Skip to main content
SLU publication database (SLUpub)

Report2015Open access

Baltic international acoustic survey report, October 2014

Larson, Niklas

Abstract

International hydroacoustic surveys have been conducted in the Baltic Sea since 1978. The starting point
was the cooperation between Institute of Marine Research (IMR) in Lysekil, Sweden and the Institute
fur Hochseefisherei und Fishverarbeitung in Rostock, German Democratic Republic in October 1978, ¨
which produced the first acoustic estimates of total biomass of herring and sprat in the Baltic Main basin
(H˚akansson et al., 1979). Since then there has been at least one annual hydroacoustic survey for herring
and sprat stocks and results have been reported to ICES.
The Baltic International Acoustic Survey (BIAS), is mandatory for the countries that have exclusive
economic zone (EEZ) in the Baltic Sea, and is a part of the Data Collection Framework as stipulated by
the European Council and the Commission (Council Regulation (EC) No 199/2008 and the Commission
DCF web page4).
IMR in Lysekil is part of the Department of Aquatic Resources within Swedish University of Agricultural
Sciences and is responsible for the Swedish part of the EU Data Collection Framework and surveys in the
marine environment. The Institute assesses the status of the marine ecosystems, develops and provides
biological advices for managers for the sustainable use of aquatic resources.
The BIAS survey in September/October are co-ordinated and managed by the ICES working group
WGBIFS. The main objective of BIAS is to assess clupeoid resources in the Baltic Sea. The survey will
provide data to the ICES Baltic Fisheries Assessment Working Group (WGBFAS).

Published in

Aqua reports
2015, number: 2015:12
eISBN: 978-91-576-9339-6
Publisher: Department of Aquatic resources, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences