Exploring effects of sound on the time budget of fishes: An experimental approach with captive cod

Energy intake and expenditure data are needed to estimate population level effects of anthropogenic sound on fish. We present an experimental design of a controlled behavioral experiment that allows to collect relatively long-term data (days) on Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) during sound exposures. Data on the time spent foraging and swimming can be used as proxies for energy intake and expenditure. The wild-caught but captive Atlantic cod exhibited natural foraging behavior in the experimental basins and the design allowed for efficient scoring of the behavior throughout the 6-day trials. We conducted three pilot trials and share the experimental design to encourage other researchers to collect data on (proxies for) energy intake and expenditure to aid estimation of population level effects of sound exposures from noisy human activities such as seismic surveys.