In This Issue: |
 January 26, 2010 |
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January 26, 2010 |
Welcome to the Winter 2010 issue of Soundings, the BioSonics Newsletter. This marks 32 years that BioSonics has provided hydroacoustic solutions for underwater assessment and monitoring of both freshwater and marine environments. We are excited about the increased acceptance of hydroacoustic tools and the role that we have been able to play in this expansion. We rely on scientists and resource professionals for input and suggestions as well as for demonstration of the utility and reliability of hydroacoustic applications. To that end, in 2010, BioSonics will be reaching out to more of you than ever before, seeking your input and to better understand your requirements for aquatic and marine assessment and monitoring.
Please plan to visit with us when we are at the many conferences and meetings throughout the year, or join us for one of our Hydroacoustic Assessment Workshops. Whether you are exploring the depths of Crater Lake, Oregon, conducting stock assessment in the Georges Banks, studying fish distribution in African lakes, squid biomass estimates in the Pacific, or the impacts of hydrokinetic power projects, BioSonics stands ready to work with you and to implement hydroacoustic solutions to your needs.
We look forward to working with you for the next 32 years!
Tim Acker, President and CEO
BioSonics, Inc.
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Major Milestone: New Software for Data Collection |
January 26, 2010 |
 Seattle, WA - We are thrilled to announce the release of Visual Acquisition 6, BioSonics new data collection software.
This latest version includes many exciting new features and improved functionality, largely based on feedback from you our users. Best of all, Visual Acquisition 6 is available now to all BioSonics DT-X Echosounder users as a FREE upgrade!
Visual Acquisition 6 is also available at no cost to anyone interested in "test-driving" a BioSonics DT-X Digital Scientific Echosounder. The software download comes with sample data files that can be played back to explore the look and feel of the BioSonics DT-X user interface.
We encourage you to download Visual Acquisition 6 now and see for yourself why hundreds of researchers and resource managers around the world choose BioSonics hydroacoustic solutions for their fisheries and aquatic habitat monitoring needs.
Please use the link below to read more about Visual Acquisition 6 and start exploring this highly anticipated release now.
Click here to download Visual Acquisition 6.0 now!
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User News |
January 26, 2010 |
NUCLEAR RESEARCHERS CHOOSE BIOSONICS Ontario, Canada - BioSonics recently delivered a DT-X system to Atomic Energy of Canada LTD (AECL), a leading-edge nuclear technology and services provider for Canadian utilities. Researchers there will use their new echosounder to characterize sediment type, map sediment distribution and improve bathymetry of the Ottawa River. They will also use it to identify size and numbers of fish present in the Ottawa River and to assess fish habitat use and movements. Early this spring, AECL will use the unit in Lakes Ontario and Huron to estimate the density of whitefish larvae at reactor sites. In support of this equipment acquisition, a scientist from AECL will travel to Seattle to attend an upcoming 3-day workshop to be held Jan 25-27 at BioSonics Headquarters. The workshop offers intensive training on acoustics theory, data collection and analysis techniques. Congratulations to AECL and welcome to the BioSonics family of users. We look forward to seeing you here in the Pacific Northwest soon!
Links:
BioSonics [Contact us]
Atomic Energy of Canada LTD [(AECL)]
BioSonics Hydroacoustics Assessment Workshop [Learn more]
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Helping to Re-establish Fish Passage at "The World's Largest Hydro Plant" |
January 26, 2010 |
 Foz do Iguacu, Brazil - The Itaipu Binacional Hydroelectric project forms a bridge between the countries of Brazil and Paraguay, across the Parana River. The dam is 196m in height, over seven kilometers in length, and has created a reservoir behind the dam with a surface area of approximately 1,350 km2. The dam was completed in 1984 and was built without fish passage facilities. After extensive study, which identified 116 species of fish in the area, a fish passage route was constructed in 2002 with the goal of facilitating fish passage for migrating species. Several studies were implemented to monitor fish movement thorough the 10 km long Bela Vista River (or Canal da Piracema, the fish passage structure), but the results have been less than conclusive. Early in 2009, at the request of the Itaipu Binacional (Reservoir Division), BioSonics' Bob McClure visited the site at Foz do Iguacu, Brazil to consult on the installation of automated hydroacoustic monitoring systems. These systems would provide continuous monitoring of the movement of fish in both directions, and generate daily reports of fish movement into and out of the Bella Vista River.  As a result of Bob's visit, Itaipu Binacional is now developing a plan for monitoring fish migration using the BioSonics DT-X automated hydroacoustic system. BioSonics will work with them to install and operate the system and to train local staff in the operation of the system and interpretation of the resulting data.
