Generalised deep learning model for semi-automated length measurement of fish in stereo-BRUVS

Assessing the health of fish populations relies on determining the length of fish in sample species subsets, in conjunction with other key ecosystem markers; thereby, inferring overall health of communities. Despite attempts to use artificial intelligence (AI) to measure fish, most measurement remai...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Daniel Marrable, Sawitchaya Tippaya, Kathryn Barker, Euan Harvey, Stacy L. Bierwagen, Mathew Wyatt, Scott Bainbridge, Marcus Stowar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Marine Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1171625/full
_version_ 1797813650626445312
author Daniel Marrable
Sawitchaya Tippaya
Kathryn Barker
Euan Harvey
Stacy L. Bierwagen
Mathew Wyatt
Scott Bainbridge
Marcus Stowar
author_facet Daniel Marrable
Sawitchaya Tippaya
Kathryn Barker
Euan Harvey
Stacy L. Bierwagen
Mathew Wyatt
Scott Bainbridge
Marcus Stowar
author_sort Daniel Marrable
collection DOAJ
description Assessing the health of fish populations relies on determining the length of fish in sample species subsets, in conjunction with other key ecosystem markers; thereby, inferring overall health of communities. Despite attempts to use artificial intelligence (AI) to measure fish, most measurement remains a manual process, often necessitating fish being removed from the water. Overcoming this limitation and potentially harmful intervention by measuring fish without disturbance in their natural habitat would greatly enhance and expedite the process. Stereo baited remote underwater video systems (stereo-BRUVS) are widely used as a non-invasive, stressless method for manually counting and measuring fish in aquaculture, fisheries and conservation management. However, the application of deep learning (DL) to stereo-BRUVS image processing is showing encouraging progress towards replacing the manual and labour-intensive task of precisely locating the heads and tails of fish with computer-vision-based algorithms. Here, we present a generalised, semi-automated method for measuring the length of fish using DL with near-human accuracy for numerous species of fish. Additionally, we combine the DL method with a highly precise stereo-BRUVS calibration method, which uses calibration cubes to ensure precision within a few millimetres in calculated lengths. In a human versus DL comparison of accuracy, we show that, although DL commonly slightly over-estimates or under-estimates length, with enough repeated measurements, the two values average and converge to the same length, demonstrated by a Pearson correlation coefficient (r) of 0.99 for n=3954 measurement in ‘out-of-sample’ test data. We demonstrate, through the inclusion of visual examples of stereo-BRUVS scenes, the accuracy of this approach. The head-to-tail measurement method presented here builds on, and advances, previously published object detection for stereo-BRUVS. Furthermore, by replacing the manual process of four careful mouse clicks on the screen to precisely locate the head and tail of a fish in two images, with two fast clicks anywhere on that fish in those two images, a significant reduction in image processing and analysis time is expected. By reducing analysis times, more images can be processed; thereby, increasing the amount of data available for environmental reporting and decision making.
