AFSC/RACE/MACE: Results of 2014 Pollock Acoustic-Trawl Survey Shelikof- DY1403

The Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering (MACE) Program of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center's (AFSC) Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering (RACE) Division conducts annual acoustic-trawl (AT) stock assessment surveys in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) during late winter and early spring to estimate the distribution and abundance of walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus). Historically, most of these efforts have been focused on the Shelikof Strait area, which has been surveyed annually since 1981, except in 1982, when no survey was scheduled, and in 1999 and 2011, when all winter GOA surveys were cancelled due to vessel delays. The Shumagin Islands area has been surveyed annually since 2001 (except in 2004 and 2011) with prior surveys in 1994-1996. Sanak Trough has been surveyed annually since 2002 (except in 2004 and 2011), and the GOA continental shelf break east of Chirikof Island to Barnabas Trough has been surveyed annually since 2002 (except in 2011). Marmot Bay has been surveyed in the winter six times (1989, 1990, 1992, 2007, 2009, and 2010). This report presents the results from AT surveys conducted in the aforementioned areas of the GOA during February and March 2014.

McCARTHY, A. L., S. C. STEINESSEN, and D. JONES.

2015. Results of the acoustic-trawl surveys of walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) in the Gulf of Alaska, February-March 2014 (DY2014-01 and DY2014-0). AFSC Processed Rep. 2015-05, 85 p. Alaska Fish. Sci. Cent., NOAA, Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle WA 98115

Go to https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/wcd/ or email Anderson, Charles (charles.anderson@noaa.gov)

None.

User must read and fully comprehend the metadata prior to use. User must acknowledge the Originator when using the data set as a source. User must share data products developed using the source data set with the Originator. Data should not be used beyond the limits of the source scale.

These data were collected in accordance NOAA protocols for fisheries acoustics surveys and related sampling (Alaska Fisheries Science Center), 23 p. Prepared by Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering Program, Alaska Fish. Sci. Center, Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., NOAA. Available online: http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/RACE/midwater/AFSC%20AT%20Survey%20Protocols_Feb%202013.pdf

"IT Security and Contingency Plan for the system establishes procedures and applies to the functions, operations, and resources necessary to recover and restore data as hosted in the Western Regional Support Center in Seattle, Washington, following a disruption."

Acoustic data were recorded at the five split-beam frequencies using ER60 software (v. 2.2.1) and, as a backup, acoustic telegram data were logged with Myriax EchoLog 500 (v.4.70.1.14256) software. Acoustic measurements were collected from 16 m below the sea surface to within 0.5 m of the sounder-detected bottom or a maximum of 1,000 m in deep water. Data were analyzed using Myriax Echoview post-processing software (V. 5.4.90.23788).

1 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 2013. NOAA protocols for fisheries acoustics surveys and related sampling (Alaska Fisheries Science Center), 23 p. Prepared by Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering Program, Alaska Fish. Sci. Center, Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., NOAA. Available online:

http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/RACE/midwater/AFSC%20AT%20Survey%20Protocols_Feb%202013.pdf