Table: FOREIGN_BLEND

The foreign_blend data are a weekly summation of catch (except for 1977, when the data were summed on a monthly basis). The weekending_date is the date (YYMMDD) of the last day associated with the summation period.

The name of the nation(s) associated with each fishing operation. These nations are: BULGARIA, JAPAN, MEXICO, POLAND, PORTUGAL, PRC (People's Republic of China), ROK (Republic of Korea), TAIWAN, USSR (United Soviet Socialist Republic), WEST GERMANY, US-BULGARIA, US-ICELAND, US-JAPAN, US-POLAND, US-PORTUGAL, US-PRC, US-ROK, US-SPAIN, US-TAIWAN, US-USSR, US-W.GERMANY. All nation names beginning with US- are joint venture operations between the United States and a foreign nation.

The name of the International North Pacific Fish Commission area in which the catch was made. These areas are: BERING SEA 1, BERING SEA 2, BERING SEA 3, ALEUTIANS, SHUMAGIN, CHIRIKOF, SHELIKOF STR. (1986 only), KODIAK, YAKUTAT, S. E. ALASKA, VANCOUVER, COLUMBIA, EUREKA, MONTEREY.

The name of the species group. In the Bering Sea/Aleutians, the species groups are: ALL FLOUNDERS (1977 Japan only), ARROWTOOTH FL (1986-90), ATKA MACKEREL, FLOUNDER WO YFS, GREENLAND TURBOT (1986 only), HERRING, OTHER FISH, PACIFIC COD, POLLOCK, POP, ROCKFISH WO POP, ROCK SOLE (1989-90), SABLEFISH, SNAILS, SQUID, TURBOTS, YELLOWFIN SOLE. In the Gulf of Alaska, the species groups are: ALL FLOUNDERS, ATKA MACKEREL, DEMERSAL RF (1988 only), HERRING, OTHER FISH, PACIFIC COD, PELAGIC RF (1988 only), POLLOCK, POP, RATTAILS, ROCKFISH WO POP, SABLEFISH, SLOPE ROCKFISH (1988 only), SQUID, SS THORNYHEAD. In Washington-Oregon-California, the species groups are: ALL FLOUNDERS, ALL ROCKFISH (1977-79), FLATFISH DISC, JACK DISCARD, JACK MACKEREL, OTHER DISCARD, OTHER FISH, OTHER RF DISC, PACIFIC WHITING, POP, POP DISCARDS, ROCKFISH WO POP, SABLEFISH, SABLEFISH DIS, SHORTBELLY RF (1982 only). Refer to NOAA TECH.MEM. NMFS F/NWC-99 for changes that occurred within the species groups for years 1977-84. After 1984, very few changes occurred and are all noted here.

The vessel type used in the fishing operations. In 1977-79, larger trawlers were separated by size into MED TRAWLER and LG TRAWLER. From 1980 on, larger trawlers were separated based on their ability to make surimi. If they could make surimi, they were SURIMI TRAWL; if not, they were LG FRZ TRAWL. Longliners were all listed as LONGLINER in 1977-79. From 1980 on, they were separated by target into LONGLINE COD (targeting Pacific cod) and LONGLINE SAB (targeting sablefish). From 1977-79, all surimi motherships were combined into SURIMI MSHIP. From 1980 on, each surimi mothership was classified separately (SURIMI MSHIP1, SURIMI MSHIP2, SURIMI MSHIP3, SURIMI MSHIP4, SURIMI MSHIP5). From 1977-85, all joint venture motherships were listed as a single vessel type (JV MSHIP). From 1986 on, joint venture motherships were separated by target and surimi capability (OTHER FREEZER JV, OTHER SURIMI JV, YELL/FLAT FRZ JV, YELL/FLAT SUR JV, POLL-BOT FRZ JV (1989 only), POLL-BOT SUR JV (1989 only), POLL-MID FRZ JV (1989 only), POLL-MID SUR JV (1989 only) [No joint ventures targeted pollock in 1990]). Three additional vessel types, JV/LG FRZ TRAWL, JV/SURIMI TRAWL, AND LL COD/JV MSHIP identified the portion of fish caught by a fishing vessel itself, in the same week that it was processing another vessel's catch in a joint venture operation. The other vessel types were: FREEZER MSHIP (no surimi capability), SNAILPOT, SMALL TRAWL.

