International Journal of BIM and Engineering Science IJBES 2571-1075 10.54216/IJBES https://www.americaspg.com/journals/show/3327 2021 2021 Professor, Dept of ECE, Meenakshi Sundararajan Engineering College, Kodambakkam Chennai 600024, India admin admin Professor, Department of ECE, Siddartha Institute of Science and Tech, Puttur, Andhra Pradesh, India Chandra Sekar. P. Assistant Professor, Faculty of Engineering, CIST, Chinmaya Vishwa Vidyapeeth Onakkur, Ernakulam District, Kerala, India K. R. N. Aswini Underwater surveillance relies heavily on image quality, yet underwater environments present unique challenges, including low visibility, color distortion, and light scattering. This study proposes a bio-inspired image enhancement algorithm designed to address these challenges by mimicking adaptive mechanisms found in marine organisms. The algorithm integrates a multi-scale Retinex model with a bio-inspired filter based on visual properties of aquatic species, optimizing contrast and color balance for improved image clarity. Tested on various underwater image datasets, the proposed method achieved a 45% improvement in contrast enhancement and a 38% reduction in color distortion compared to traditional enhancement techniques. Furthermore, the Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) and Structural Similarity Index Measure (SSIM) improved by 42% and 35%, respectively. The results demonstrate the algorithm’s effectiveness in enhancing visibility and detail, enabling more accurate object detection and classification in underwater surveillance. The bio-inspired approach offers a practical solution for underwater monitoring, particularly valuable for applications in marine research, environmental monitoring, and security. 2024 2024 19 27 10.54216/IJBES.090203 https://www.americaspg.com/articleinfo/22/show/3327