Lobster Acoustic Signalling During Behavioural Interactions

Acoustic Bait Technologies (ABT) is a start-up company located in Morristown, Nova Scotia. They are developing an alternative bait system for the lobster fishery, with the goal of helping the industry switch to more sustainable bait use. They are pursuing the use of recorded acoustic lobster sounds to modify the behaviour of lobsters to attract them into lobster traps. Ultimately, they plan on a producing an acoustic bait device, consisting of a waterproof casing and transmitter equipped with a power source and digital playback circuitry in order to project recordings underwater while mounted on the inside of a lobster trap. The research proposed here uses submersible tripods equipped with cameras and hydrophones to simultaneously record video and sounds lobsters make while foraging in their natural habitat. By comparing sound recordings to lobster numbers and behavioural frequencies, we can begin to understand the behavioural context for different sounds produced by lobsters. From here, ABT will be better able to select sounds that may be attractive to lobsters for testing in their devices.

Faculty Supervisor:

Russell Wyeth

Student:

Partner:

Acoustic Bait Technologies

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

St. Francis Xavier University

Program: