Advances in Marine Animal Detection Techniques: A Comprehensive Review and Analysis

2. Background And Motivation

Marine life plays an essential role in the ecosystem. It is a very important area of research because it helps in understanding the distribution and abundance of species existing. It helps in understanding the behavior pattern and keeping track of marine species. However, there are several challenges involved in the research of an area that occupies almost 75% of the globe. The vast area itself presents a daunting challenge in the collection of data. It is simply not possible to physically survey all the water bodies, so sampling techniques are used for research. Underwater environment is often challenging as the visibility is poor and currents can be a hindrance in the process of the survey. Special and cryptic species existing in unique habitats are difficult to hear, see and sample, hence there is not sufficient data to research such species.

A variety of methods are used for the detection of marine animals. They can be divided into two categories: direct and indirect methods. Direct methods involve direct observation of animals physically or through underwater cameras. Visual surveys, UAV (Unmanned Automatic Vehicle), underwater cameras, and tagging are some examples of direct methods. Indirect methods usually involve the detection of signs of presence such as tracks, sound signals etc. Acoustic surveys, eDNA surveys, and remote sensing are some examples of indirect methods.