DOI: 10.5061/dryad.n5tb2rc63
title: Data from: Subtle shift in groundfish depth distribution within the impact range of seismic surveying along a continental slope

description: The impact of an industry-based 3D seismic airgun survey on fish and
 zooplankton was investigated on offshore commercial fishing grounds in
 Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Seismic surveying was conducted for 100
 consecutive days by Petroleum GeoServices using the Ramform Titan seismic
 vessel during summer 2021. A seabed moored autonomous multichannel
 acoustic recorder measured sound levels while a wideband autonomous
 transceiver equipped with 38 and 333 kHz transducers measured fish and
 zooplankton backscatter in the water column. The distance between the
 seismic survey vessel and the instruments ranged from 0 to 152 km and was
 tracked continuously. Fish between depths of 50 m and 350 m exhibited a
 response to seismic surveying, descending to greater depths when the
 seismic vessel was within 60 km and when average sound pressure levels
 (SPL, using a 60-sec average over the band of 8.9-8900 Hz) were
 &gt;122 dB re 1μPa². Conversely, no discernible effect on zooplankton
 abundance or behavior was measured between 250 m and 340 m depths. These
 findings suggest that the effects of seismic surveying in offshore
 environments are mainly impacting fish behaviour when sound levels are
 high, and impacts were observed at greater distances than previously
 reported. 
description: Data was collected using Autonomous Multichannel Acoustic
 Recorder and upward-looking Wideband Autonomous Transceiver coorrdinating
 with commercial seismic surveying
description: # Data from: Subtle shift in groundfish depth distribution within the
 impact range of seismic surveying along a continental slope Dataset DOI:
 [10.5061/dryad.n5tb2rc63](10.5061/dryad.n5tb2rc63) ## Description of the
 data and file structure **Fig. 2**. A 60-sec SPL in the band of 8.9-8900
 Hz measured at the AMAR vs. the distance to the seismic survey vessel
 *Ramform Titan,* including the equation of the highly impacted area,
 ambient noise area, and break-point at 60 km. **Fig. 3**. Daily changes in
 the backscatter (NASC) and centre of mass (CM) measured using 38kHz and
 333kHz acoustic transducers, over the study duration.   **Fig. 4**. The
 effect of seismic exposure on NASC (A), CM (B), PO (C), and AI (D) for 38
 kHz and 333 kHz over distance from the WBAT to the seismic vessel. **Fig.
 5**. A predicted effect of seismic exposure on CM at 38 kHz over distance
 and SPL from the WBAT to the seismic vessel. **Figure 6**. The effect of
 seismic exposure on target strength, speed, and change in depth of single
 individuals tracked over consecutive pings in relation to the distance
 from the seismic vessel. **Fig. 7**. The effect of seismic exposure on
 NASC, CM, PO, and AI for 38 kHz and 333 kHz during the day and night over
 the range of sound exposure levels at the WBAT. **Fig. 8**. Comparison of
 CM for 38 kHz transducer for daytime and nighttime data between ambient
 area (&lt;120 dB re 1μPa²) vs intensive noise area (≥120 dB re 1μPa²). ###
 Files and variables #### File: Fig2.csv **Description:** A 60-sec SPL in
 the band of 8.9-8900 Hz measured at the AMAR vs. the distance to the
 seismic survey vessel *Ramform Titan,* including the equation of the
 highly impacted area, ambient noise area, and break-point at 60 km. #####
 Variables * lat_seismic: Seismic vessel position (Latitude);
 **Unit:** degree North - lon_seismic: Seismic vessel position (Longitude);
 **Unit:** degree West * lrms_AMAR: SPL at AMAR; **Unit:** dB re 1μPa² *
 distance: Raw distance between AMAR and seismic vessel over time;
 **Unit:** km * Dist_Predicted: Predicted distance between AMAR and seismic
 vessel over time; **Unit**: km * mean: Predicted mean SPL; **Unit**: dB re
 1μPa² * lcl: Lower confidence intervals; **Unit:** dB re 1μPa² * ucl:
 Upper confidence intervals; **Unit:** dB re 1μPa² * Cate: Category, D1:
 Impacted noise distance; D2: Ambient noise distance; **Unit:** Not
 applicable (NA) **All empty cells in this table are measurement not
 taken** #### File: Fig3.csv **Description:** Daily changes in the
 backscatter (NASC) and centre of mass (CM) measured using 38kHz and 333kHz
 acoustic transducers, over the study duration.   ##### Variables * Time:
 Time calculated NASC; **Unit:** hour * Cat: Transducer 38kHz, 333kHz;
 **Unit:** kHz * NASC: Value of NASC; **Unit**: m^2^/nmi^2^ * uprP: Upper
 confidence intervals; **Unit**: m^2^/nmi^2^ * lwrP: Lower confidence
