21:17 authored by Flynn, DJH, Lynch, TP, Neville BarrettNeville Barrett, Wong, LSC, Devine, C, Hughes, D
Collecting data on unlicensed open‐access coastal activities, such as some types of recreational fishing, has often relied on telephone interviews selected from landline directories. However, this approach is becoming obsolete due to changes in communication technology such as a switch to unlisted mobile phones. Other methods, such as boat ramp interviews, are often impractical due to high labor cost. We trialed an autonomous, ultra‐high‐resolution photosampling method as a cost effect solution for direct measurements of a recreational fishery. Our sequential photosampling was batched processed using a novel software application to produce “big data” time series movies from a spatial subset of the fishery, and we validated this with a regional bus‐route survey and interviews with participants at access points. We also compared labor costs between these two methods. Most trailer boat users were recreational fishers targeting tuna spp. Our camera system closely matched trends in temporal variation from the larger scale regional survey, but as the camera data were at much higher frequency, we could additionally describe strong, daily variability in effort. Peaks were normally associated with weekends, but consecutive weekend tuna fishing competitions led to an anomaly of high effort across the normal weekday lulls. By reducing field time and batch processing imagery, Monthly labor costs for the camera sampling were a quarter of the bus‐route survey; and individual camera samples cost 2.5% of bus route samples to obtain. Gigapixel panoramic camera observations of fishing were representative of the temporal variability of regional fishing effort and could be used to develop a cost‐efficient index. High‐frequency sampling had the added benefit of being more likely to detect abnormal patterns of use. Combinations of remote sensing and on‐site interviews may provide a solution to describing highly variable effort in recreational fisheries while also validating activity and catch.

History

Publication title

Ecology and Evolution

Volume

8

Issue

18

Pagination

9372-9383

ISSN

2045-7758

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

John Wiley and Sons Ltd

Place of publication

United Kingdom

Rights statement

Copyright 2018 the authors. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Repository Status

  • Open

Socio-economic Objectives

Fisheries - recreational freshwater; Fisheries - wild caught not elsewhere classified; Rehabilitation or conservation of marine environments