Numerical evaluation of the possibilities of remote laser sensing of fish schools.

The operation of an airborne lidar intended for the detection of fish schools is numerically simulated by the Monte Carlo method. The calculations are performed for schools located at small depths in order to study the regularities in the shaping of the lidar return accurately. Three models of the phase function of scattering of laser radiation in sea water are used. The signals reflected from surface waters that contain a school of fish are determined as a function of the lidar parameters, light scattering and absorption coefficients in the water, stratification of light scattering layers, and fish-school depth. The results obtained can be used for interpreting the signals of the fish-detection lidar.