Papers reporting ongoing research, as well as those identifying areas for development are invited on the following themes:

Ecosystem monitoring

• Observation strategies: Acoustic observational strategies used to meet ecosystem-based fisheries   management needs.
  
  
• Sensors and Platforms (including fishing vessels): Technologies used to observe ecological processes over a range of temporal- and spatial-scales.  Examples include instrumented fishing and research vessels, small-craft, buoys, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), gliders, and ocean observation systems.
  
  
• Integration of sensors and data: Integration or comparison of acoustic and other instrumentation for continuous shipboard sampling of biological components.  Examples include fishing vessels, vertically oscillating towed-bodies, cast deployment systems, and egg pumps. 
  
  
•  Near boundary observations: Acoustic methods to observe animals residing near boundaries.  Examples include benthic, demersal, benthopelagic, epipelagic, and neritic species in fresh and saltwater environments.
  
  
• Passive acoustics: Passive acoustic observations and assessments.  Study of signals of aquatic animals to identify their presence, distribution, species or biological states.
  
  

Remote classification and identification

• Benthic and pelagic habitat: Benthic and pelagic habitat mapping using acoustic and optical methods.
  
  
• Fish species: Acoustic methods for multi-species assessments, by-catch reduction, and investigations of aquatic ecology.  Examples include the use of low-frequency, multi-frequency, and broad bandwidth signals exploiting back, forward and total scatter, absorption, Doppler, and data integration.
  
  
• Lower trophic levels: Acoustical and optical methods to study phytoplankton, protists, zooplankton and micronekton.
  
  

Target strength

• Modelling: Modelling of target strength of fish, micronekton, and plankton.
  
  
• Measurement: Measurement of target strength of fish, micronekton, and plankton.
  
  
• Incorporating variability ad uncertainty: Influence of uncertainty in target strength, sensitivity of results or actions to uncertainty in target strength.
  
  

Animal behaviour

• Platform related stimuli: Platform-related stimuli influencing fish behaviour.  Examples include the effects of sound, light, and motion on fish as related to observations of fish dispersion, density and behaviour.  Also considered will be the use of artificial stimuli to modify fish behaviour.
  
  
• Tagging and tracking technologies: Tagging and tracking technologies for studying aquatic animal behaviour and the potential impact on abundance estimates and stock assessments.
  
  
• Multi-dimensional analyses: Multi-dimensional measurements and data analysis techniques used to assess the effect of behaviour on abundance estimates. Examples include multibeam sonar methods and data analyses on 3-D and 4-D space and time scales.
  
  

Data quality and integration into ecosystem models

• Hypothesis ecological relationships: Integration of acoustic measurements within an ecosystem monitoring strategy to hypothesise ecological relationships.
  
  
• Statistical evaluation of functional dependencies: Statistical evaluation of change and functional dependences in space and time.  Examples include multi-variate analyses using generalized additive models, stepwise regressions, Bayesian statistics, and statistical process control theory to elucidate ecological and fish population relationships.
  
  
• Estimation of uncertainty: Estimation of uncertainty in net, acoustical and optical measurements of aquatic ecology.  Particular consideration will be made for methods accounting for and or minimising the total random and systematic components in both sampling and measurement error.
  
  
• Predictive modelling: Predictive modelling of aquatic ecology involving acoustic observations.  Particular consideration will examine techniques that support ecosystem-based fisheries management strategies such as an ecological basis for spatio-temporal management units.

Preference will be given to recent innovative research, and validation and refinement of established methods.  Papers on related topics, whether on techniques, technology, methods, analysis, or results, will be grouped into the same sessions.