A time series of scale samples (1956 2002) collected from adult sockeye salmon returning to Naknek River were retrieved from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. These scales were digitized, revealing growth information for the freshwater and marine life history stages of sockeye salmon. The growth information will be related to time series of sockeye salmon production to Bristol Bay and oceanographic conditions within the Bering Sea and North Pacific Ocean.

A time series of scale samples (1956 b?? 2002) collected from adult sockeye salmon returning to Ugashik River were retrieved from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. These scales were digitized, revealing growth information for the freshwater and marine life history stages of sockeye salmon. The growth information will be related to time series of sockeye salmon production to Bristol Bay and oceanographic conditions within the Bering Sea and North Pacific Ocean.

To better understand how density-dependent growth of ocean-dwelling Pacific salmon varied with climate and population dynamics, we examined the marine growth of sockeye salmon in relation to an index of sockeye salmon abundances among climate regimes, population abundances, and body sizes under varied life history stages, from 1925 to 1998 using ordinary least squares and multivariate adaptive regression spline threshold models. The annual marine growth and body size during the juvenile, immature, and maturing life stages were estimated from increments on the scales of adult age 2.2 sockeye salmon that returned to spawn at Karluk River and Lake on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Intra-specific density-dependent growth was inferred from inverse relationships between growth and sockeye salmon abundance based on commercial harvest. Density-dependent growth occurred in all marine life stages, during the cool regime, at lower abundance levels, and at smaller body sizes at the start of the juvenile life stage. The finding that density-dependence occurred during the cool regime and at low population abundances suggests that a shift to a cool regime or extreme warm regime at higher population abundances could further reduce the marine growth of salmon and increase competition for resources. Alaska salmon production fluctuates with climate and ocean conditions in the North Pacific Ocean. In this study, we evaluated the hypothesis that faster marine growth was related to higher survival as a consequence of more favorable ocean conditions for growth during the 1927-46 and 1977-2000 warm regimes, and slower growth was related to lower survival as a consequence of less favorable climatic and oceanic conditions for growth during the 1947-76 cool regime. We measured and compared the annual growth on scales collected from age 2.2 sockeye salmon that returned to Karluk Lake on Kodiak Island, Alaska from 1927 to 2000 to regime periods, climatic and oceanic indices, and survival. First and second marine-year scale growth fluctuated with the cool regime and recent warm regime. Survival estimated as the ratio of offspring to parental escapement was lower during the 1925-46 warm regime and 1947-76 cool regime. Survival was positively related to first and second marine year scale growth, eastern North Pacific atmospheric circulation, and reduced winter and spring coastal downwelling in the Gulf of Alaska. Winter and spring climatic and oceanic conditions influences on first and second year marine growth of Karluk Lake sockeye are a possible mechanisms linking Karluk Lake sockeye salmon survival to climate over the past half century.

Data is available from annual bottom longline surveys conducted cooperatively by Japan (1979-1994) and the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Fisheries Science Center (1988-present). Starting in 1988, the U.S. started conducting the survey, creating overlap between the two countries between1988-1994. Since 1994, the U.S. has conducted the survey independently. Stations are spaced systematically (~20-30 km apart) along the slope from the eastern Gulf of Alaska west to the Aleutian Islands and north into the eastern Bering Sea. At each station, depths from ~150-1000 meters are sampled. Each year the captain attempts to set the gear along the same path. The same stations are sampled each year except in the Aleutian Islands and the Bering Sea, which are sampled every other year at the beginning of the survey (last week of May-early June). Since 1995, in odd years the Bering Sea stations are sampled and in even years the Aleutian Islands are sampled. The status of each hook is recorded. Lengths are taken from major species including, sablefish, giant grenadier, Pacific grenadier, Greenland turbot, arrowtooth flounder, Pacific cod, shortspine thornyhead, and all rockfish caught.

Members of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center's (AFSC) Stock Assessment and Multispecies Assessments Program are responsible for determining the condition of fisheries resources in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone using data collected by other AFSC scientists and developing strategies for managing those resources. Their research focuses on updating information on population dynamic trends, estimation of biological yields, and management strategies (as presented in annual assessment documents).

The Alaska Fisheries Science Centers (AFSC) Status of Stocks and Multispecies Assessment (SSMA) Programs Fishery Interaction Team (FIT) conducted an offshore fish and invertebrate survey as part of the SHEFLZ Survey in the northeastern Chukchi Sea in 2013. The project is funded under the North Slope Borough s (NSB) State of Alaska Coastal Impact Assistance Program Project #6 Biological and Physical Oceanography of the Chukchi Sea Task I Offshore oceanographic and fish surveys.

The dataset contains trawl and seine catches from Southeast Alaskan estuaries sampled from 1995 to 2008. The data also include physical variables (temp, salinity, turbidity), and shorezone shoreline classifications.

The scientific objective of the Gulf of Alaska Survey (GOA Survey) is to assess Young of the Year (YOY) groundfish, salmon, plankton, and oceanographic conditions across the coastal, shelf, slope, and offshore waters of the GOA and to provide information on species distribution, ecosystem structure, and marine productivity in response to changes in season, region, and climate. Specific objectives are to 1) observe epi-pelagic fish communities by sampling with a rope trawl towed at the surface; 2) collect electronic oceanographic data including CTD (Conductivity-temperature-depth) vertical profiles of temperature, salinity, light transmission, chlorophyll a fluorescence, and photosynthetic available radiation (PAR); and 3) collect biological oceanographic samples (zooplankton and water) by oblique bongo tows and water sampling.

Each year over 50 Alaskan groundfish stock assessments report the condition of Alaskan fisheries resources in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. Stock assessment scientists integrate biological observations and theoretical considerations via population modeling techniques to produce population dynamic trends and biological yield estimation. This data set captures various stock assessment trends and estimations.

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.