Unleashing the Potential of the 360° Baited Remote Underwater Video System (BRUVS): An Innovative Design for Complex Habitats

Abstract

Coastal ecosystems are vital for numerous demersal and benthopelagic species, offering critical habitats throughout their life cycles. Effective monitoring of these species in complex coastal environments is essential, yet traditional survey methodologies are often impractical due to environmental constraints like strong currents and high wave regimes. This study introduces a new cost-effective Baited Remote Underwater Video System (BRUVS) design featuring a vertical structure and 360° cameras developed to overcome limitations of traditional BRUVS, such as system anchoring, overturning, and restricted frame view. The new design was compared against a previous one used on the northwest Iberian coast. Key performance metrics included species detection, habitat identification, and operational efficiency under complex hydrodynamic conditions. Findings reveal that the two designs can effectively identify the common species typically observed in the study area. However, the new design outperformed the previous by significantly reducing equipment losses and anchoring issues. This enhancement in field operations’ simplicity, operability, portability, and resiliency underscores the new system’s potential as a cost-effective and efficient tool for demersal and benthopelagic ecological surveys in challenging coastal seascapes. This innovative BRUVS design offers advanced monitoring solutions, improving habitat assessment accuracy and responsiveness.