Details:

Alternative Title:
2017 Gulf of Alaska bottom trawl survey
Personal Author:
Von Szalay, Paul G. (Paul Gunnar) ; Raring, Nate W.
Von Szalay, Paul G. (Paul Gunnar) ; Raring, Nate W. Less -
Corporate Authors:
Alaska Fisheries Science Center (U.S.), Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division,
NOAA Program & Office:
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) ; AFSC (Alaska Fisheries Science Center)
NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) ; AFSC (Alaska Fisheries Science Center) Less -
Description:
Scientists of the Groundfish Assessment Program of Alaska Fisheries Science Center's Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering (RACE) Division conducted the tenth Gulf of Alaska Biennial Bottom Trawl Survey during the summer of 2017. This survey extends to 15 the series of surveys, previously conducted every 3 years between 1984 and 1999, which constitute the time series used in stock assessments of Gulf of Alaska groundfish resources. The survey area covered the continental shelf and upper continental slope to 700 m in the Gulf of Alaska from Islands of Four Mountains (170°W long.) and approximately 2,800 km across the Gulf of Alaska to Dixon Entrance (133°25'W long.). The survey was conducted aboard two chartered commercial trawlers, the FV Ocean Explorer and FV Sea Storm. Trawl haul samples were successfully collected at 536 survey stations using standard RACE Division Poly Nor'Eastern high-opening bottom trawl nets with rubber bobbin roller gear. The primary survey objectives were to define the distribution and estimate the relative abundance of the principal groundfish species within the survey area, and to collect data to estimate biological parameters useful to groundfish researchers and managers including growth, length-weight relationships, feeding habits, and size, sex, and age composition. The survey also collected ancillary data requested by other research groups. A total of 161 fish and 364 invertebrate species were captured in the survey. Species with the highest total catch abundance (by weight) over the entire survey area were Pacific ocean perch (Sebastes alutus), arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias), walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus), Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis), flathead sole (Hippoglossoides elassodon), giant grenadier (Coryphaenoides pectoralis), northern rockfish (Sebastes polyspinis), and sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria). Survey results presented here include estimates of catch per unit of effort, biomass, population size composition, and length-weight relationships, as well as charts depicting the distribution of catch for commercially important species encountered during the survey.
Content Notes:
P. G. von Szalay and N. W. Raring.

"March 2018."

Includes bibliographical references (pages 223-226).


Keywords:
[+]
Fishing Surveys
Fish Stock Assessment
Groundfishes
Research

Series:
NOAA technical memorandum NMFS-AFSC ; 374
DOI:
http://doi.org/10.7289/V5/TM-AFSC-374
Document Type:
Technical Memorandum
Place as Subject:
Alaska ; Alaska, Gulf of
Alaska ; Alaska, Gulf of Less -
Rights Information:
Public Domain
Compliance:
Submitted
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:c7d1a0feace436d5405f22143756a90787c0862963648a16e7c6a14e90d6b537
File Type:

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