BioSonics has provided numerous hydroelectric facilities with the ability to detect, track, and quantify fish and their movements and to provide information essential to fish migration and environmental stewardship.
Links:
BioSonics [Contact us]
Itaipu Binacional Website [English/Portuguese/Spanish]
Bela Vista Sanctuary and the Spawning Channel [More Information]
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Chinese Sturgeon Restoration to Focus on Hydroacoustics
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January 26, 2010 |
 China - The Chinese sturgeon is considered a national treasure, however populations of these fish in the Yangtze River remain threatened due to human activities including pollution, damming, overfishing, and heavy boat traffic. The Chinese government is working hard to restore sturgeon runs and significant efforts are underway throughout the region. In November 2009, BioSonics General Sales Manager, Eric Munday, traveled to China to conduct a series of presentations on the latest hydroacoustic techniques to fisheries research institutes. This tour of several cities along the Yangzte River was coordinated by Yong Huang of Enfotran Corp., BioSonics' distributor representative for Asia.  Also participating in the tour were representatives from Lotek, Wildlife Computers and Northwest Marine Technology. Yong's hard work and extensive contacts made for a most productive trip. The tour began at the 6th Annual World Sturgeon Conference in Wuhan. The conference attracted hundreds of researchers and sturgeon industry professionals from around the globe and was an excellent forum to educate Chinese scientists about BioSonics hydroacoustic solutions.
Other stops included the Yangtze River Fisheries Institute, the East China Sea Fisheries Research Institute,  and Shanghai Ocean University. The group was fortunate to participate in a sturgeon release ceremony and also tour several state-of-the-art sturgeon farms and government operated sturgeon rescue and habilitation centers. Eric met with the owners and managers of these facilities to learn about the challenges they face and share ideas about how BioSonics hydroacoustic monitoring technologies could assist.
Links:
The 6th International Symposium on Sturgeon [PDF]
Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute [Learn more]
East China Sea Fisheries Research Institute [ECSFRI]
Shanghai Ocean University [Learn more]
See more photos from the trip [Here]
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Biannual Hydroacoustic Assessment Workshop - A Recap and Invitation |
January 26, 2010 |
Seattle, WA - BioSonics hosted its annual Fall Workshop during October 26 - 28, 2009. The class was smaller than usual, but no less diverse in interest and hydroacoustic focus. We regularly learn as much from our Workshop participants as they learn from our instructors! Great thanks to: - Derek Bloomquist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Reno, Nevada, USA
- Reyna Jenkyns, Neptune Canada, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
- Laurent Leveque, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Roscoff Cedex, France
- Jennie Rohrer, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Dickinson, Texas, USA
- John Sieweke, Alabama Power Company, Calera, Alabama, USA
It was a pleasure to meet each of you, and we look forward to working with you for many years to come!
Our next Workshop is scheduled to begin on Monday, January 25th, and will run through Wednesday, January 27th. We have another diverse group of hydroacoustic biologists, resource managers, and students on the roster, and we are looking forward to welcoming them to BioSonics Headquarters!
