The data set contains information on locations sampled, gears used, and whether red snapper were observed. If a red snapper was caught its total length was recorded.

Sampling the coastal waters of the Gulf of Maine using the Northeast Fishery Science Center standardized bottom trawl has been problematic due to large areas of hard bottom and the proliferation of fixed fishing gear. Concerns that areas with significant fish biomass were not being sampled resulted in the NEFSC developing a summer bottom trawl survey in order to supplement sampling in this region. The NEFSC worked with regional fisherman to map areas accessible to bottom trawls and used this information to develop a sampling regime. A master list of towable areas was used to inform the stratified-random survey design which allowed sampling in these areas, while greatly reducing gear damage. This survey was conducted from 1991 through 1995.

Fishes and macroinvertebrates were collected using a 12.8m semi-balloon trawl with 5cm mesh in spring and fall of 2010 and 2011 in the coastal waters of Alabama and Mississippi. All species were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level and counted. A wet weight estimate of total biomass (+ grams) was attained for each species using portable spring scales. Finfish collected in 2010 were measured for length (standard, fork, and/or total as appropriate).