A large dataset of detection and submeter-accurate 3-D trajectories of juvenile Chinook salmon

Acoustic telemetry has been used extensively to study the behavior of aquatic animals. The Juvenile Salmon Acoustic Telemetry System (JSATS) is one such system; it was developed for studying juvenile salmonids but has been used to study numerous species. A recent innovation of the JSATS system is an acoustic transmitter that is small enough to be implanted through injection or small incision that doesn't require sutures. Use of the JSATS system involves deploying cabled acoustic receivers at hydroelectric dams, or other structures, and autonomous acoustic receivers in free-flowing sections of a river. The raw detections from acoustic-tagged fish are processed to remove potential false positives. The clean detections (5,147,996 total) are used to generate detection events and to compute 3-D trajectories (403,900 total), which are used to assign fish to a passage route through a dam. Controlled field testing involving a high-accuracy Global Positioning System receiver is done to validate the submeter accuracy of the trajectories. The JSATS dataset could be reused for expanding the understanding of near-dam fish behavior.

Automated summary

Acoustic telemetry is widely used for studying aquatic animal behavior, with the JSATS system being a versatile tool for studying various species behaviors. The system features a small acoustic transmitter that can be implanted through injection or small incision. Deployment of cabled and autonomous acoustic receivers is essential for data collection, while field testing is conducted to validate the accuracy of fish trajectories. The JSATS dataset can be reused to enhance understanding of fish behavior near dams.