Effects of variable mean target strength on estimates of abundance: the case of Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus)

Atlantic mackerel Scomber scombrus is a small pelagic, migratory fish which supports commercial fisheries. These fish school and are detectable using echosounders, yet fishery-independent estimates of their abundance in the North East Atlantic do not consider acoustic data. Accurate estimates of mean target strength (TS) are presently limiting echo-integration surveys from providing useful estimates of Atlantic mackerel abundance and...