Small-vessel Survey and Auction Sampling to Estimate Growth and Maturity of Eteline Snappers

Small-vessel Survey and Auction Sampling to Estimate Growth and Maturity of Eteline Snappers and Improve Data-Limited Stock Assessments.

This biosampling project allows for the expansion of the underfunded field-sampling program at the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) in the Main Hawaiian Islands and allows the PIFSC Life History Program (LHP) to more fully develop existing cooperative research connections with regional fishers and wholesale buyers. Under this grant, PIFSC has conducted small boat sampling operations around Oahu to target juvenile eteline snappers, Pacific Islands Fisheries Group fishermen were asked to collect specific sizes of whole fish and bring to LHP staff for processing, and a buyer at the United Fishing Agency (UFA) fish auction was contracted to target large fish and intermediate lengths to fully supplement the field and fisher collections. Bottomfish biosampling data is queried often to identify size and temporal gaps for each species and sample requests are updated accordingly.

To acquire information needed to estimate longevity, growth, and maturity as well as sample across the entire size and age range of seven Main Hawaiian Islands eteline snappers (Etelis coruscans, Etelis marshi, Pristipomoides filamentosus, Pristipomoides zonatus, Aphareus rutilans, Pristipomoides sieboldii, and Aprion virescens) important to the Hawaii Bottomfish Fishery. Little or no information on age or length at maturity is available for these species and this project will allow the LHP to acquire the specimens required to complete such studies.

See Small-vessel Survey and Auction Sampling to Estimate Growth and Maturity of Eteline Snappers and Improve Data-Limited Stock Assessments Column Notes for further details about what information can be found in this data set.

May have fisheries confidential data.

Email the POC or originator of this data set for more information.

Send written request to PIFSC and requires approval from the data owner.

None

All data is entered by the POC into an Excel spreadsheet using an iMac computer. Physical data forms are kept in the cubicle of the POC. Regular backups of the data are performed by ITS on the shared drive.

All fish obtained through this project are included in the data set. The LHP requests fisherman and wholesale buyers to purchase specific fish sizes and lengths, therefore, this data is not representative of the entire bottomfish catch.

All data collected through this project will be useful in determining age and size at maturity for each species.

QC review prior to data entry. Further QC after data entry.

PIFSC ITS performs regularly scheduled backups of shared drives.

Data was collected in by PIFSC staff, and entered in table format into electronic spreadsheets.