Journal Article

The effect of motorboat sound on Australian snapper Pagrus auratus inside and outside a marine reserve

Putland, Rosalyn L., Mensinger, Allen F., Radford, Craig A.

2018

Overview

Human‐generated sound affects hearing, movement, and communication in both aquatic and terrestrial animals, but direct natural underwater behavioral observations are lacking. Baited underwater video (BUV) were deployed in near shore waters adjacent to Goat Island in the Cape Rodney–Okakari Point Marine Reserve (protected) or outside the reserve approximately four km south in Mathesons Bay (open), New Zealand to determine the natural behavior of Australian snapper Pagrus auratus exposed to motorboat sound. BUVs worked effectively at bringing fish into video range to assess the effects of sound. The snapper inhabiting the protected area showed no behavioral response to motorboat transits; however, fish in the open zones either scattered from the video frame or decreased feeding activity during boat presence. Our study suggests that motorboat sound, a common source of anthropogenic activity in the marine environment can affect fish behavior differently depending on the status of their habitat (protected versus open). Anthropogenic noise continues to increase in the marine environment, however, its effects on aquatic animals remain poorly understood. We report that fish in a protected environment reacted differently to transient boat noise than fish located outside the reserve. This is the first paper to demonstrate conservation status can alter fish behavior to transient sound.

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc,John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subject: acoustics / Anthropogenic factors / Aquatic animals / baited underwater video / Behavior / Fish / Fish behavior / hearing / Human motion / human‐generated sound / Marine environment / Motor boats / Original Research / Pagrus auratus / Protected areas / Sound / Transits / Underwater