The use and efficacy of acoustic survey methods as applied to a mixed aquatic community: The deep scattering layer of the California Current.

Concurrent acoustic and trawl data were collected in 2008 near Point Conception to compare the abundance estimates of mesopelagic micronekton obtained with these two methods. Acoustic data were obtained with a calibrated EK-60 equipped with four frequencies (38, 70, 120, and 200 kHz). Animals were collected with a midwater trawl. Target strength (TS) models were created of the animals collected by the trawl, and animals were assigned to acoustic...