Introduction to the acoustic survey system onboard the R/V Chambada and preliminary survey results with potential applications for long-term monitoring in response to climate change
As ocean warming and environmental variability increasingly affect marine ecosystems, systematic acoustic monitoring is essential for understanding changes in fisheries resources. This study introduces the acoustic survey system installed onboard the R/V Chambada and evaluates its applicability through a preliminary survey conducted in the coastal waters near Yokjido, Tongyeong, Korea. The vessel is equipped with a scientific echosounder, multibeam echosounder, acoustic doppler current profiler, conductivity-temperature-depth profiler, and other oceanographic instruments, enabling integrated acoustic and environmental observations. A pilot acoustic survey was conducted along four transects using the EK80 operating in both narrowband and wideband modes. Acoustic backscatter was analyzed to examine the vertical and spatial distributions of marine organisms along the survey tracks. In addition, WASSP multibeam data were visualized to evaluate their potential for interpreting the spatial structure of scatterers and seabed topography. The results demonstrate that the R/V Chambada can serve as an effective platform for routine acoustic monitoring. Future surveys integrating acoustic measurements, environmental observations, and biological sampling are expected to provide important baseline data for understanding long-term changes in coastal marine ecosystems and fisheries resources.