HYDROGRAPHY FROM FISHERIES SURVEYS – Filling Coverage Gaps with Bathymetry Extracted from Simrad EK60 Water Column Data The International Hydrographic Review

The collection of available fisheries acoustic data holds significant seafloor mapping potential. We estimate that in the Northeast United States, Simrad EK60 data from the NOAA Fisheries fleet could increase bathymetric coverage by as much as nine percent. This article describes initial automated processes and techniques used to: extract the seafloor from Simrad EK60 water column data collected with NOAA Fisheries vessels, obtain and apply best available information to realize the seafloor relative to chart datum, and verify the outcome with existing qualified bathymetry.