Southeast Fisheries-Independent Survey (SEFIS) NOAA ship PISCES cruise number PC-13-04 from 12 - 27 June 2013 and 17 - 1 August 2013

The NOAA Ship Pisces departed from Port Canaveral, FL, on 12 June 2013 at 1900 for a Southeast Fishery-Independent Survey (SEFIS) research cruise in continental shelf and shelf-break waters off the southeastern US. SEFIS was created by the National Marine Fisheries Service in 2010 and operates out of the Beaufort Laboratory. This survey was created to conduct applied fishery-independent sampling and related research focusing on the assessment of spatial variability in distribution and abundance of red snapper and other reef species within the snapper-grouper complex, via data collected from fish traps, video cameras, and acoustics. During this survey, chevron trap catches and associated underwater video recordings were collected from hardbottom habitats found between 28.182 N and 32.091 N. The survey was conducted in two legs (June 12-27 and July 17-August1) for a total of 32 sea days. During the survey, 444 stations were sampled with camera-trap arrays between 18 and 77 m depths.

Cruise PC-13-04 Objectives

1. Increase the spatial footprint and sample size of fishery-independent sampling in US southeast waters. Baited chevron traps, with one or more mounted high-definition video cameras, were utilized for

(a) hardbottom reef fish community assessments,

(b) collection of reef fish for biological samples (i.e.,otoliths and gonads), and

(c) comparative gear sampling (cameras versus traps versus split-beam sonar).

2. Use video cameras on chevron traps to address trap selectivity issues, locate and describe hardbottom habitats, and provide an additional index of abundance for stock assessments.

3. Survey reef fish assemblages and identify substrate types using a deep-water ROV equipped with instrumentation including low-light digital video and DIDSON sonar.

4. Use a CTD instrument package to collect environmental data (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen) at camera-trap sampling locations.

5. Map bottom habitats using multibeam sonar to improve survey design and to expand knowledge of hardbottom habitats in the southeast US.

6. Use fisheries acoustic gear (split-beam sonar) to assess its use as a fishery-independent survey too

Title : Southeast Fisheries-Independent Survey (SEFIS) NOAA ship PISCES cruise number PC-13-04 from 12 - 27 June 2013 and 17 July - 1 August 2013

Personal Author(s) : Bacheler, Nathan;Schobernd, Christina;

Corporate Authors(s) : Southeast Fisheries Science Center (U.S.);United States. National Marine Fisheries Service.;

Published Date : 2013

Series : PC-13-04

URL : https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/49382