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This study measures the dorsal aspect target strength (TS ; dB re 1 m2) and TS –length (standard length, SL; cm) relationships for European anchovy, attained both ex situ and in situ in two different seasons across 7 years in the Bay of Biscay. The measurements were made at three frequently used acoustic frequencies (38, 120, and 200 kHz). A backscattering model for physostome fish was utilized to help interpret the results. The obtained experimental mean TS for anchovies with an SL of 3.5–19.5 cm was −44.6 (±2.3), −46.9 (±3), and −48.4 (±2.7) dB at 38, 120, and 200 kHz, respectively, yielding b 20 values of −66.4, −68.7, and −70.4 dB, respectively. The results were consistent across seasons and between in situ and ex situ conditions, presenting TS –length relationships with statistically significant slopes (p -values <0.05) for all frequencies. This research represents part of a series of efforts planned to obtain a comprehensive TS vs. length and depth relationship to update the acoustic assessment methodology of European anchovy in the Bay of Biscay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The method of fundamental solutions has been applied to evaluate the influence of fish models geometrical features on the target strength (TS) directivity and TS frequency response of swimbladdered fish. Simplified models were considered for two fish species: gilt-head sea bream (Sparus aurata , Linnaeus 1758) and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar , Linnaeus 1758), and different geometrical details of their morphology were studied, such as backbone presence, and its curvature or the inclusion of vertebrae modulation. Swimbladder shape and tilt, together with the inclusion of backbone (and its realistic curvature) for dorsal measurements were the most important features for proper estimation of mean TS. The estimation of mean TS is considered including the effect of fish tilt, the echosounder frequency, and the fish-to-transducer distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]