The Southeast Acoustics Consortium (SEAC) held its third biennial forum at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission office in St. Petersburg, Florida on March 22-24. Over fifty participants heard presentations on research applications using high-frequency sonars for surveying marine organisms, mapping seafloor habitats, enhancing ocean observatories, and using ambient noise to study natural soundscapes of hardbottom and coral reefs. The forum concluded with demonstrations of new sonar technologies, autonomous underwater vehicles and new software tools for processing and visualizing acoustic data.
The SEAC was co-founded by NCCOS, NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center and Florida International University as a venue for sharing expertise in the application of acoustic technologies for the study of marine ecosystems. The Consortium maintains a listserv and website to foster communication among agencies, academic institutions and non-profit groups.
For more information contact Chris Taylor.