 intervals; **Unit:** m^2^/nmi^2^ **There are no empty cells in this
 table** #### File: Fig4.csv **Description:** The effect of seismic
 exposure on NASC (A), CM (B), PO (C), and AI (D) for 38 kHz and 333 kHz
 over distance from the WBAT to the seismic vessel. ##### Variables *
 Distance: Real distance between seismic vessel and AMAR; **Unit:** km *
 Value: Raw value of NASC, CM, PO, and AI; **Unit:** NASC (m^2^/nmi^2^), CM
 (m), PO (%), and AI (m^-1^) * pred: Predicted value of NASC, CM, PO, and
 AI; **Unit:** NASC (m^2^/nmi^2^), CM (m), PO (%), and AI (m^-1^) * lwr:
 Lower confidence intervals; **Unit:** NASC (m^2^/nmi^2^), CM (m), PO (%),
 and AI (m^-1^) * upr: Upper confidence intervals; **Unit:** NASC
 (m^2^/nmi^2^), CM (m), PO (%), and AI (m^-1^) * Veriable: Variables: NASC,
 CM, PO, and AI; **Unit:** NASC (m^2^/nmi^2^), CM (m), PO (%), and AI
 (m^-1^) * Frequency: Transducer 38kHz and 333kHz; **Unit:** kHz * Dat:
 Nighttime or daytime data; **Unit:** NA **There are no empty cells in this
 table** #### File: Fig5.csv **Description:** A predicted effect of seismic
 exposure on CM at 38 kHz over distance and SPL from the WBAT to the
 seismic vessel. ##### Variables * fit: Raw values; **Unit:** m * se.fit:
 Standard error; **Unit:** m * Value_Pre: Predicted values; **Unit:** m *
 uprP: Upper confidence intervals; **Unit:** m  * lwrP: Lower confidence
 intervals; **Unit:** m * uprS: Upper confidence intervals; **Unit:** m *
 lwrS: Lower confidence intervals; **Unit:** m * Distance_Obs: Real
 distance from the seismic vessel to AMAR; **Unit:** km * COM_Converted_Ob:
 Converted COM values due to AMAR looked upward; **Unit:** m * Cat:
 Category: distance and SPL; **Unit:** NA **Empty cells in this table are
 not applicable** #### File: Fig6.csv **Description:** The effect of
 seismic exposure on target strength, speed, and change in depth of single
 individuals tracked over consecutive pings in relation to the distance
 from the seismic vessel. ##### Variables * Distance: Distance from the
 seismic vessel to the AMAR; **Unit:** km * Value: values of target
 strength, speed, and change in depth of single individuals tracked;
 **Unit:**  target strength (dB re 1m^2^), speed (m/s), and change in depth
 (m) * pred: Predicted values of target strength, speed, and change in
 depth of single individuals tracked; **Unit:** target strength (dB re
 1m^2^), speed (m/s), and change in depth (m) * lwr: Lower confidence
 intervals; **Unit:** target strength (dB re 1m^2^), speed (m/s), and
 change in depth (m) * upr: Upper confidence intervals; **Unit:** target
 strength (dB re 1m^2^), speed (m/s), and change in depth (m) *
 Variable: target strength, speed, and change in depth; **Unit:** target
 strength (dB re 1m^2^), speed (m/s), and change in depth (m) * Dat:
 Daytime and nighttime; **Unit:** NA **There are no empty cells in this
 table** #### File: Fig7.csv **Description:** The effect of seismic
 exposure on NASC, CM, PO, and AI for 38 kHz and 333 kHz during the day and
 night over the range of sound exposure levels at the WBAT. ##### Variables
 * SPL: SPL values; **Unit:** dB re 1μPa² * Value: Values of NASC, CM, PO,
 and AI; **Unit:** NASC (m^2^/nmi^2^), CM (m), PO (%), and AI (m^-1^) *
 pred: Predicted values of NASC, CM, PO, and AI; **Unit:** NASC
 (m^2^/nmi^2^), CM (m), PO (%), and AI (m^-1^) * lwr: Lower confidence
 intervals; **Unit:** NASC (m^2^/nmi^2^), CM (m), PO (%), and AI (m^-1^) *
 upr: Upper confidence intervals; **Unit:** NASC (m^2^/nmi^2^), CM (m), PO
 (%), and AI (m^-1^) * Veriable: Variables of NASC, CM, PO, and AI;
 **Unit:** NASC (m^2^/nmi^2^), CM (m), PO (%), and AI (m^-1^) * Frequency:
 Transducer of 38kHz and 333kHz; **Unit:** NASC (m^2^/nmi^2^), CM (m), PO
 (%), and AI (m^-1^) * Dat: Daytime and nighttime data; **Unit:** NA
 **There are no empty cells in this table** #### File: Fig8.csv
 **Description:** Comparison of CM for 38 kHz transducer for daytime and
 nighttime data between ambient area (&lt;120 dB re 1μPa²) vs intensive
 noise area (≥120 dB re 1μPa²). ##### Variables * Dat: Daytime and
 nighttime; **Unit:** NA * Level: Noise levels (&gt;=120dB and &lt;120dB);
 **Unit:** dB re 1μPa² * COM_Converted: CM values; **Unit:** m **There are
 no empty cells in this table** ## Code/software Codes for all analyses can
 be provided by the corresponding author
 ([Khanh.Nguyen@dfo-mpo.gc.ca](mailto:Khanh.Nguyen@dfo-mpo.gc.ca)) ##
 Access information Other publicly accessible locations of the data: * NA
 Data was derived from the following sources: * NA