first_indexed 2024-03-13T07:55:55Z
format Article
id doaj.art-2f54b371efa044cc8cb3730a35c81a36
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2296-7745
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-13T07:55:55Z
publishDate 2023-06-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Marine Science
spelling doaj.art-2f54b371efa044cc8cb3730a35c81a362023-06-02T05:29:21ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452023-06-011010.3389/fmars.2023.11716251171625Generalised deep learning model for semi-automated length measurement of fish in stereo-BRUVSDaniel Marrable0Sawitchaya Tippaya1Kathryn Barker2Euan Harvey3Stacy L. Bierwagen4Mathew Wyatt5Scott Bainbridge6Marcus Stowar7Curtin Institute for Computation, Curtin University, Perth, WA, AustraliaCurtin Institute for Computation, Curtin University, Perth, WA, AustraliaCurtin Institute for Computation, Curtin University, Perth, WA, AustraliaCurtin University, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Perth, WA, AustraliaAustralian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, AustraliaAustralian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, AustraliaAustralian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, AustraliaAustralian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, QLD, AustraliaAssessing the health of fish populations relies on determining the length of fish in sample species subsets, in conjunction with other key ecosystem markers; thereby, inferring overall health of communities. Despite attempts to use artificial intelligence (AI) to measure fish, most measurement remains a manual process, often necessitating fish being removed from the water. Overcoming this limitation and potentially harmful intervention by measuring fish without disturbance in their natural habitat would greatly enhance and expedite the process. Stereo baited remote underwater video systems (stereo-BRUVS) are widely used as a non-invasive, stressless method for manually counting and measuring fish in aquaculture, fisheries and conservation management. However, the application of deep learning (DL) to stereo-BRUVS image processing is showing encouraging progress towards replacing the manual and labour-intensive task of precisely locating the heads and tails of fish with computer-vision-based algorithms. Here, we present a generalised, semi-automated method for measuring the length of fish using DL with near-human accuracy for numerous species of fish. Additionally, we combine the DL method with a highly precise stereo-BRUVS calibration method, which uses calibration cubes to ensure precision within a few millimetres in calculated lengths. In a human versus DL comparison of accuracy, we show that, although DL commonly slightly over-estimates or under-estimates length, with enough repeated measurements, the two values average and converge to the same length, demonstrated by a Pearson correlation coefficient (r) of 0.99 for n=3954 measurement in ‘out-of-sample’ test data. We demonstrate, through the inclusion of visual examples of stereo-BRUVS scenes, the accuracy of this approach. The head-to-tail measurement method presented here builds on, and advances, previously published object detection for stereo-BRUVS. Furthermore, by replacing the manual process of four careful mouse clicks on the screen to precisely locate the head and tail of a fish in two images, with two fast clicks anywhere on that fish in those two images, a significant reduction in image processing and analysis time is expected. By reducing analysis times, more images can be processed; thereby, increasing the amount of data available for environmental reporting and decision making.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1171625/fullstereo-BRUVSdeep learningautomated fish lengthphotogrammetrymachine learningcameras
spellingShingle Daniel Marrable
Sawitchaya Tippaya
Kathryn Barker
Euan Harvey
Stacy L. Bierwagen
Mathew Wyatt
Scott Bainbridge
Marcus Stowar
Generalised deep learning model for semi-automated length measurement of fish in stereo-BRUVS
Frontiers in Marine Science
stereo-BRUVS
deep learning
automated fish length
photogrammetry
machine learning
cameras
title Generalised deep learning model for semi-automated length measurement of fish in stereo-BRUVS
title_full Generalised deep learning model for semi-automated length measurement of fish in stereo-BRUVS
title_fullStr Generalised deep learning model for semi-automated length measurement of fish in stereo-BRUVS
title_full_unstemmed Generalised deep learning model for semi-automated length measurement of fish in stereo-BRUVS
title_short Generalised deep learning model for semi-automated length measurement of fish in stereo-BRUVS
title_sort generalised deep learning model for semi automated length measurement of fish in stereo bruvs
topic stereo-BRUVS
deep learning
automated fish length
photogrammetry
machine learning
cameras
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1171625/full
work_keys_str_mv AT danielmarrable generaliseddeeplearningmodelforsemiautomatedlengthmeasurementoffishinstereobruvs
AT sawitchayatippaya generaliseddeeplearningmodelforsemiautomatedlengthmeasurementoffishinstereobruvs
AT kathrynbarker generaliseddeeplearningmodelforsemiautomatedlengthmeasurementoffishinstereobruvs
AT euanharvey generaliseddeeplearningmodelforsemiautomatedlengthmeasurementoffishinstereobruvs
AT stacylbierwagen generaliseddeeplearningmodelforsemiautomatedlengthmeasurementoffishinstereobruvs
AT mathewwyatt generaliseddeeplearningmodelforsemiautomatedlengthmeasurementoffishinstereobruvs
AT scottbainbridge generaliseddeeplearningmodelforsemiautomatedlengthmeasurementoffishinstereobruvs
AT marcusstowar generaliseddeeplearningmodelforsemiautomatedlengthmeasurementoffishinstereobruvs