Southeast Fisheries-Independent Survey (SEFIS) NOAA ship PISCES cruise number PC-14-02 from 06 - 18 July 2014 and 20 July - 02 August 2014

The NOAA Ship Pisces departed from Morehead City, NC, on 06 July 2014 at 1100 for a Southeast Fishery-Independent Survey (SEFIS) research cruise in continental shelf and shelf-break waters off the southeastern US. This was a result of a one-day delay due to weather (Hurricane Arthur). 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 in Onslow and Long bays, North and South Carolina. A total of 390 stations were sampled with camera-trap arrays over 27 sea days between 20 and 105 m depths.

Cruise PC-14-02 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-14-02 from 06 - 18 July 2014 and 20 July - 02 August 2014

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

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

Published Date : 2014

Series : PC-14-02 (0031)

URL : https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/49383