Detection and avoidance of tidal turbines by fishes

我的研究项目重点是沿海地区的工业发展对洄游鱼类资源的影响。在大多数淡水系统中，鱼类与大型(大型水坝、堤道、桥梁)和小型(涵洞、鱼道)尺度障碍物之间存在复杂的相互作用，但由于缺乏能够提供关于鱼类行为的准确和精确三维数据的设备，难以量化。鱼类迁徙面临的一个新的全球挑战是发展海洋环境中的潮汐能基础设施。如果运行中的涡轮机和迁徙的鱼类之间存在空间和时间上的重叠，我们需要确定鱼类是否能够发现并避开它们路径上的涡轮机。如果他们不能避开涡轮机，鱼与涡轮机的相互作用对鱼类的健康和生存有什么影响？涡轮机的类型、水流速度和鱼的行为是准确构建和验证鱼-涡轮机碰撞模型所必需的关键组件。在这项研究计划中，我们将使用协作循序渐进的过程来：1)在高噪声环境中测试新的创新声学标记技术；2)开发一种合适的阵列几何结构，用于在100米的尺度上跟踪被标记的鱼类，预计三维位置精度为0.2米；以及3)标记底层和中上层鱼类，以量化它们在不同流速下探测和避免操作潮汐涡轮机的能力。FISH已经被证明在低电流速度下可以在接近涡轮机时改变方向、深度和方向。我们预测，当靠近涡轮机的鱼的数据与不在涡轮机直接附近的鱼的数据进行比较时，行为的变化将是明显的。结果将为鱼与水轮机在不同水流速度下相互作用的预测模型提供信息。该程序的结果将普遍适用于潮汐能提取对全球高能环境中物种和物种群的影响的预测。正确预测潮汐涡轮机运行对鱼类资源的负面影响对加拿大经济至关重要。例如，仅在大西洋各省，2012年就捕捞了616,944公吨鱼，价值9.77亿美元，雇用了61,256人。因此，减少本已紧张的商业鱼类资源的健康和丰富程度的经济影响可能会对沿海经济和加拿大整体经济产生很大影响。我们无法有效地预测潮汐涡轮机运行对洄游鱼类健康的负面影响，这使我们无法了解潮汐发电开发的所有生物学后果。此外，缺乏有关潮汐发电潜在影响的可信科学数据，将推迟对一项显示出减少碳排放希望的技术的决策进程，加拿大可能成为沿海地区潮汐发电基础设施生产方面的全球领先者。

My research program focuses on the impact of industrial developments in the coastal zone on migratory fish resources. Complex interactions between fishes and large (large dams, causeways, bridges) and small (culverts, fishways) scale obstructions occur in most freshwater systems, but are difficult to quantify due to a lack of equipment that can provide accurate and precise 3-d data on fish behaviour. A new global challenge for fish migration is the development of tidal energy infrastructure in the marine environment. If there is spatial and temporal overlap between operating turbines and migratory fishes, we need to determine if fishes are able to detect and avoid turbines in their path. If they cannot avoid the turbines what is the impact of fish-turbine interaction on fish health and survival? The type of turbine, current speed and fish behaviour are critical components necessary to accurately construct and validate fish-turbine collision models. In this research program, we will use a collaborative stepwise process to: 1) test new innovative acoustic tagging technology in high noise environments; 2) develop an appropriate array geometry for tracking tagged fishes on a scale of 100s of m with a predicted 3-d positional accuracy of 0.2 m; and 3) tag migratory benthic and pelagic fishes to quantify their ability to detect and avoid operating tidal turbines at varying current speeds. Fish have been shown at low current speeds to change orientation, depth and direction when approaching a turbine. We predict that changes in behaviour will be obvious when data from fish approaching a turbine and data from fish not in the direct vicinity of a turbine are compared. Results will inform predictive models of fish-turbine interactions at variable current speeds. The results of this program will be generally applicable to prediction of effects of tidal energy extraction on species and species groups in high energy environments globally. The proper prediction of negative effects of tidal turbine operation on fish resources is critical to the Canadian economy. For example, in the Atlantic Provinces alone in 2012, 616,944 mt of fish were harvested, with a value of $977 million and employment of 61,256 people. So, the economic effect of reducing the health and abundance of already stressed commercial fish resources is likely to have a large effect on coastal economies, and Canada's economy as a whole. Our inability to effectively predict the negative effects of operation of tidal turbines on migratory fish health keeps us from understanding the full range of biological consequences of tidal power developments. Moreover, the lack of credible scientific data on the potential impacts of tidal power will delay the decision-making process on a technology that shows promise for reducing carbon emissions, and for which Canada could become a global leader in the production of tidal power infrastructure for the coastal zone.