*** 96-60393 Gordon This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Project will explore an improved commercial acoustic sensing system, called FishMASS, for long-term fish monitoring in the open ocean, estuaries, rivers, lakes, and streams. Designed on top of Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) technology, FishMASS will collect a wider range of information about fish than other existing acoustic systems. It will incorporate much of the capability of existing dual beam and split beam sorters, i.e., individual target strength measurement, without compromising ADCP normal capabilities. In addition, FishMASS will add the ability to measure target velocity and target backscatter spectrum (over one octave in frequency), and it will use broadband signal processing to improve discrimination of single and multiple targets. It will be designed for long-term monitoring, i.e., battery operation, internal data storage, and substantial internal data reduction, but it could easily be adapted for use on ships. In addition to final, reduced data, FshMASS well provide raw and intermediate data products to facilitate algorithm development by users. Commercial applications are expected in fisheries research institutions for research and to assess fish abundance. FishMASS is expected to supplement and perhaps replace current methods for surveying fish from ships. ***
