British Columbia's fish 'speak' in grunts, growls—and scientists are listening

Fish off the coast of British Columbia produce distinct sounds that can now be identified by species. Researchers have recorded grunts, growls, and croaks from eight local fish types, including rockfish and ling cod. The findings, published in the Journal of Fish Biology, could change how conservationists monitor marine life without disturbing it.

A team of scientists used underwater microphones and machine learning to analyse fish sounds in coastal waters. The study revealed unique noises from black, quillback, copper, canary, and vermillion rockfish, as well as ling cod, kelp greenling, and pile perch. Some of these sounds had never been documented before.

The recorded noises vary from grunts to sharp knocks, often linked to behaviour like hunting or escaping predators. By matching these sounds to specific species, researchers hope to develop a non-invasive 'fish sound detector' for tracking populations.

Future work will explore whether fish in different regions of British Columbia have distinct 'dialects'. The team also plans to test advanced echosounders for identifying more species, such as Pacific herring and walleye pollock, in areas like the Strait of Georgia and the Great Bear Rainforest fjords.

The discovery of unique fish sounds opens new possibilities for conservation and fisheries management. Instead of relying on nets or traps, scientists may soon monitor species by listening. This method could prove especially useful in remote or protected waters where traditional surveys are difficult.