The survey’s primary objective was to collect acoustic data and trawl information to estimate midwater abundance and distribution of walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Shumagins Region during late winter and early spring. Acoustic data were collected using five split-beam transducers (18, 38, 70, 120, and 200 kHz) and Simrad ER60 scientific echo sounders. Midwater and near-bottom acoustic backscatter was sampled using an Aleutian Wing 30/26 Trawl (AWT) and a poly Nor’eastern bottom trawl (PNE) with roller gear. This long-running survey has consistently provided data on the pollock population in the western GOA during winter and spring months. Surveys were conducted 13-22 February (cruise DY2012-01) in Sanak Trough and in the Shumagin Islands area (comprised of Shumagin Trough, Stepovak Bay, Renshaw Point, Unga Strait, and West Nagai Strait), and 17-27 March to estimate the distribution andabundance of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma).

The survey’s primary objective was to collect acoustic data and trawl information to estimate midwater abundance and distribution of walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Shumagins Region during late winter and early spring. Acoustic data were collected using five split-beam transducers (18, 38, 70, 120, and 200 kHz) and Simrad ER60 scientific echo sounders. Midwater and near-bottom acoustic backscatter was sampled using an Aleutian Wing 30/26 Trawl (AWT) and a poly Nor’eastern bottom trawl (PNE) with roller gear. This long-running survey has consistently provided data on the pollock population in the western GOA during winter and spring months.

The surveys primary objective was to collect acoustic data and trawl information to estimate midwater abundance and distribution of walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Shumagins Region during late winter and early spring. Acoustic data were collected using five split-beam transducers (18, 38, 70, 120, and 200 kHz) and Simrad ER60 scientific echo sounders. Midwater and near-bottom acoustic backscatter was sampled using an Aleutian Wing 30/26 Trawl (AWT) and a poly Noreastern bottom trawl (PNE) with roller gear. This long-running survey has consistently provided data on the pollock population in the western GOA during winter and spring months.

Scientists from the Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering (MACE) Program of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center's (AFSC) Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering (RACE) Division routinely conduct acoustic-trawl (AT) stock assessment surveys in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) during late winter and early spring to estimate the distribution and abundance of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma). Historically, most of these efforts have been focused on the Shelikof Strait area, which has been surveyed annually since 1980, except in 1982 and 1999. The Shumagin Islands area has also been surveyed annually since 2005 with prior surveys in 1994-1996 and 2001-2003. Additionally, the GOA continental shelf break east of Chirikof Island to Barnabas Trough has been surveyed annually since 2002. In 2010, survey activities were expanded to include Morzhovoi Bay, Pavlof Bay, the bays along the southern coast of the Kenai Peninsula, and Prince William Sound. This report presents the distribution and abundance of walleye pollock for all AT surveys conducted in the GOA during February and March 2010 along with acoustic system calibration and physical oceanographic results.

Scientists from the Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering (MACE) Program of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center's (AFSC) Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering (RACE) Division conducted an acoustic-trawl (AT) stock assessment survey of the Shumagin Islands and Sanak. The Shumagin Islands survey was conducted 12-15 Feb., beginning in Shumagin Trough, continuing through Stepovak Bay, Renshaw, Unga Strait, Korovin Strait and ending in West Nagai Strait. The Sanak Trough area survey was conducted 15-16 Feb., followed by the survey of Morzhovoi Bay on 16 Feb.

Scientists from the Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering (MACE) Program of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) regularly conduct acoustic-trawl (AT) surveys in late February and early March to estimate the abundance of pre-spawning walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) in the southeastern Aleutian Basin near Bogoslof Island. MACE scientists conducted the acoustic-trawl survey between 7-11 March 2014 (Cruise DY2014-02) aboard the NOAA ship Oscar Dyson, a 64 m stern trawler equipped for fisheries and oceanographic research. The survey followed established AT methods as specified in NOAA protocols for fisheries acoustics surveys and related sampling.

Shumagin Islands, Sanak, Morzhovoi, Pavlof

Scientists from the Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering (MACE) program of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering (RACE) Division conducted an acoustic-trawl (AT) survey of walleye pollock in the southeastern Aleutian Basin near Bogoslof Island aboard the NOAA ship Oscar Dyson during 7-15 March, 2012. The survey was designed with two survey tracks, which covered 3,656 nmi2 of the CBS Convention Specific Area. The primary survey track was nearest to the Aleutian Islands and consisted of 35 north-south parallel transects spaced 3 nmi apart and the second survey track was located just north of the primary survey track, and consisted of 12 north-south parallel transects space 9 nmi apart. These second survey track was essentially northern extensions of the primary survey track, designed to observe whether walleye pollock were present in deeper water. The survey followed established AT methods as specified in NOAA protocols for fisheries acoustics surveys and related sampling.

Scientists from the Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering (MACE) Program of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center's (AFSC) Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering (RACE) Division conducted an acoustic-trawl (AT) stock assessment survey of the Bogoslof region of the EBS

Scientists from the Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering ( MACE) Program of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center's (AFSC) Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering (RACE) Division conducted acoustic-trawl (AT) stock assessment surveys in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) during late winter and early spring 2018 to estimate the distribution and abundance of walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) at several of their main spawning grounds. These pre-spawning pollock surveys included the Shumagin Islands, Sanak Trough, Morzhovoi and Pavlof bays (DY2018-01; 5-15 February)