Microsoft Access relational database of field data for the interagency project Evaluation of Nearshore Communities and Habitats in lower Cook Inlet, Alaska, 2015-2018. This relational database contains tables holding data for study sites including maps, images and coordinates; taxonomic data for algae and invertebrates; biological survey data; survey information data; and quadrat geospatial data. Front-facing forms allow the viewer to view species lists by site, physical characteristics of site and other metrics of interest.

Shapefiles pertaining to project Evaluation of Nearshore Communities and Habitats in lower Cook Inlet, Alaska, 2015-2018. Depicts the project bounding box, site locations, survey quadrat locations within site, and survey transect locations within site.

Shapefiles pertaining to project Evaluation of Nearshore Communities and Habitats in lower Cook Inlet, Alaska, 2015-2018. Depicts the project bounding box, site locations, survey quadrat locations within site, and survey transect locations within site.

This dataset contains two tables comprising catch per unit effort (CPUE) data and length measurements from fish surveys conducted in the nearshore Beaufort Sea, Alaska, between 1988 and 2019. Historical data collected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) includes fish catch and fish length data (measured from a subset of the total catch) from two eras, 1988-1991 and 2003-2005, in the eastern Beaufort Sea (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge). Similar data was collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) from a subset of the historical eastern Beaufort Sea sites and some additional central Beaufort Sea (Simpson Lagoon and Stefansson Sound) sites more recently, 2017-2019. Here we have compiled and standardized datasets from the three eras of fish surveys.

This dataset contains two tables comprising catch per unit effort (CPUE) data and length measurements from fish surveys conducted in the nearshore Beaufort Sea, Alaska, between 1988 and 2019. Historical data collected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) includes fish catch and fish length data (measured from a subset of the total catch) from two eras, 1988-1991 and 2003-2005, in the eastern Beaufort Sea (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge). Similar data was collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) from a subset of the historical eastern Beaufort Sea sites and some additional central Beaufort Sea (Simpson Lagoon and Stefansson Sound) sites more recently, 2017-2019. Here we have compiled and standardized datasets from the three eras of fish surveys.

This data release consists of one table of multi-year observations of Rock Sandpipers (Calidris ptilocnemis) and aerial photographs of Rock Sandpiper flocks at sites in upper Cook Inlet, Alaska, 1997-2014.

This data release consists of one table of multi-year observations of Rock Sandpipers (Calidris ptilocnemis) and aerial photographs of Rock Sandpiper flocks at sites in upper Cook Inlet, Alaska, 1997-2014.

The project consisted of a nearshore fish, invertebrate, and habitat survey in northern Bristol Bay, Alaska. A 32-ft. gillnet vessel, the F/V Willow was chartered for the survey, and we also used a 20-ft. aluminum skiff with 90-hp. motor for shallow water work. The survey was staged out of Dillingham, Alaska and took place from July 26-August 8, 2009.The main gear types used during the survey were a beach seine and a bottom beam trawl. A surface pair trawl (towed by the vessel and the skiff) was deployed in one location. Using these gear types, we sampled from the shoreline to 17 m depth, as well as surface waters ~1 km from the shoreline. Catches were sorted to species, enumerated, and when possible weighed using spring scales. Length measurements were taken for most species. Voucher specimens were preserved in 10% formalin for confirmation of species identification. A small number of samples were frozen for age and energetics analysis . Photographs were taken of most species. Small, datalogging conductivity-temperature-depth recorders (CTDs) were deployed on the trawl gear, and also placed on temporary moorings in several locations to study fluctuations in temperature and salinity over tidal cycles. We also recorded habitat variables at beach seine sites according to the methodology used in the Nearshore Fish Atlas of Alaska. During July 26-August 1, 2009 sampling was conducted in Nushagak Bay. High wind and waves hampered the sampling throughout this entire week and largely determined possible sampling locations. Two days were completely lost due to weather. On August 3 we traveled from Dillingham to the west side of the Nushagak and from August 4-8 sampling was conducted along the Nushagak Peninsula and in Kulukak, Nunavachak, Ungalikthluk, and Togiak Bays. During most of this time we experienced high winds but they did not hamper the sampling to the same degree as in the Nushagak. On August 8 we traveled back to Dillingham.

This dataset contains the results of a series of inshore research surveys that took place during 2010-2013 as part of the Gulf of Alaska Integrated Ecosystem Research Program (GOAIERP), a multidisciplinary study of the GOA ecosystem funded by the North Pacific Research Board. The project is comprised of four groups of investigators, organized as upper, middle, and lower trophic levels plus a modeling group. Investigators from the middle trophic level component conducted the research covered by this dataset. The study area consists of two main spatial regions (eastern: the outer coast of Southeast Alaska, western: the east side of Kodiak Island and the southern coast of the Kenai Peninsula). Within each main region the surveys covered 5-6 inshore bays or systems of bays (east: Whale Bay, St. Lazaria Island, Salisbury Sound, Islas Bay, Graves Harbor, Torch Bay; west: Kiliuda Bay, Izhut Bay, Barren Islands, Port Dick, Aialik Bay). At each of the inshore sites a number of research activities were conducted: 1) acoustic transects using 38- and 120-kHz split-beam transducers were conducted throughout the site to a depth of 20m; 2) sporadic nearshore acoustics were conducted from a skiff between depths of 5-20 m; 3) 10 m and 15 m beach seines were deployed along the shoreline; 4) a 50 m purse seine was deployed in depths from 3-7 m; 5) a 3-m beam trawl was deployed sporadically; 6) a 6 m X 3 m single-warp otter trawl was sporadically used for surface tows; 7) acoustic backscatter was groundtruthed using the otter trawl, jigging, and an underwater video camera; 8) oceanography stations were conducted using a Seabird 19+ CTD, a vertical zooplankton tow using a 1 m ring net, and collection of chlorophyll and nutrients samples at depths of 1 and 20 m at each station. Fish samples were taken for analyses of diet, nutritional condition, and energy content. In 2010, pilot studies were conducted in the eastern region during July and in the western region during October. These studies did not employ all of the gears listed above, and little oceanography work was performed. In 2011, full 15-day seasonal surveys were conducted in each region (east: April, July, September; west: May, August, October). No fieldwork was conducted during 2012. In 2013 the full seasonal surveys once again took place, however due to the shutdown of the federal government the fall east survey was curtailed and the fall west survey was delayed until early November.

The Alaska Forage Fish Database (AFFD) is a consolidation of survey data from multiple agencies that were sampled via fishing gear and predator diets. The spatial coverage includes the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, Chukchi Sea, and Beaufort Sea. Fish species within the database include Pacific sand lance, Pacific capelin, Pacific herring, juvenile walleye pollock and Pacific cod, myctophid, squid, and euphausiid. The data package is comprised of six tables: (1) catch_table includes counts, weight, and individual morphological characteristics (length, sex, age) of the sampled species; (2) event_table includes sampling time, location, and methods; (3) gear_table includes specifics about of the gear used for sampling when applicable; (4-5) two tables with taxonomic designations for forage species or predator species; and (6) a reference table that provides summary information about each contributed dataset.