AMAPPS-Cetacean and Turtle Abundance Spring Survey (GU1402, EK60). The AMAPPS survey primarily focuses on beaked whale species, with the following objectives: 1) Develop a better understanding of beaked whale habitat use and site fidelity for abundance and monitoring of critical areas, 2) Quantify efficacy of passive acoustic monitoring for detection and abundance of these species, through controlled methodological tests and in comparison to a bottom-mounted recorders (MARU), 3) Determine the distribution and relative abundance of plankton and prey species, 4) When possible, collect identification photographs and biopsy samples.

Ecosystem Monitoring. The Ecosystem Monitoring (aka Ecomon) survery uses bongo and CTD sampling to monitor and map the distribution of zooplankton, krill and smaller organisms) and the physical environment. The survey has been conducted four times per year (although fewer times in recent years) in each season on the continental shelf from Cape Hatteras, NC to the Canadian waters of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Acoustic data are occasionally collected. Marine mammal and bird observations have been collected in the past.

1. Conduct visual line-transect surveys to estimate the abundance and spatial distribution of cetaceans in U.S. Atlantic waters. 2. Conduct passive acoustic surveys simultaneous with visual surveys to provide supplemental information on cetacean abundance and spatial distribution. 3. Collect tissue samples (biopsies) of select cetaceans from the bow of Gordon Gunter. 4. Collect data on distribution and abundance of sea turtles, seabirds, and other marine life. 5. Collect oceanographic and environmental data including scientific echosounders (EK60) and acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) data to quantify acoustic backscatter due to small fish and zooplankton. 6. Collect vertical profiles of hydrographic parameters (e.g., temperature, salinity, oxygen concentration) using CTD and XBTs.

• Conduct dual team visual line-transect surveys to estimate the abundance and spatial distribution of cetaceans in U.S. Atlantic waters. • Conduct passive acoustic surveys simultaneous with visual surveys to provide supplemental information on cetacean abundance and spatial distribution. • Collect tissue samples (biopsies) of select cetaceans from the bow of Gordon Gunter and in select cases from R2 (scientific small boat). • Collect photographs and video of marine mammals, seabirds and turtles. • Collect visual survey data on distribution and abundance of sea turtles, seabirds, and other marine life. • Periodic collection oceanographic and environmental data. This includes a regular a CTD cast to 500m every morning prior to deployment of the acoustic array. The scientific echosounders (ER80) and acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) will also run at night to quantify acoustic backscatter due to small fish and zooplankton but will generally remain secured during mammal surveys.

Operational objectives are to: (1) collect underway data using TSG, SCS, and ADCP; (2) complete CTD and bongo operations at stations throughout area; (3) collect marine mammal and seabird observations; (4) collect data and imagery of phytoplankton and faciliates using an Imaging FlowCytobot unit and optical measurements of the sea surface water using bio-optical instruments, both of which will be plumbed into the Scientific Seawater System; (5) collect plankton samples with vertical plankton ring net tows to compare with bongo tows; (6) collect microzooplankton samples using 61 cm bongo (333 / 150 micron mesh nets) at Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) stations (A17-SNE, A18-SNE, A19-SNE, A20-SNE); and (7) collect radiometry measurements for satellite validation. The Ecosystem Monitoring surveys contribute to stock assessments, protected species assessments, ecosystem assessments, and climate assessments. As such, the surveys are multi-objective. Ichthyoplankton and hydrographic data are collected for stock assessments. A range of ecosystem observations are made, from nutrients and ocean acidification to marine mammals, and a number of the measurements are used in NEFSC ecosystem assessment products. The ocean acidification and hydrographic measurements are incorporated into the region’s climate assessments. This survey is multidisciplinary and as such will integrate all these operations. The cruise plan will evolve with input from scientists as well as the officers and crew of NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter. A post-cruise meeting will focus on lessons learned and improvements to make for subsequent surveys of this type.

