Bias in acoustic biomass estimates of Euphausia superba due to diel vertical migration

The diel vertical migration (DVM) of Antarctic krill ( Euphausia superba) can greatly bias the results of qualitative and quantitative hydroacoustic surveys which are conducted with a down-looking sonar and irrespective of the time of day. To demonstrate and quantify these negative biases on both the estimates of biomass distribution and abundance, a time-depth-density analysis was performed. Data were collected, as part of the United States Antarctic Marine Living Resources Program (AMLR), in the vicinities of Elephant Island, Antarctica, during the austral summers of 1992 and 1993. Five surveys were conducted in 1992; two covered a 105 by 105 n.mi. area centered on Elephant Island, two encompassed a 60 by 35 n.mi. area immediately to the north of the Island, and one covered a 1 n.mi. 2 area centered on a large krill swarm to the west of Seal Island. The 1993 data include repetitions of the two small-area and two large-area surveys. Average krill volume densities were calculated for each hour as well as for three daily periods: day, twilight and night. These data were normalized and presented as a probability of daily average density. With spectral analysis to identify the frequencies of migration, a four-term periodic function was fitted to the probability density function of average daily biomass versus local apparent time. This function was transformed to create a temporal compensation function (TCF) for upwardly adjusting acoustic biomass estimates. The TCF was then applied to the original 1992 survey data; the resulting biomass estimates are an average of 49.5% higher than those calculated disregarding biases due to diel vertical migration. The effect of DVM on the estimates of krill distribution are illustrated by a comparison of compensated and uncompensated density maps of two 1992 surveys. Through this technique, high density kril areas are revealed where uncompensated maps indicated low densities.