SMAST Researchers Tout Improvements to Fish Surveillance System

NEW BEDFORD - A research team at UMass Dartmouth's School for Marine Science and Technology has improved upon a new fish video surveillance system.

SMAST has been working on the technology for several years in order to get the most accurate count of fish possible for researchers conducting fish population surveys.

Chief scientist and graduate student Travis Lowery tells WBSM News improving the video quality has helped the team get accurate counts of fish, and even what species they are. "We have had some trouble identifying some flatfish species. But the roundfish species, such as cod or haddock, our accuracy levels have really improved over the years, specifically because of the video quality that we're getting," said Lowery.

The hope is that the technology will be used for federal surveys of fish populations, providing more accurate counts to base regulation on.

Lowery says the technology has been tested in Stellwagen Bank off the coast of Maine with great accuracy.