Summer Bottom Trawl Survey

Sampling the coastal waters of the Gulf of Maine using the Northeast Fishery Science Center standardized bottom trawl has been problematic due to large areas of hard bottom and the proliferation of fixed fishing gear. Concerns that areas with significant fish biomass were not being sampled resulted in the NEFSC developing a summer bottom trawl survey in order to supplement sampling in this region. The NEFSC worked with regional fisherman to map areas accessible to bottom trawls and used this information to develop a sampling regime. A master list of towable areas was used to inform the stratified-random survey design which allowed sampling in these areas, while greatly reducing gear damage. This survey was conducted from 1991 through 1995.

To supplement the NEFSC Spring and Autumn Bottom Trawl surveys in coastal waters of the Gulf of Maine by sampling in areas that are difficult to access under standard bottom trawl survey protocols.

This survey is also known at the Summer Gulf of Maine Survey.

The information contained in the data set relate to summer bottom trawl surveys. Data records include: station, catch, length, age, feeding ecology, and oceanographic data, in addition to sensor data collected during a tow.

Available to qualified researchers.

1. Formal request in writing usually to the data owner/contact or Center Director.

2. Requester is contacted by data owner to review and verify the request content and details for data delivery options.

3. If data is confidential then owner will determine is the data may be released to the requester.

4. If data can be released, the data is downloaded and packaged for delivery electronically; or the requester may be directed to where the data is available online.

If data is stored on an internal NEFSC network, the requester may not have direct access to query the data unless they are also authorized for network access.

User must read and fully comprehend the metadata prior to use. Applications or inferences derived from the data should be carefully considered for accuracy. Acknowledgement of NOAA/NMFS/NEFSC, as the source from which these data were obtained in any publications and/or other representations of these, data is suggested.

RDBMS: Oracle

The SCS program employs real-time validation and must meet database integrity constraints. Paper logs were pre-audited prior to keypunching. Data were then subject to post-audits.

Data for this set is no longer being collected.

Archiving solution for Oracle Data Sets is yet to be determined.

Archival of source data preserving unaltered collected data, Scheduled backups, Remote storage backups, Password protection.

Vessel sensor data were collected electronically using SCS. Station, catch and biological data were collected manually using paper logs. At the completion of each cruise leg, the logs were keypunched and data audited extensively prior to being released.