C. Operating Area (include optional map/figure showing op area) Western Atlantic along the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Coast, cross-shelf, through Gulf Stream, out to blue water. Operations will be conducted in and around York Bight, Long Island Sound and Cape Cod. Gulf Stream eddies will be sampled along the way. Plan includes sampling transient features present in the region at the time of the cruise. Cruise begins in Norfolk, VA and will end in Norfolk, VA, US. Tentative cruise track (Fig. 1) is shown below along with daily locations in Table 1. Cruise track will be adjusted to maximize characterization of processes and features present during time of cruise. In addition, one of the issues with our work is that we need cloud free skies to maximize our work. We will be working with the crew to make adjustments to the cruise track daily. D1. VIIRS Cal/Val Objectives Observe and measure inherent and apparent optical properties of water masses for three primary objectives: 1) JPSS VIIRS ocean color satellite validation; 2) Inter-calibration and intercomparison of validation techniques and measurements; and 3) optical characterization of ocean variability (i.e. coastal, near-shore, cross-shelf, eddies, fronts, filaments, blue water).

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Sardine Biomass Survey. Eighty four primary stations were plotted on the survey track with an approximate spacing of 20 - 40 nautical miles. At each station the following activities were performed: a. Deployment of a Seabird CTD down to 200 meters, bottom depth permitting. The self-contained CTD collected depth, temperature, conductivity and oxygen data. b. Standard Pairovet cast down to 70 meters depth deployed concurrently with the CUFES system. c. A CalBOBL (CalCOFI Bongo) standard oblique plankton tow with 300 meters of wire out, depth permitting, using paired 505 µm mesh nets with 71 cm diameter openings. The technical requirements for this tow were: Descent wire rate of 50 meters per minute, held at terminal depth for 30 seconds and retrieved at a wire rate of 20 meters per minute. All tows with ascending wire angles lower than 38° or higher than 51° in the final 100 meters of wire were repeated. Additionally, a 45° wire angle was closely maintained during the ascent and descent of the net frame. d. Standard meteorological data including SST, wind speed and direction, wave height and direction, cloud cover, relative humidity, air temperature and barometric pressure. e. During all transits between stations continuous measurements were made of pelagic fish eggs (CUFES) and acoustic targets using the EK-60. f. A 264 Nordic Rope Trawl with 3.0 meter² foam core doors was towed on the surface at night for a duration of thirty minutes. The 264 NRT was modified for surface trawling with Polyform floats attached to the head rope and trawl wings. The trawls have been modified with marine mammal excluder devices (MMED) to eliminate any possibility of catching marine mammals. Although the probability was very low that the gear being lowered into the water on station will interact with any marine mammals, a marine mammal watch was initiated 30 minutes before arriving on station. If any marine mammals were detected in the area, operations were suspended and the station location moved.

Spring 2011 California Current Ecosystem Survey. The spring 2011 California Current Ecosystem (CCE) survey was conducted aboard one NOAA research vessel and a chartered fishing vessel. The NOAA ship Bell M. Shimada (March 23-April 27) covered the area off of the west coast of US from Cape Flattery, Washington to San Diego, California with most of the stations off California located within the area from San Francisco to San Diego (CalCOFI lines 63.3 to 93.3 from March 27 to April 25). The F/V Frosti (March 26-April 28) covered the area from San Francisco to San Diego, California (CalCOFI lines 61.7 to 95, data collected April 1-26). Within the CCE survey the Shimada occupied the primary CalCOFI lines, 76.7 to 93.3, from April 10 to 25 for the spring CalCOFI cruise. During the CCE and the CalCOFI surveys, CalVET tows, Bongo tows, CUFES and trawls were conducted aboard both vessels. Data from both CCE and CalCOFI surveys were included in the estimation of spawning biomass of Pacific sardines.

Cruise NF-12-03-GRNMS (Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary) (EK60). Three projects are planned for the duration of this cruise: acoustic fish tracking, marine debris surveys, and collection of A. zebra samples. Two additional ancillary projects are also planned for the cruise: photo and video documentaitonand multibema mapping.