Automated benthic ecology system and method for stereoscopic imagery generation

A method for generating stereoscopic imagery comprising the steps of:

• building an automated benthic ecology system comprising a high-resolution still camera, a high-resolution video camera, an environmental sensor package, a stereoscopic camera, and underwater housing, wherein the high-resolution video camera is configured for constant recording;
• turning the high-resolution video camera on and hovering the automated benthic ecology system at a desired depth for a specific period of time acquiring imagery, wherein the imagery is automatically time-stamped with a date and time;
• extracting frames from the high-resolution video camera;
• matching the timestamps on the imagery with the timestamps of a remotely operated vehicle log, which provides latitude, longitude and depth measurements;
• georeferencing each image using GeoSetter software;
• stitching imagery from the stereoscopic camera into a panoramic image using software;
• using the panoramic image to extract fish metrics comprising total length measurements;
• converting the total length measurements to biomass estimates using length-weight fitting parameters.