Fish subjected to complex flows require an ability to maintain stability. Stability can be achieved passively by self-correcting mechanisms or actively with powered movements. In general, fish are attracted to turbulent flows if their mechanisms of stability are sufficient for a given hydrodynamic environment, usually if the flow environment has a
predictable spatiotemporal component. Fish tend to avoid flows that have unpredictable, wide fluctuations
in velocity, or otherwise have flow features at a spatial and temporal scale that interfere with swimming trajectories. Since
fish are not equally sensitive to disturbances in all planes, perturbation direction relative to the body plays a pivotal role in determining the nature of the response.