Stephen J. Smith 1 , Peter Lawton 2 Pierre Clement 1 Department of Fisheries and Oceans

1. DFO National Workshop on survey design, database design and analysis of underwater video/photographic surveys. Stephen J. Smith1, Peter Lawton2 Pierre Clement1 Department of Fisheries and Oceans 1Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, NS 2Biological Station, St. Andrews, NB SGFOT Meeting, Dublin Ireland. 21–22, April 2007

2. Background • Underwater video/still photography capacity has been developed to some level in many DFO labs across the country. • Applications range over: • Gear impact studies • Habitat association • Population monitoring

3. Background • Equipment and applications were local developments to meet specific needs. • Engineering and technical expertise not always available to assist development. • Database development local, variable and not always designed to be shared.

4. Background • DFO has adopted Ecosystem-based approach: • Underwater image surveys can survey large areas for: • Target commercial and associated species • Habitat associations of above • Species at risk and habitat • Evaluating impact human activities on benthic environment.

5. Objectives of Workshop • Develop common understanding of how imaging being used to monitor freshwater and marine communities • Build a community of researchers within and outside DFO to share expertise and knowledge • Contribute towards a strategic plan for solving outstanding problems and promote approach.

6. Structure of Workshop Three theme sessions: • Evaluate current survey designs being used and determine research required to improve on these designs. • Evaluate current database structures for video data including storage modes, retrieval methods and meta-data standards. Develop basis for setting national standards. • Evaluate current methods (machine vs. manual) for analysis of photographic data frames and determine if adequate methods exist that can be recommended as a standard for DFO or if development is required.

7. Structure of Workshop • Internet survey for background information from all participants re: themes. • All participants invited to submit one slide for one or more of themes pertaining to their work. • Invited existing posters for presentation around meeting room • Formal presentations by invited speakers

8. Structure of Workshop: Formal presentations • Kevin Stokesbury and Brad Harris, U. Massachusetts • U.S. Atlantic Sea scallop • Population numbers and biomass • Drop body • Quadrant sampling design • Manual analysis of video/photos

11. Structure of Workshop: Formal presentations • Scott Gallager et al. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute • U.S. Atlantic Sea scallop and other species • Population numbers and density • Towed body • Grid or zig-zag pattern with binning • Machine analysis of video/photos using segmentation and feature extraction.

14. Structure of Workshop: Formal presentations • Lynne Yamanaka et al. Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, B.C. (DFO) • Rockfish and other species • Population numbers and density • ROV, Submersibles • Strip sampling: field of view • Line transects: detection functions • Manual observation from video using DVLog 2.22 (video post-processing software) • species maps from bottom type and neural net-based prediction of species habitat.

17. Structure of Workshop: Formal presentations • Peter Lawton and Mike Strong, Biological Station, St. Andrews, NB (DFO) • Habitat classification • Drift camera • transects • Real-time classification using ClassAct Mapper software (developed at BIO)

20. Posters

21. Survey Design • Multi-target application necessitates flexible survey design. • Adaptive sampling designs could be developed to optimize sampling • Image data only one component of description of benthic communities • Multibeam • Sidescan • Oceanographic modelling • Resource surveys • Commercial fishing data • Issues of matching across scales

22. Database Design • Development of an enterprise spatial data model • Need to “future protect” our upcoming investments in vessels and other equipment e.g. plan for use of fibre optic cable and shift from serial ports to Ethernet base communications. • Implementation of standard metadata practices for equipment. • Image analysis tools → development and expectations for data format and quality required for these tools.

23. Image Analysis • Combine the best of the regional applications into national applications • Expand the capacity of optical imaging to encompass meso-scales • Partial to full benthic image mosaics greater than 10 m × 10 m for patch structures • Extended linear video/still mosaics to 1 m × several km to expand patch to mesocales.

24. Next steps • East coast engineering support participating in west coast auv/rov trials. • Several projects on collecting, processing and managing high volumes of data submitted to National Science Data Management Committee (NSDMC) • NSDMC working group to study Marine data models. • Scale issue to be partially addressed under projects submitted to National Science Directors.