This dataset is from a study that evaluates whether inter-annual variability in the depth distribution of juvenile northern rock sole on their nursery grounds around Kodiak Island, Alaska, is a response to changes in the availability of habitat created by polychaete tubes, principally Sabellides sibirica.

This dataset is from laboratory experiments testing the onset and ontogenetic changes in habitat selection of pre- and post-settling northern rock sole (NRS) larvae, and from field surveys investigating settlement patterns of NRS.

This dataset is from an experiment where northern rock sole larvae were reared in the laboratory to measure growth, condition, development and settlement parameters across four temperatures (2, 4, 7 and 10C).

The importance of high relief structure containing biotic habitat to rockfish and other species remains largely unknown. This data set was created to examine the importance of this habitat for Pacific ocean perch, northern rockfish, and dusky rockfish. These data were derived from four research cruises that occurred between May 2012 and December 2014. During the cruises, video data was recorded of habitat associations, plankton samples were collected, temperature profiles were recorded, and several types of biological samples were taken from trawl captured rockfish. These data will be recorded in several tables in an access database and video files will also be available.

To study the effects of ocean acidification we examined the effects of ocean acidification on the larval stages of the economically important southern Tanner crab, Chionoecetes bairdi. Ovigerous females were reared in one of 3 treatments: control (ambient pH ~8.1), pH 7.8, and pH 7.5 for 2 years. Larvae in year 1 were from oocytes developed in the field whereas larvae in year 2 were from oocytes developed under acidified conditions. Larvae hatched each year, were also exposed to 3 pH treatments to examine starvation-survival, morphology, condition, and calcium/magnesium content. Approximately 300 larvae were stocked in multiple treatments for testing the effect of pH. Hatching success was measured as the total % of larval hatched from a full clutch while duration was the number of days over which hatching occurred. Hatching success did not differ among treatments in 2012 but varied between 46 to 87% in 2013 dependent on pH treatment. Larval mass was highest in pH 7.8 in 2012 and lowest in the control, however in 2013 the highest larval mass was in the control water. There were only small (not significant) changes in magnesium or calcium content among treatments in 2012 however, the reduction in both minerals at higher pH was greater in 2013. There was higher percent carbon and nitrogen contents in pH 7.5 larvae in 2013. The morphology of Tanner crab larval was assessed from 200 larvae stocked in multiple 2 L beakers. There was no effect of treatment on larval morphometrics. In 2012 and 2013, we examined if embryos developed under acidified conditions affected larval morphology by assessing 15 newly hatched larvae from each treatment. There was again no effect of treatment on larval morphometrics. Starvation survival experiments were performed in 1 L sized PVC inserts. In both years larvae from embryos that developed in pH 7.5 water survived about 3 days longer than those that developed in control water. However, in 2012 larvae from embryos that had developed in pH 7.8 water were similar to control larvae whereas in 2013 they were intermediate between the control and pH 7.5 larvae. The overall effects of treatment at the larval stage appeared to be better condition and initial survival at lower pH, however multiple years of treatment led to lower survival.

The datasets contain larval size, water temperature, cell cycle data, and classification of larval condition.

This dataset is from laboratory experiments that examined the direct effects of projected levels of ocean acidification on the eggs and larvae of walleye pollock.

A total of 70 stations were occupied. The standard FOCI grid and line 8 were samped. At each station we sampled using paired 20 and 60 cm Bongo frames (150 and 500 micron mesh nets, respectively). A SeaBird SeaCat (SBE 19 plus) was used with the bongo frames to determine the depth of the samplers in real time and to measure temperature and conductivity. On line 8 CTD casts were also taken. We left Dutch Harbor at 2300 on May 31 (GMT time) and arrived at our first grid station, GV147, at approximately 0500 on June 2. The deployment and retrieval of both the 60 cm bongo and the neuston gear were successful until the weather conditions became too severe to continue sampling our planned grid stations on the evening of June 2 after station 13 (HH151) was completed. Operations were resumed at GV151 on June 4 at 0200 until another storm made sampling conditions difficult after station 55 (HD 165) on June 7 at 0330. We waited in Alitak Bay on the south end of Kodiak Island to resume sampling. Since so much sampling time had already been lost due to weather, it was decided to abandon the rest of the planned grid stations below Shelikof Strait and steam to Line 8 and resume sampling there. We arrived at the first Line 8 station and began sampling at 2230 on June 7. After all six of the Line 8 stations were completed, we resumed sampling at designated grid stations until it was necessary to head into port on June 9.

In order to manage vulnerable benthic habitats, such as deep-sea corals and sponges, the impacts of human activity including commercial fishing must be known and accounted for. One type of fishing gear whose impact has rarely been studied is commercial longline gear. We performed a series of experiments in 2013 and 2014 to address this knowledge gap using inertial measurement units and underwater cameras. These data area stored as image files, .bcs files and as .csv files.

This dataset is from field surveys that examined depth distribution, habitat association, and growth of newly settled Tanner crab at 4 sites around the eastern end of Kodiak Island, Alaska.