Inter-vessel comparison of hydroacoustic fish density in central Lake Erie, 2014

Hydroacoustic estimates of fish density are used for fisheries management in central Lake Erie. Data are sometimes collected from multiple vessels, raising the question of comparability of data collected among vessels. Hydroacoustic data were collected along three cross-lake transects in central Lake Erie in July, 2014 from three different vessels using similar equipment. Several variables derived from hydroacoustic data and fish densities calculated from those variables were compared between the standard vessel used typically for hydroacoustic data collection and two other vessels used occasionally. The data used in those analyses are presented here.