Operations focused on continental shelf and shelf-break waters between the NC-VA border and St. Lucie Inlet, Florida, between 18-200 m deep. Leg 1 consisted entirely of sonar mapping during the ship's northward transit, beginning at St. Lucie Inlet, FL. On legs 2 and 3, we deploy traps with attached video cameras at a variety of stations in the U.S. South Atlantic. Traps have a single line connected to two surface buoys. On legs 2 and 3, vessel operations will occur over a 24-hour workday. Trapping, video, hook-and-line sampling, and CTD operations will occur from approximately 0700 to approximately 1900 each day, during which time at least three vessel crew members will be needed on deck. We will use the time between 1900 and 0700 each day for transit to the next day’s sampling stations, multibeam sonar mapping, or for hook-and-line sampling. We will also be continuously running the calibrated EK-80 to collect acoustics data for fish during trap deployment and retrieval. The FPC has already supplied the ship with GPS points of most trap/video sampling locations, and trap sampling will commence at approximately 0700 each morning. We expect that six traps will be deployed off the stern of Pisces (down the stern ramp while the vessel is traveling at approximately 4.5 kt) over the course of approximately 20 min, one trap being deployed at a time and no closer than 200 m from another trap. After a group of six traps are deployed in an area, a single CTD cast will be conducted, and then traps will be retrieved after each trap has soaked for approximately 90 min (but no more than 150 min). Note: Plan for Leg 3 was to last August 28-September 8, 2023 (12 DAS); instead of returning to Morehead City, NC, the Pisces pulled in to Norfolk, VA on August 30 to avoid hurricanes Franklin and Idalia. One set of traps was successfully deployed and recovered (and one CTD cast performed) during Leg 3, and multibeam bathymetry data were acquired with the Kongsberg EM2040 on both days of Leg 3.

Operations focused on continental shelf and shelf-break waters between the NC-VA border and St. Lucie Inlet, Florida, between 18-200 m deep. Leg 1 consisted entirely of sonar mapping during the ship's northward transit, beginning at St. Lucie Inlet, FL. On legs 2 and 3, traps with attached video cameras were deployed at a variety of stations in the U.S. South Atlantic. Traps have a single line connected to two surface buoys. On legs 2 and 3, vessel operations will occured over a 24-hour workday. Trapping, video, hook-and-line sampling, and CTD operations occured from approximately 0700 to approximately 1900 each day. The time between 1900 and 0700 each day was used for transit to the next day’s sampling stations, multibeam sonar mapping, or for hook-and-line sampling. The calibrated EK-80 was continuously ran to collect acoustics data for fish during trap deployment and retrieval. The FPC supplied the ship with GPS points of most trap/video sampling locations, and trap sampling commenced at approximately 0700 each morning. Six traps were deployed off the stern of Pisces (down the stern ramp while the vessel is traveling at approximately 4.5 kt) over the course of approximately 20 min, one trap being deployed at a time and no closer than 200 m from another trap. After a group of six traps are deployed in an area, a single CTD cast was conducted, and then traps were retrieved after each trap has soaked for approximately 90 min (but no more than 150 min). Note: Plan for Leg 3 was to last August 28-September 8, 2023 (12 DAS); instead of returning to Morehead City, NC, the Pisces pulled in to Norfolk, VA on August 30 due to mechanical issues and to avoid hurricanes Franklin and Idalia. One set of traps was successfully deployed and recovered (and one CTD cast performed) during Leg 3, and multibeam bathymetry data were acquired with the Kongsberg EM2040 on both days of Leg 3. The Pisces departed Norfolk, VA on September 11 for Leg 4 and pulled back in to Norfolk on September 22 to avoid a storm ("Leg 4a"). The Pisces departed Norfolk again to continue Leg 4 on September 25 and returned to Norfolk on September 29 ("Leg 4b").

