We have been using and continue to use acoustic telemetry methods to monitor the movement behavior and define habitat use of groundfish species in and out of Puget Sound waters. Detections of individual fishes has been collected at small and large scales over short and long term periods. We have data on sixgill and sevengill sharks, spiny dogfish, lingcod, copper, quillback, yellowtail and black rockfish, and spotted ratfish. These data are being used to describe the spatio-temporal patterns of behaviors expressed by top predators and other important members of the groundfish community in Puget Sound and along the West Coast. We intend for this information to inform the strength of inter- and intra-specific interactions quantified by ecosystem-scale models as well as the development of models used to determine the efficacy of spatial management strategies such as Marine Protected Areas. This has been a research topic since 2003, and will continue with work on listed species such as yelloweye and canary rockfish. Acoustic telemetry data for spiny dogfish sharks.

We have been using and continue to use acoustic telemetry methods to monitor the movement behavior and define habitat use of groundfish species in and out of Puget Sound waters. Detections of individual fishes has been collected at small and large scales over short and long term periods. We have data on sixgill and sevengill sharks, spiny dogfish, lingcod, copper, quillback, yellowtail and black rockfish, and spotted ratfish. These data are being used to describe the spatio-temporal patterns of behaviors expressed by top predators and other important members of the groundfish community in Puget Sound and along the West Coast. We intend for this information to inform the strength of inter- and intra-specific interactions quantified by ecosystem-scale models as well as the development of models used to determine the efficacy of spatial management strategies such as Marine Protected Areas. This has been a research topic since 2003, and will continue with work on listed species such as yelloweye and canary rockfish. Acoustic telemetry data for sixgill sharks.

The Fisheries Ecology Division (FED, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/west-coast/science-data/molecular-ecology-and-genetic-analysis-california-salmon-and-groundfish) of the Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) has conducted a midwater trawl survey off central California since 1983 with the primary goal of developing pre-recruit indices for young-of-the-year (YOY) rockfish (Sebastes spp.). The survey also samples numerous other components of the epipelagic micronekton, including other YOY groundfish (such as Pacific hake, Merluccius productus, and sanddab, Citharichthys spp ), coastal pelagic fishes (such as Pacific sardine, Sardinops sagax, and northern anchovy, Engraulis mordax) and other forage species. Additional details regarding the survey methods and results are described in Ralston et al. (2015) and Sakuma et al. (http://calcofi.org/publications/calcofireports/v57/Vol57-Sakuma_pages.163-183.pdf). Ralston, S., J.C. Field and K.S. Sakuma. 2015. Longterm variation in a central California pelagic forage assemblage. Journal of Marine Systems 146: 26-37. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2014.06.013. Sakuma, K.M., J.C. Field, B.B. Marinovic, C.N. Carrion, N.J. Mantua and S. Ralston. In revision. Anomalous epipelagic micronekton assemblage patterns in the neritic waters of the California Current in spring 2015 during a period of extreme ocean conditions. CalCOFI Reports.

This layer is intended to represent the geographic extent of NOAA Fisheries’ Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey stations. The Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey started in 1983 and is led by NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center. This survey is a long-term survey that estimates year-to-year variability in young-of-the-year (YOY) rockfish and other groundfish, as well as enumerates krill and many other forage fishes and invertebrates in the California Current. Key objectives include the development of recruitment indices of rockfish (and other groundfish) for use in stock assessments, informing oceanographic studies of groundfish recruitment processes, and supported a number of ecosystem studies, such as helping researchers understand how ecosystem shifts impact ocean biodiversity, seabird reproduction, unusual mortality events, and the rise of whale entanglements. The survey is conducted annually on a NOAA research vessel, in late Spring when most YOY groundfish are pelagic and vulnerable to the gear. Mid-water trawl sampling occurs at night, and samples not only rockfishes, but many additional species including gelatinous zooplankton, mesopelagic fishes, and forage species such as krill, market squid, anchovies, and sardines. The survey also includes conductivity, temperature, depth (CTD) casts to collect environmental data, quantitative marine mammal and seabird observations, fisheries acoustics data collection, and sample collection for collaborative research activities, including eDNA, stable isotopes, and age and growth studies.

This layer is intended to represent the geographic extent of NOAA Fisheries’ Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey. The Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey started in 1983 and is led by NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center. This survey is a long-term survey that estimates year-to-year variability in young-of-the-year (YOY) rockfish and other groundfish, as well as enumerates krill and many other forage fishes and invertebrates in the California Current. Key objectives include the development of recruitment indices of rockfish (and other groundfish) for use in stock assessments, informing oceanographic studies of groundfish recruitment processes, and supported a number of ecosystem studies, such as helping researchers understand how ecosystem shifts impact ocean biodiversity, seabird reproduction, unusual mortality events, and the rise of whale entanglements. The survey is conducted annually on a NOAA research vessel, in late Spring when most YOY groundfish are pelagic and vulnerable to the gear. Mid-water trawl sampling occurs at night, and samples not only rockfishes, but many additional species including gelatinous zooplankton, mesopelagic fishes, and forage species such as krill, market squid, anchovies, and sardines. The survey also includes conductivity, temperature, depth (CTD) casts to collect environmental data, quantitative marine mammal and seabird observations, fisheries acoustics data collection, and sample collection for collaborative research activities, including eDNA, stable isotopes, and age and growth studies.

The core function of the Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering (RACE) Division is to conduct quantitative fishery surveys and related ecological and oceanographic research to measure and describe the distribution and abundance of commercially important fish and crab stocks in the eastern Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska. This includes measuring the abundance of fish (including rockfishes) in rocky untrawlable areas. To accomplish this, we are developing acoustic-optic surveys for rockfishes. These data area stored as image files and acoustics files.

Scientists collected acoustic fisheries data in mid-water depths approximately 30 to 1000 meters. Fishery acoustics data will be used to characterize broad-scale fish abundance, biomass, and utilization patterns, as well as to locate and document fish spawning aggregations.

Raw data from Vemco receivers that monitored the Kaneohe, Oahu nursery grounds while tagged juvenile snapper were released in 2006 (cultured) and 2007 (wild). Also included are raw temperature time series from thermographs mounted 5m above the bottom with the receiver.