Leeward Oahu Pelagic Ecosystem Characterization (LOPEC-1) (SE1703, EK60). The first primary component of LOPEC-1 on SE1703 was to perform a midwater trawl and bongo net survey from the Oscar Elton Sette to compare to a series of trawl and bongo net surveys from 1951-1978 off leeward Oahu, henceforth referred to as the baseline surveys. The baseline surveys estimated fish composition and abundance for 4 different components of the pelagic community, notably the mesopelagic fish assemblage, shorefish larvae, tuna larvae, as well as a suite of zooplankton taxa from 2 forage availability studies and an early trawl survey. Comparison of current composition and abundances to the baseline composition and abundances after 39-66 years will be a valuable scientific finding to ascertain how the pelagic ecosystem has changed, or not, over that extended time period. The sampling gears used in the baseline surveys from 1951-1978 are 10’ Isaacs-Kidd midwater trawl (IKMT), Cobb trawl, and 70cm bongo nets, all of which are available and deployable on Oscar Elton Sette. The second primary component of LOPEC on SE17-03 was to establish a time series of micronekton and plankton for the leeward Oahu area for ecosystem monitoring. Some operations from the baseline comparison component will be part of the new time series with additional surveys of plankton using other sampling gear such as ring nets and other configurations (different mesh sizes) of bongo nets during both the daytime and the nighttime.

Comparison of fishery-independent methods for sampling Main Hawaiian Islands Bottomfish assemblages (SE1302, EK60). Optical, active acoustics, and research fishing data on bottomfish abundance and biomass were collected over predetermined grids to compare results of methodologies. Optical data were collected using a baited stationary Botcam, a SeaBED AUV, and a BlueView imaging sonar. Acoustics data were collected using a narrow-beam EK60 system operating at 38, 70, 120, and 200 kHz frequencies. Research fishing was conducted using hook-and-line on small boats. Simultaneous AUV and ROV with active acoustics were operated to obtain target strength measurements of fish with known species and sizes. Bottomfishing off the Sette were conducted simultaneously with acoustics data collection to further groundtruth the acoustics data.

TZCF Oceanographic Survey (SE1505). Oceanographic data were collected along the 159W and Meridional from 26° 30'N-32° 30'N. CTD casts were conducted at predetermined stations. CTDs were equipped with oxygen sensors and fluorometers, and chlorophyll and nutrients were measured at discrete depths. Biological backscatter was monitored using the multifrequency EK60 echosounder system operating at 38, 70, 120, and 200 kHz.

Cetacean Ecology Survey at North Western Hawaiian Islands (SE1303, EK60). The goal of the cruise was to collect data on the abundance, distribution, stock structure, and habitat of cetaceans in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM) using 7 integrated operations. These operations included visual observations, passive acoustic monitoring, photo-identification, biopsy sampling, satellite tagging, small boat surveys, and oceanography (CTD, Chlorophyll, XBT, and surface samples). A High-frequency Acoustic Recording Package (HARP) was recovered during the cruise.

Mesophotic coral environment monitoring and habitat surveys at the Main Hawaiian Island Chain (SE1006, EK60). The goals of the cruise were to collect a variety of data to assess the status of mesophotic corals in waters between the islands of Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, and Molokai. Camera surveys of corals and fish were conducted by a live feed video camera attached to a Towed Optical Assessment Device (TOAD). Three mooring, consisting of temperature and current meters, were recovered. Three pairs of Tidbit temperature loggers were deployed. CTD casts were conducted and light profiles taken at predetermined stations at midday. Mixed-gas dive operations were conducted to assess coral communities and the presence of fish, aided with cameras. Sand and gravel samples were taken for amphipod analysis. Biological backscatter were recorded using an EK60 echosounder system operating at 38, 70, and 120 kHz along predetermined transects.

Oceanographic Survey in waters of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and Micronesia (SE1003, EK60). The goals of the cruise were to collect acoustic backscatter and oceanographic data at the vicinity of CNMI, Guam, and in the northern part of Micronesia. Data collected consisted of CTD casts, trawl samples, and continuous monitoring of currents and biological acoustic backscatter. CTD cats were conducted at predetermined stations. CTDs were equipped with oxygen sensors and fluorometers, and water was sampled at discrete depths during each cast for nutrients and chloropigment determinations. Trawl operations were conducted at predetermined stations using an Isaacs Kidd midwater trawl at depths of the shallow sound scattering layer. Currents were continuously monitored using an RD Instruments Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) operating at 75 kHz frequency. Biological backscatter was recorded using an EK60 echosounder system along predetermined transects, operating at 38, 70, and 120 kHz frequencies.

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.

