Differences in species detection between eDNA and mid-water trawls

Marine scientific trawl surveys are commonly used to assess the distribution and population size of fisheries-related species, yet the method is effort-intensive and can be environmentally destructive. Sequencing environmental DNA (eDNA) from water samples can reveal the presence of organisms in a community without capturing them, however, we expect eDNA and trawl surveys to differ in detectability of taxa and in spatial scope, which can affect their comparability. We coupled eDNA metabarcoding and capture trawl surveys in British Columbia, Canada, to first assess the similarity among methods in detected fish communities.