This is a database of a variety of biological, reproductive, and energetic data collected from fish on the continental shelf in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. Species sampled in this database thus far include winter flounder, yellowtail flounder, summer flounder, haddock, cusk, Atlantic wolffish, and Atlantic herring. Data are collected from fish provided principally from fishermen participating in the NECRP Study Fleet. Some fish are taken from other NECRP research studies, and a small number from NEFSC surveys and surveys by MADMF and URI GSO. The catch location data is provided in views from the relevant FVTR, SVDBS, or other tables for a few cooperative research or external programs. The biological data includes general physical data (weights, lengths, organ weights, macroscopic maturity stage), age data, and other reproductive data. Measures collected from preserved gonad samples includes data for estimation of fish fecundity (oocyte counts and diameters) and from grading gonad histology for determination of maturity and seasonal reproductive status. In addition, relative measures of energetic condition are collected (including tissue wet weight and dry weights and bioimpedance data), and for some fish food habits data were collected in the first 18 months of data collection.

Sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) have a wide distribution along the Pacific coast, extending from Baja California to Alaska, the Bering Sea and through to the eastern coast of Japan. A unique feature of these fish is the wide variation in temperature and depth that sablefish experience throughout their life cycle, extending from depths 200m as adults to the surface as larvae and juveniles. While the landed weight of sablefish in the commercial fishery is relatively small, the exceptionally high value of this species ranks it 3rd in economic value to walleye pollock and Pacific cod. As such, sablefish are highly managed throughout the Pacific, and understanding the biology of this species is essential for proper management. The aim of this project is to characterize the reproductive life history of two populations of sablefish in coastal Washington and California. Fish will be collected from the same geographical location on a monthly basis for one year. The reproductive status will be determined from gonadal histology and plasma sex steroid levels, and age will be determined from otoliths. It is expected that data on size, age, rate of gonadal development, seasonal timing of spawning, fecundity, frequency of reproduction, and potential shifts in distribution of sexes will be obtained. This study applies directly to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act, because the data will be used to improve stock assessments and estimates of spawning biomass in this commercially important species. This project is a cooperation with the commercial fishing industry and scientists at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) and Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC). Size, sex, gonad stage, fecundity.

Conduct captive brood stock gene rescue program for Elwha River odd-year class pink salmon. Data is collected by broodyear on % survival to adult, % maturity as two year olds. Age of maturity data is available by sex.

This project addresses major gaps in knowledge on vital rates such as age to maturity, survival, sex ratios, and population size (including the males)whcih have made it difficult to conduct meaningful population and risk assessments. Although vital rates are difficult to observe directly, genetic analysis provides a practical approach to understand these processes. Understanding the proportion of males to females in any population has important consequences for population demographic studies. Using hatchling and maternal DNA fingerprints, one can deduce the paternal genotypes ? from one to many fathers per clutch. The resulting genotypes represent individual males that are actively breeding in the population. This means that males can effectively be sampled without ever having seen them or having to catch them in the field. The nesting population on St. Croix is an important US Index Population for leatherbacks that has been intensively monitored using a variety of Capture-Mark-Recapture (CMR) methods since 1981 (Dutton et al. 2005). Due to the richness and consistency of the demographic data, this population offers unique opportunities for research and development of tools & approaches for getting at vital rate parameters that are needed to improve stock assessments in sea turtles, as identified in the recent NRC Report (2010). These approaches can then be applied to other populations, e.g. the critically endangered Pacific leatherback. We have developed non-injurious in-situ techniques to mass sample large numbers of live hatchlings for genetic fingerprinting as part of a long term CMR experiment, and also demonstrated the feasibility of using hatchling genotyping and kinship analysis to determine the genotypes and number of breeding males in the population (Stewart & Dutton 2011). We have sampled a total of 17,087 hatchlings between 2009-2011 as part of this project, will continue field effort in 2012 toward the goal of a minimum sampling of 50,000 hatchlings over the next 2-4 years. At an appropriate time in the future, we will use high throughput genotyping methods currently being developed in the next 2-4 years to create a database of individual hatchling identifications (?genetic tags?) that will be compared to those first time nesters sampled annually into the future. This project will also genotype a subset of the samples collected in 2011 to assess males in two consecutive seasons for a more accurate census of the number of males in the breeding population and to determine the extent of male fidelity and breeding periodicity. Objectives include 1) mass-tagging of leatherback hatchlings for Capture-Mark-Recapture (CMR) studies to determine age at first reproduction and age-specific survival rates and 2) application of kinship approaches to reconstruct parental genotypes from mother-offspring comparison to census males, determine operational sex ratios (OSR) of the breeding population, reproductive success of males and mating system.

