In the spring of 2003, California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) personnel began quarterly sampling of Salton Sea fish at fourteen stations around the sea, as the basis of a long term monitoring program. In conjunction with this effort, water quality sampling takes place at the same time and place. *Note: This dataset should be viewed with the Quarterly Fishery Surveys - Salton Sea [ds428] dataset. Methods: Eleven sampling sites comprise three broad habitat types: pelagic (3 sites), near-shore (8 sites), and estuarine (3 sites). The pelagic sites are in the approximate middles of the north basin, south basin and inter-basin areas of the Sea. The near-shore sites are spaced widely apart, four each, near the west and east shores, to capture as much breadth of habitat as possible. The estuarine sites are in the body of the Sea, close enough to the mouths of the New, Alamo, and Whitewater Rivers, to be under the influence of their outflows. The three deep water (pelagic) sites were completely unproductive for gill net sampling of fish during the first year of sampling. They have subsequently been dropped from the sampling protocol. Sampling takes place during each of the putative seasons, as follows: spring- April and May; summer- July and August; fall- October and November; winter- January and February. We attempt to compress the total sampling period into as few days as possible, to the extent that the weather, equipment maintenance, and personnel scheduling constraints allow. Nets are set for a 24 hour period. At the time of each set and retrieval of nets, water temperature, conductivity, specific conductivity, dissolved oxygen and sampling depth are measured and recorded, at the approximate mid-net water depth. Measurements are made with a handheld YSI meter, Model 85. Salinity is calculated from the specific conductivity measurement using the following algorithm: Salinity = 0.013(SC2) - 0.233(SC) + 17.102

In the spring of 2003, California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) personnel began quarterly sampling of Salton Sea fish at fourteen stations around the sea, as the basis of a long term monitoring program. In conjunction with this effort, water quality sampling takes place at the same time and place. *Note: This dataset should be viewed with the Quarterly Fishery Surveys - Salton Sea [ds428] dataset. Methods: Eleven sampling sites comprise three broad habitat types: pelagic (3 sites), near-shore (8 sites), and estuarine (3 sites). The pelagic sites are in the approximate middles of the north basin, south basin and inter-basin areas of the Sea. The near-shore sites are spaced widely apart, four each, near the west and east shores, to capture as much breadth of habitat as possible. The estuarine sites are in the body of the Sea, close enough to the mouths of the New, Alamo, and Whitewater Rivers, to be under the influence of their outflows. The three deep water (pelagic) sites were completely unproductive for gill net sampling of fish during the first year of sampling. They have subsequently been dropped from the sampling protocol. Sampling takes place during each of the putative seasons, as follows: spring- April and May; summer- July and August; fall- October and November; winter- January and February. We attempt to compress the total sampling period into as few days as possible, to the extent that the weather, equipment maintenance, and personnel scheduling constraints allow. Nets are set for a 24 hour period. At the time of each set and retrieval of nets, water temperature, conductivity, specific conductivity, dissolved oxygen and sampling depth are measured and recorded, at the approximate mid-net water depth. Measurements are made with a handheld YSI meter, Model 85. Salinity is calculated from the specific conductivity measurement using the following algorithm: Salinity = 0.013(SC2) - 0.233(SC) + 17.102

