Column Notes for UFA Sampling Data

The unique sequential number recorded within the database (this number has no significance outside of the database) starting with 1 to uniquely identify each record.

The name of the vessel that caught the fish.

The region where the bottomfish or pelagic species of fish originated from. This can be determined by the vessel name if its general fishing grounds are known. All bottomfish entries after January 2010 originated from the MHI; the NWHI was closed for bottomfishing.

The fish was caught on a pelagic fishing vessel and the location of capture was not known.

Date that samplers measured the fish on location at the UFA Fish Auction.

There should always be a date recorded.

Species name of the fish sampled, scientific names are used.

Whether or not the fish was eviscerated at sea. Most fish sampled are intact except for dolphinfish, wahoo, Smith's Escolar, and Oilfish; but they too are sometimes sold without being gutted. Bottomfish are never eviscerated at sea.

Weight taken by NMFS staff using a bench scale. This measurement was no longer taken after June 2009. Weight measurements collected independently of the UFA were time consuming and got in the way of normal auction operations. From June 2010 and on, the UFA weight in pounds was collected.

The weight was not taken by NMFS staff. After June 2009, all rows in this field will be null.

What type of length was recorded, total length (TL), fork length (FL), or eye to fork length (EFL)

It can always be determined what type of length was/would have been recorded based on the species.

The length of the fish in centimeters rounded up to the nearest 0.5 cm.

The length was not taken.

The weight given by the UFA and put onto the fish's identifying barcode tag. Weight is measured in pounds to the 0.5 lb.

The fish is grouped into a lot so the individual weight is unknown.

The length of the fish obtained using a fish board. Comparison of measuremnts obtained using a fish board versus a fabric measuring tape began in January 2012.

Information was collected prior to 2012 when the fish board was not in use or fish board was too small to capture measurement of large-sized bottomfish specimens.

Number of fish grouped into a lot. Could be 1 to 100+

Each fish is part of a lot. If more than one fish is in a lot, the total number of fish in that lot will be indicated here. All fish in the lot are not always measured.

Were all the fish in the lot measured, yes (Y), no (N)? If there was only one fish in the lot and it was measured or both fish in a lot of 2 were measured, the answer would be Y. If 4 out of 6 fish in the lot were measured, the answer would be N.

All fish in the lot either were or were not measured.

Sex of the fish, male (M), female (F), unknown (U).

If the sex is unknown, which will be the case for most species, a U should be entered into the cell.

This column pertains only to Lampris species, if it is a smalleye opah, SE will be recorded, bigeye-BE, and if it is unknown what species it is, then U.

Will be blank for all species except Lampris spp.

Any additional information associated with this fish.

No additional information is available.

Did the fish measured weigh less than 1 pound, yes (Y) or no (N)? UFA staff record a less than sign on the barcode tag of fish weighing less than one pound.

The fish either did or did not weigh less than one pound.

Were the gonads from this fish extracted, yes (Y) or no (N)? Collection of gonads from the UFA fish auction specimens began in the summer of 2012; all entries prior to May 2012 will have an N in this row.

Gonads either were or were not collected.

The number assigned to each fish by the UFA. There will be a value here if the toughbook scanning system was used for data collection.

The toughbook was not in operation until November 2010, any entry prior will not have a value for this column. This column will be blank whenever the scanning system was not used.

The name of the person operating the toughbook scanning system or person sampling on that specific date.

The username was not recorded.