Operations focused on continental shelf and shelf-break waters between the NC-VA border and St. Lucie Inlet, Florida, between 18-200 m deep. Leg 1 consisted entirely of sonar mapping during the ship's northward transit, beginning at St. Lucie Inlet, FL. On legs 2 and 3, we deploy traps with attached video cameras at a variety of stations in the U.S. South Atlantic. Traps have a single line connected to two surface buoys. On legs 2 and 3, vessel operations will occur over a 24-hour workday. Trapping, video, hook-and-line sampling, and CTD operations occured from approximately 0700 to approximately 1900 each day. The time between 1900 and 0700 each day was used for transit to the next day’s sampling stations, multibeam sonar mapping, or for hook-and-line sampling. The calibrated EK-80 was continuously ran to collect acoustics data for fish during trap deployment and retrieval. The FPC supplied the ship with GPS points of most trap/video sampling locations, and trap sampling commenced at approximately 0700 each morning. Six traps were deployed off the stern of Pisces (down the stern ramp while the vessel is traveling at approximately 4.5 kt) over the course of approximately 20 min, one trap being deployed at a time and no closer than 200 m from another trap. After a group of six traps are deployed in an area, a single CTD cast was conducted, and then traps were retrieved after each trap has soaked for approximately 90 min (but no more than 150 min). Note: Plan for Leg 3 was to last August 28-September 8, 2023 (12 DAS); instead of returning to Morehead City, NC, the Pisces pulled in to Norfolk, VA on August 30 due to mechanical issues and to avoid hurricanes Franklin and Idalia. One set of traps was successfully deployed and recovered (and one CTD cast performed) during Leg 3, and multibeam bathymetry data were acquired with the Kongsberg EM2040 on both days of Leg 3. The Pisces departed Norfolk, VA on September 11 for Leg 4 and pulled back in to Norfolk on September 22 to avoid a storm ("Leg 4a"). The Pisces departed Norfolk again to continue Leg 4 on September 25 and returned to Norfolk on September 29 ("Leg 4b").

Operations focused on continental shelf and shelf-break waters between the NC-VA border and St. Lucie Inlet, Florida, between 18-200 m deep. Leg 1 consisted entirely of sonar mapping during the ship's northward transit, beginning at St. Lucie Inlet, FL. On legs 2 and 3, we deploy traps with attached video cameras at a variety of stations in the U.S. South Atlantic. Traps have a single line connected to two surface buoys. On legs 2 and 3, vessel operations will occur over a 24-hour workday. Trapping, video, hook-and-line sampling, and CTD operations will occur from approximately 0700 to approximately 1900 each day, during which time at least three vessel crew members will be needed on deck. We will use the time between 1900 and 0700 each day for transit to the next day’s sampling stations, multibeam sonar mapping, or for hook-and-line sampling. We will also be continuously running the calibrated EK-80 to collect acoustics data for fish during trap deployment and retrieval. The FPC has already supplied the ship with GPS points of most trap/video sampling locations, and trap sampling will commence at approximately 0700 each morning. We expect that six traps will be deployed off the stern of Pisces (down the stern ramp while the vessel is traveling at approximately 4.5 kt) over the course of approximately 20 min, one trap being deployed at a time and no closer than 200 m from another trap. After a group of six traps are deployed in an area, a single CTD cast will be conducted, and then traps will be retrieved after each trap has soaked for approximately 90 min (but no more than 150 min).