Meat producing animals in agriculture are the result of ongoing genetic selection for desirable characteristics related to growth rates, feed efficiencies, product yield, and quality. Skeletal muscle is the valuable end product and is a major contributor to an animal’s mass, energy metabolism, and overall health. Considering aquaculture is relatively new to the agriculture sector, our knowledge of growth processes in other meat producing species will serve as a platform for advancing our understanding of finfish muscle growth physiology. Patterns of fish muscle growth originate at the cellular level and are influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Variation in muscle growth exists between fish species, as well as between individual fish of the same species. Cellular growth mechanisms in muscle are significantly influenced by factors like developmental stage, exercise, nutrition, temperature, light duration, and salinity. Understanding how these factors interact with genetic determinants to modify muscle growth patterns in fish will be important to optimizing muscle growth and sustainable practices in aquaculture. We will evaluate expression levels of genes known to control muscle growth in vertebrates. Our goal is to identify a physiological marker of enhanced growth in sablefish that can be applied to broodstock selection strategies and future nutrition and rearing condition experiments. Sablefish is a model marine coldwater species from the north Pacific Ocean with commercial aquaculture potential. The immediate application of a growth marker would contribute to achieving faster growing sablefish strains for more efficient aquaculture production. Sablefish Dimorphic Muscle Growth.

Unique specimen "IDNumber" for over 750 specimens of Hawaiian grouper (hapu'upu'u, Hyporthodus quernus; family Epinephelidae) are included in this dataset. Each specimen has the following information associated with it: standard body length, body weight, and gonad weight metrics, date of collection, and both macroscopic & microscopic sexual identities and sexual maturation states (the latter based on E. DeMartini's examination of histological slides prepared by several outside contractors (Pathology Labs of Queen's Hospital & John Burns Medical School). All specimens were collected by hydraulic handlines from either NOAA research vessels or commercial bottomfish boats.

Samples of skin and other tissues are collected from marine mammals along the North-Central Gulf of Mexico from live animals through remote biopsy or live-capture or stranded animals during 2010-2014. DNA is extracted from these samples, sequenced, and analyzed using a variety of methods to support phylogenetic studies, stock delineation studies, and a variety of other analyses related to cetacean genetics associated with the Natural Resources Damage Assessment associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. These data sets include the sequence and other genetic data collected from these samples along with analytical results. These data support stock delineation studies and a variety of other analyses related to cetacean genetics and are incorporated into the Deepwater Horizon Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan.

Little information has previously been published on the reproductive biology of the salmon shark in the Eastern North Pacific ocean. This data set incorporates basic biological and reproductive information collected from female salmon sharks collected in September 2010 to February 2012.

The reproductive characteristics of the Longtail Snapper, Etelis coruscans — known locally in Hawaii as ‘Onaga’, — was last assessed in 1989, therefore updated information is needed for improving its stock assessment and management in the bottomfish fishery of the Main Hawaiian Islands (MHI). Specimens were collected during research cruises and either donated by individual fishers or purchased from markets during 2007-2008 and 2012-2017. These samples were supplemented with additional monthly samples beginning in April 2019.

Samples of skin and other tissues are collected from marine mammals along the U.S. east coast by a variety of researchers. Samples may be collected from live animals through remote biopsy or live-capture, stranded animals, or animals captured incidentally during fishery operations. DNA is extracted from these samples, sequenced, and analyzed using a variety of methods to support phylogenetic studies, stock delineation studies, and a variety of other analyses related to cetacean genetics in U.S. waters. These data sets include the sequence and other genetic data collected from these samples along with analytical results. These data contribute to delineation of stocks described in annual Marine Mammal Protection Act stock assessment reports.