If you have not yet joined us for a Hydroacoustic Assessment Workshop, please consider attending our next session, scheduled for October 25 - 27, 2010. Here are some of the topics we cover:
- Hydroacoustic Theory
- Fisheries and Plankton Assessment
- Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) Assessment
- Bottom Classification and Bathymetry
- Hydroacoustic Study Design
- Data Processing, Analysis and Reporting Techniques
- Habitat Mapping
- Echosounder Operation
- Field Calibration
Contact us today to learn more!
BioSonics Hydroacoustic Assessment Workshop: Click Here to Learn More
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Did You Know...? Fun facts and Helpful Tips |
January 26, 2010 |
We've come a long way baby! BioSonics first "portable" scientific echosounder, Model 101, was unveiled in 1978. The complete onboard system, consisting of at least 5 different electronic components, weighed well over 40 kg. At the time, this single beam echosounder system cost over $200,000. Today's BioSonics single-beam DT-X weighs in at a sleek 8 kg and sells for less than $40K. This equates to an 80% reduction in weight and a price decrease of approximately 95% when adjusted for inflation. Mobile hydroacoustics has certainly come a long way and you can count on BioSonics for more exciting innovations in the years ahead. Time for a Tune Up?
BioSonics recommends an annual factory calibration for your DT-X to ensure accurate results and quality data. Each calibration includes a complete inspection to help identify worn components and perform routine preventative maintenance. Whether you are preparing for or just wrapping up your field season, right now is a great time to consider an echosounder "tune-up." When was your system last calibrated? Contact BioSonics today for information. Try Low Power for Improved Results
The DT-X has a variable power setting. Selection of the low power setting can be especially helpful in environments where saturation is problematic. For example, when surveying vegetation and or substrate in shallow water, try the low power setting to minimize signal saturation and improve results. Contact BioSonics Tech Support for more information on when to use low power.
Links: BioSonics Technical Support [ Contact] Return to Top |
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BioSonics Bulletin Board |
January 26, 2010 |
- BioSonics has gone social! Follow us on Twitter or Facebook for frequent updates and news!
 
- BioSonics continues to expand our International Sales Agent program. We are pleased to announce the following new Agents:
David Valdez, Valzac Consultants, Lima, Peru
Roberto Balistrieri, Mepeco S.r.l., Milan, Italy
Michael Arvanitis, Geomorph Instruments, Piraeus, Greece
SD Kannoly, SSK Engineering Works, Mubai, India
Mr. Shen, Channel Technology Shanghai Branch, Shanghai, P.R. China
Derek Gu, Zealquest Scientific, Shanghai, P.R. China
Andrius Narmontas, Labochema, Vilnius, Lithuania
Contact the Agent nearest you for more information
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Recent Publications by BioSonics Users |
January 26, 2010 |
Comparison of Manual and Hydroacoustic Measurement of Seagrass Distribution in the Caloosahatchee Estuary, Florida Robert H. Chamberlain, Peter H. Doering, Beth Orlando, Bruce M. Sabol
Hydroacoustic Target Strength Distributions of Alewives in a Net-Cage Compared with Field Surveys: Deciphering Target Strength Distributions and Effect on Density Estimates Thomas E. Brooking, Lars G. Rudstam
The Lake Huron pelagic fish community: persistent spatial pattern along biomass and species composition gradients David M. Warner, Jeffrey S. Schaeffer, and Timothy P. O'Brien
Interpretation of Single-Beam Acoustic Backscatter Using Lidar-Derived Topographic Complexity and Benthic Habitat Classifications in a Coral Reef Environment Greg Foster, Brian K. Walker, and Bernhard M. Riegl
A new morphometric study of Carioca Lake, Parque Estadual do Rio Doce (PERD), Minas Gerais State, Brazil José Fernandes Bezerra-Neto, Ludmila Silva Briguenti, Ricardo Motta Pinto-Coelho
Browse other recent publications by BioSonics users! Return to Top |
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Meetings, Workshops & Conferences of Interest to Hydroacoustics Users |
January 26, 2010 |
Please let us know if you will be participating in these, or other workshops and conferences; we would be pleased to list them here.
BioSonics will be attending the conferences designated with this symbol: " "
Please stop by and visit our booth at the Exhibition!
