Hexacopter Drones and Sonar to
Assess Bluefin Stocks

A project to combine aerial and sonar imagery to more comprehensively assess the bluefin tuna stocks is being developed. The Northeast Fisheries Science Center, the University of New Hampshire, Dr. Molly Lutcavage, Director of the Large Pelagics Research Center at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA. and fishermen are collaborating on this project.

The hexacopter drone enables the collection of lower recorded altitude images. The computer in the drone sends the data back to an assisting boat where high resolution images are processed and coordinated with sonar information.

This data can be used to more accurately measure the size of the tuna and thereby their ages. The sonar provides a vertical slice view of the water column. Spotter plane photos do not record altitude and only showed tuna at the surface. The drone's high resolution images of tuna on the surface and the visual slice of the water column combine to produce more comprehensive and accurate tuna assessment data.

Fishermen have been saying for years that there are more tuna fish than what the feds have been reporting. In the 1990's independent counting of tuna was started, but they were only counting on the surface. About 6 years ago Lutcavage began using sonar information from UNH that was gathered for herring assessments. When combined with the drone images it was much more valuable data.

The drones are cheaper than airplanes. The early results have been good, but Lutcavage said it looks like it will be great. However, drone regulations have inhibited progress. Federal regulations on remote control drones with a pilot are considered as an aircraft and the pilot must take a pilots test and all the requirements that implies. Hobbyists are regulated less than organizations receiving federal funding. These and other unresolved issues are creating uncertainty for the assessment program.