Operations focused on continental shelf and shelf-break waters between the NC-VA border and St. Lucie Inlet, Florida, between 18-200 m deep. Leg 1 consisted entirely of sonar mapping during the ship's northward transit, beginning at St. Lucie Inlet, FL. On legs 2 and 3, we deploy traps with attached video cameras at a variety of stations in the U.S. South Atlantic. Traps have a single line connected to two surface buoys. On legs 2 and 3, vessel operations will occur over a 24-hour workday. Trapping, video, hook-and-line sampling, and CTD operations will occur from approximately 0700 to approximately 1900 each day, during which time at least three vessel crew members will be needed on deck. We will use the time between 1900 and 0700 each day for transit to the next day’s sampling stations, multibeam sonar mapping, or for hook-and-line sampling. We will also be continuously running the calibrated EK-80 to collect acoustics data for fish during trap deployment and retrieval. The FPC has already supplied the ship with GPS points of most trap/video sampling locations, and trap sampling will commence at approximately 0700 each morning. We expect that six traps will be deployed off the stern of Pisces (down the stern ramp while the vessel is traveling at approximately 4.5 kt) over the course of approximately 20 min, one trap being deployed at a time and no closer than 200 m from another trap. After a group of six traps are deployed in an area, a single CTD cast will be conducted, and then traps will be retrieved after each trap has soaked for approximately 90 min (but no more than 150 min).

A total of 63 sites were targeted for sampling over a period of twelve days. At each station, a Craib corer was deployed, and a relatively undisturbed surface sediment core collected with a penetration depth of about 6-10 cm deep. The core was extruded onboard and sectioned into two layers; the top 0-1 cm and the underlying 1-3 cm layers. Two 5cc subsamples were collected from the 0-1 cm layer for cyst counting (by microscopy) and for molecular analysis (via qPCR). The remaining sediment from the 0-1 cm layer, and the sediment from the 1-3 cm layer were refrigerated and retained for later processing (if needed). Sediment below 3 cm deep in the core was discarded. The two 5cc subsamples were processed onboard using standard cyst techniques, including protocols for dilution of the raw sediment, sonifying and sieving the sample to yield a 20-100 μm particulate fraction. One subsample was initially preserved in 2% formalin for subsequent exchange onboard into 100% methanol until later counting at the Beaufort Lab. The second subsample was centrifuged to remove the overlying water and frozen pending analysis in Beaufort. At up to six stations (to be determined), additional sediment was collected using the Craib corer for a method development project. At each station, a CTD provided by the ship was deployed to measure parameters such as salinity, pressure, chlorophyll, and temperature from the surface of the water to the bottom to characterize water masses moving within the Gulf of Maine.

NOAA Ship Pisces conducted applied fishery-independent sampling focusing on: (1) assessment of spatial and temporal variability in distribution and abundance of various snapper grouper fish species using chevron traps and video cameras, (2) collection of EK-80 acoustics data for fish during trap-video deployment and retrieval, (3) collection of environmental and water quality information using Conductivity-Temperature-Depth sensor (CTD) casts, and (4) periodic hook-and-line sampling for additional life history and diet samples.

Operational objectives were to: (1) collect biological data with 61-cm and 20-cm bongo nets; (2) collect ocean acidification water samples with rosette water sampler; (3) collect underway data using TSG, SCS, EK80, and ADCP; (4) collect marine mammal and seabird observations; (5) subsample pteropods from plankton nets collected at ocean acidification stations; (6) collect along track imagery of phytoplankton and ciliates using Imaging FlowCytobot unit; (7) conduct radiometry cast for photosynthetically available radation (PAR) measurements; (8) subsample plankton from plankton nets for use in plankton energy density estimates; (9) collect supplemental bongo sampoles in Wind Energy Areas in southern New England; (10) subsample plankton for carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis; (11) collect plankton samples with a 75-cm ring net; and (12) collect larval fish with a 90-cm bongo net for use in swim testing.

Operations focused on continental shelf and shelf-break waters between North Carolina and St. Lucie Inlet, Florida, between 18 and 200 m deep. Leg 1 took place July 4 through 16 (13 DAS).

This cruise was the sixteenth year in which sediment samples were collected across a wide area of the Gulf of Maine to directly support the forecasting of HAB intensity and distribution for the coming year. The cruise took place from October 11-20, 2022 and involved the collection and processing of sediment at 68 stations.