Investigating Rockfish Vocalizations & the Applications for Acoustic Monitoring

Did you know that fish can make sounds? In British Columbia there are 41 species of rockfish, but very little is known about their vocalizations. Dive into the world of underwater communication with this exploration of the diversity of fish sounds occurring in the waters surrounding Vancouver Island. If you’ve ever wondered what a Black rockfish sounds like or what a Copper rockfish says while it’s being chased, then this talk is for you. Using photos, videos, and sound clips collected from Barkley Sound, BC this talk will explore the sounds and behaviours of local rockfish and how a better understanding of fish vocalizations could become a key tool for monitoring and protecting these species in the future.

Darienne Lancaster is a PhD candidate in the biology department at the University of Victoria and her research is focused on developing new, non-destructive acoustic tools for monitoring rockfish. Darienne loves all things rockfish related and completed her master’s degree in 2015 on recreational fisher compliance in Rockfish Conservation Areas. Darienne has previously worked as a scientific diver for coral reef conservation in the Philippines, as a BC Park Ranger on the sunshine coast, and as a biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada in Newfoundland and BC where she studied Rockfish Conservation Areas, juvenile Atlantic cod, and Atlantic salmon. Darienne lives in Victoria and is commonly spotted underwater at local dive sites or out hiking and camping near the ocean.