Marine Resource Survey in waters surrounding Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (SE1002, EK60). The goals of the cruise were to collect a variety of data to assess the status of marine resources in waters surrounding Guam and CNMI. Marine resource habitats were mapped using a Reson 8101ER multiubeam sonar operating at 240 kHz frequency. Seabed was characterized by still and video recordings using a SeaBED AUV and a Towed Optical Assessment Device (TOAD). Biological backscatter were recorded using an EK60 echosounder system operating at 38, 70, and 120 kHz along predetermined transects. Fish were sampled by Baited Remote Underwater Video Stations (BRUVS) and BotCam drops equipped with stereo cameras at predetermined locations. During the survey, a High-frequency Acoustic Recording Package (HARP) was deployed at 15° 18.998'N 145°27.542'E.

2016 Spring CalCOFI. The California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) are a unique partnership of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, NOAA Fisheries Service and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The organization was formed in 1949 to study the ecological aspects of the sardine population collapse off California. Today our focus has shifted to the study of the marine environment off the coast of California, the management of its living resources, and monitoring the indicators of El Nino and climate change. CalCOFI conducts quarterly cruises off southern and central California, collecting a suite of hydrographic and biological data on station and underway. Data collected at depths down to 500 meters include: temperature, salinity, oxygen, phosphate, silicate, nitrate and nitrite, chlorophyll, transmissometer, PAR, C14 primary productivity, phytoplankton biodiversity, zooplankton biomass, and zooplankton biodiversity.

The primary goals of the survey are to characterize the winter distribution of hake, the hake aggregations, and the fish within those aggregations in order to support an evaluation of the feasibility of a future winter hake biomass survey. The project will use data from an integrated acoustic and trawl survey off the west coast of the U.S. from approximately south of San Diego, CA (latitude 31.6°N along the U.S. EEZ) to approximately Newport, OR (latitude 44.6°N). Our objectives are to: - Conduct 24-hour acoustic, trawl, oceanographic, and zooplankton operations. - Continuously sample multi-frequency acoustic backscatter data using the ship’s Simrad EK60 scientific echosounders (18, 38, and 120 kHz) system. Simrad EK80 broadband echosounders will operate at 70 and 200 kHz. Collectively, the acoustic data will be used to characterize the distribution of hake and describe hake aggregations. -- Collect acoustic data along pre-planned diagonal transects along the coast (hereafter “transects”). -- Collect acoustic data over hake aggregations, where the design will be determined based on the observed aggregation (hereafter “adaptive transects”). - Collect stationary acoustic data 1 hour before sunrise/sunset to 1 hour after sunrise/sunset to evaluate migration (vertical and/or horizontal) of hake aggregations. - Conduct daytime and nighttime trawling (Appendices 3 and 4) to verify hake aggregations and obtain specimens for biological data (length, sex, maturity, age, ovaries, diet, genetics, etc.). -- Multiple trawl samples may be taken on a single hake aggregation to evaluate heterogeneity in sex, maturity, etc. -- Record data from shipboard net mensuration gear to evaluate trawl performance - Use a portable x-ray system (Appendices 5 and 6) to take radiographic images of fish swimbladders - Optically verify the presence of non-hake scatterers during trawling using a video camera and light(s) attached to the upper panel of the midwater trawl approximately 20-30 meters forward of the codend. - Conduct vertical casts with the ship’s CTD rosette, outfitted with a dissolved oxygen sensor and Niskin bottles, at pre-planned stations along transects and/or at trawl locations (Appendix 2, Table 2, Table 4, and Table 5). These data will be used to describe the vertical and horizontal distributions of hake relative to oceanographic conditions. Niskin water collections will be filtered for evaluation of environmental DNA (eDNA). - Conduct underway CTD (uCTD) casts at pre-planned stations along transects (Appendix 2, Table 6). These data will be used to supplement oceanographic information obtained from the CTD rosettes and will be used to describe the distribution of hake relative to ocean conditions - Continuously collect Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) data along transects. These data will be used to describe the distribution of spawning hake relative to currents. - Conduct vertical ring net zooplankton tows at pre-planned stations along transects (Appendix 1, Figure 1; stations are listed in Appendix 2, Table 2) and bongo net tows (Appendix 1, Figure 1; stations are listed in Appendix 2, Table 3). These data will be used to describe the winter distribution of zooplankton species. - Continuously sample sea-surface temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll-a using the ship’s thermosalinograph and fluorometer. These data will be used to estimate the physical oceanographic habitats for spawning hake. - Continuously sample air temperature, barometric pressure, and wind speed and direction using the ship’s integrated weather station. - Collect broadband acoustic data with EK80 echosounders operating at central frequencies of 70 and 200 kHz. The use of the EK80s will require temporary modification to the ship’s EK60 set-up.