2010
January 25 - 27 BioSonics Hydroacoustic Assessment Workshop Seattle, Washington, USA.
February 9 - 11 Underwater Intervention 2010 New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
February 22 - 26 Ocean Sciences Meeting Portland, Oregon, USA.
February 23 - 25 Renewable Energy World North America Conference & Exposition Austin, Texas, USA.
February 23 - 26 Oregon Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Eugene, Oregon, USA.
February 25 - 28 Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society Asheville, North Carolina, USA.
March 2 - 4 Washington / British Columbia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada.
March 4 BWEA Wave & Tidal 2010 London, England, United Kingdom.
March 9 - 11 Oceanology International London, England, United Kingdom.
March 10 - 13 Salmonid Restoration Federation/California-Nevada Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Santa Rosa, California, USA.
March 24 - 26 HydroVision Russia Moscow, Russia.
April 14 - 15 Global Marine Renewable Energy Conference Seattle, Washington, USA.
April 25 - 29 Seventh National Monitoring Conference Denver, Colorado, USA.
April 27 - 30 ICES Working Group on Fisheries Acoustics Science and Technology (WGFAST) San Diego, California, USA.
May 17 - 21 The 53rd International Conference on Great Lakes Research Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
May 24 - 27 Oceans 2010 IEEE Sydney Conference Sydney, Australia.
May 25 - 27 Ocean Tech Expo Newport, Rhode Island, USA.
June 8 - 10 EnergyOcean International Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
June 15 - 17 World Ocean Council 2010 Sustainable Ocean Summit (pdf) Belfast, Ireland, United Kingdom.
July 5 - 9 9th International Congress on the Biology of Fish Barcelona, Spain.
July 11 - 14 50th Annual Meeting of the Aquatic Plant Management Society Bonita Springs, Florida, USA.
July 27 - 30 HydroVision International Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.
September 8 - 11 Fish Sampling with Active Methods Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
September 12 - 16 American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
September 13 - 16 Dynamics of Inland Fish and Fisheries (DINFISH) Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
September 19 - 24 Oceans 2010 IEEE Seattle Conference Seattle, Washington, USA.
October 6 - 8 International Conference on Ocean Energy ICOE 2010 Bilbao, Spain.
November 3 - 5 NALMS 30th International Symposium Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
November 13 - 17 National Conference on Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration Galveston Island, Texas, USA.
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GSA Pricing for Federal Users |
January 26, 2010 |
BioSonics (Contract # GS-24F-0034M) has been a GSA contractor since 2002. GSA Advantage is the US government's central online shopping superstore. GSA Advantage provides qualified buyers with online access to millions of products and services from thousands of federal contractors. Using GSA Advantage ensures that you are getting GSA-negotiated prices, and dealing with GSA-approved sources.
Use GSA Advantage! to:
- Search for items using keywords, part numbers, national stock numbers, supplier names,
contract numbers, etc.;
- Compare features, prices, and delivery options;
- Configure products and add accessories;
- Place orders directly online;
- Review delivery options;
- Select a convenient payment method;
- View order history to track status, reorder, or cancel.
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Newsletter Information |
January 26, 2010 |
BioSonics, Inc., Leading the way in Advanced Scientific Digital Hydroacoustics, and providing the aquatic and marine resource community with scientific grade instrumentation and software, consulting, and support since 1978. BioSonics is the trusted name in hydroacoustics, known for the quality of our products and the depth of our client support.
BioSonics is ready to serve you by providing equipment, software, support, and consulting services for underwater assessment and monitoring. We continue to provide innovative products and services for research and management of the aquatic environment, based on sound science and input from our users.
We look forward to working with you on your next hydroacoustic application.
 Published by:
BioSonics, Inc.
4027 Leary Way NW
Seattle, WA 98107
U.S.A.
Tel: (206) 782-2211
FAX: (206) 782-2244
To contact us: Click Here
©Copyright 2010, BioSonics, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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