Exploratory Fishery-Independent Survey in Guam (2012 and 2014)

Accurate and precise stock assessments are predicated on accurate and precise estimates of life history parameters, abundance, and catch across the range of the stock. NOAA Fisheries is increasingly looking to advanced fishery-independent survey methods to estimate stock abundance. This study was conducted in 2012 and 2014 to determine the viability of applying the bottomfish fishery independent survey in Hawaii (BFISH) design for bottomfish in Guam. Only one region in Guam was sampled, Galvez Bank, and therefore data from this study do not represent a sampling of the full domain available to bottomfish in Guam. This study also was limited to research fishing gear only, as data within were solely collected using fishing gear.

To test the viability of applying the fishery-independent survey design used in Hawaiian waters to waters in Guam to then form the foundation for future development of a fully robust survey design for Guam.