A code initiated in 1987 to differentiate between the different companies involved in joint venture operations. The first two digits identified the nationality of the processing vessel, and the second two digits identified different companies within that nationality. IJ designated Iceland, JA designated Japan, KS designated the Republic of Korea (ROK), PC designated the People's Republic of China (PRC), PL designated Poland, and UR designated the USSR. A list associating company name with company code is not currently available.

The number associated with the International North Pacific Fish Commission area_name. From 1977-85, the numbers (and areas) were: 51 (BERING SEA 1), 52 (BERING SEA 2), 53 (BERING SEA 3), 54 (ALEUTIANS), 61 (SHUMAGIN), 62 (CHIRIKOF), 63 (KODIAK), 64 (YAKUTAT), 65 (S.E. ALASKA), 67 (VANCOUVER), 71 (COLUMBIA), 72 (EUREKA), 73 (MONTEREY). In 1986, the numbers (and areas) were: 510 (BERING SEA 1), 520 (BERING SEA 2), 530 (BERING SEA 3), 540 (ALEUTIANS), 610 (SHUMAGIN), 620 (CHIRIKOF), 621 (SHELIKOF STR.), 630 (KODIAK), 640 (YAKUTAT), 650 (S.E. ALASKA), 670 (VANCOUVER), 710 (COLUMBIA), 720 (EUREKA), 730 (MONTEREY). Also, in 1986, in BERING SEA 1, joint venture operations were recorded by sub-areas and had area_numbers of 511, 513 and 514. In 1987-90, all fishing operations in BERING SEA 1 and BERING SEA 2 were recorded by sub-areas. Within BERING SEA 1, the sub-areas were: 511, 513, 514, 515, 516, 517. Within BERING SEA 2, the sub-areas were: 521, 522. All other areas had the same area numbers as in 1986. SHELIKOF STR (621) was only listed as a separate area in 1986.

The week number of the year (i.e., the first calendar week of each year [whether a full week or not] was week number 1, the second calendar week was week number 2, etc.).

The number of foreign vessels involved in fishing operations for the weekending_date, nation, area_number, vessel_class, and company (where applicable).

The combined number of days that foreign vessels involved in fishing operations were on the grounds for the weekending_date, nation, area_number, vessel_class, and company (where applicable).

The combined number of days that observers were available to sample aboard foreign vessels for the weekending_date, nation, area_number, vessel_class, and company (where applicable).

The no_of_observer_days divided by the no_of_foreign_days multiplied by 100 and rounded to the nearest whole number.

The number of tons of the species group caught by the foreign vessels for the weekending_date, nation, area_number, vessel_class, and company (where applicable) as reported by the foreign nation.

The number of tons of the species group caught by the foreign vessels for the weekending_date, nation, area_number, vessel_class, and company (where applicable) as estimated and reported by the observers.

The best estimate of the number of tons of the species group caught by the foreign vessels for the weekending_date, nation, area_number, vessel_class, and company (where applicable). This value is either the foreign_tonnage or the observer_tonnage and which value is selected depends on the following algorithm. If the percent coverage is less than 20.0% (not rounded), the foreign_tonnage is selected. If the result of the foreign_tonnage divided by the observer_tonnage is between 0.9 and 1.1 (not rounded), the foreign_tonnage is selected. If neither of these conditions are met, the observer_tonnage is selected.

The four digits of the year in which fishing occurred.

The week_date is the weekending_date converted into a date format (MM/DD/YYYY HH:MM:SS). Hours, minutes, and seconds are all 0.