In the spring of 2003, California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) personnel began quarterly sampling of Salton Sea fish at fourteen stations around the sea, as the basis of a long term monitoring program. To allow comparison of current and future monitoring efforts by CDFG to past results, the protocol was adapted from those previously used by researchers at the Salton Sea. Each quarter, if conditions allow, this protocol will produce about 816 net-hours of sampling. To date data collection was started in the spring of 2003, continuing quarterly. Data collection is ongoing as of 2008. Two seasons were missed due to unavailability of launch sites: Fall 2007 and Winter 2007. *Note: This dataset should be viewed with the Quarterly Water Quality Surveys - Salton Sea [ds429] dataset. Methods: The 11 sampling sites comprise three broad habitat types: pelagic (3 sites), near-shore (8 sites), and estuarine (3 sites). The pelagic sites are in the approximate middles of the north basin, south basin and inter-basin areas of the Sea. The near-shore sites are spaced widely apart, four each, near the west and east shores, to capture as much breadth of habitat as possible. The estuarine sites are in the body of the Sea, close enough to the mouths of the New, Alamo, and Whitewater Rivers, to be under the influence of their outflows. Sampling takes place during each of the putative seasons, as follows: spring- April and May; summer- July and August; fall- October and November; winter- January and February. We attempt to compress the total sampling period into as few days as possible, to the extent that the weather, equipment maintenance, and personnel scheduling constraints allow. Nets are typically set at one or two sites in the morning, and hauled in after approximately 24 hours. The exact number of hours set is recorded for each net, to the nearest quarter-hour. Fish are sampled by deploying multi-panel monofilament gill nets with 6 X 30 foot panels of 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4 inch mesh. Two nets are set at all sites at the waters surface. The nets are set far enough apart to allow room for maneuvering a boat during setting and retrieval, usually 100-200 meters. The nets at near-shore and estuarine sites are set in 2.5 to 4.5 meters of water, typically 200-300 meters from the shore. Two additional nets are set at the bottom of water column at the three pelagic sites. The conditions fish experience at the bottom in deep water is different enough from the surface water, in dissolved oxygen, light, food availability and temperature, that this can be considered a discrete habitat, and thus we sample it as though it were a separate site. At the time of each set and retrieval, water depth, water temperature, conductivity, salinity, and dissolved oxygen are measured and recorded. When nets are pulled in the following day, all fish are removed and immediately stored on ice. Data are collected from these fish as soon as possible, almost always the same day they are hauled in. All fish are identified to species level and counted. For the four sport fish in the Salton Sea, (tilapia, Gulf croaker, orangemouth corvina and sargo) weights, lengths (fork length), sex, physical condition, and reproductive status are recorded. Fish above five pounds are weighed to the nearest ounce. Fish below five pounds are weighed to the nearest half ounce. Lengths of fish under 50 centimeters are recorded to the nearest millimeter. Lengths of fish over 50 centimeters are recorded to the nearest centimeter. The sex of adult fish is determined by dissection. A sample of at least ten fish of each species is also dissected to determine physical condition and breeding status. Changes to Protocol after Year One: For previous researchers, deep water habitats provided some low level of productivity for the fisheries, and were important habitat components to sample. During the first year of sampling, however, the three deep water sites (north basin, south basin and inter-basin)

In the spring of 2003, California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) personnel began quarterly sampling of Salton Sea fish at fourteen stations around the sea, as the basis of a long term monitoring program. To allow comparison of current and future monitoring efforts by CDFG to past results, the protocol was adapted from those previously used by researchers at the Salton Sea. Each quarter, if conditions allow, this protocol will produce about 816 net-hours of sampling. To date data collection was started in the spring of 2003, continuing quarterly. Data collection is ongoing as of 2008. Two seasons were missed due to unavailability of launch sites: Fall 2007 and Winter 2007. *Note: This dataset should be viewed with the Quarterly Water Quality Surveys - Salton Sea [ds429] dataset. Methods: The 11 sampling sites comprise three broad habitat types: pelagic (3 sites), near-shore (8 sites), and estuarine (3 sites). The pelagic sites are in the approximate middles of the north basin, south basin and inter-basin areas of the Sea. The near-shore sites are spaced widely apart, four each, near the west and east shores, to capture as much breadth of habitat as possible. The estuarine sites are in the body of the Sea, close enough to the mouths of the New, Alamo, and Whitewater Rivers, to be under the influence of their outflows. Sampling takes place during each of the putative seasons, as follows: spring- April and May; summer- July and August; fall- October and November; winter- January and February. We attempt to compress the total sampling period into as few days as possible, to the extent that the weather, equipment maintenance, and personnel scheduling constraints allow. Nets are typically set at one or two sites in the morning, and hauled in after approximately 24 hours. The exact number of hours set is recorded for each net, to the nearest quarter-hour. Fish are sampled by deploying multi-panel monofilament gill nets with 6 X 30 foot panels of 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4 inch mesh. Two nets are set at all sites at the waters surface. The nets are set far enough apart to allow room for maneuvering a boat during setting and retrieval, usually 100-200 meters. The nets at near-shore and estuarine sites are set in 2.5 to 4.5 meters of water, typically 200-300 meters from the shore. Two additional nets are set at the bottom of water column at the three pelagic sites. The conditions fish experience at the bottom in deep water is different enough from the surface water, in dissolved oxygen, light, food availability and temperature, that this can be considered a discrete habitat, and thus we sample it as though it were a separate site. At the time of each set and retrieval, water depth, water temperature, conductivity, salinity, and dissolved oxygen are measured and recorded. When nets are pulled in the following day, all fish are removed and immediately stored on ice. Data are collected from these fish as soon as possible, almost always the same day they are hauled in. All fish are identified to species level and counted. For the four sport fish in the Salton Sea, (tilapia, Gulf croaker, orangemouth corvina and sargo) weights, lengths (fork length), sex, physical condition, and reproductive status are recorded. Fish above five pounds are weighed to the nearest ounce. Fish below five pounds are weighed to the nearest half ounce. Lengths of fish under 50 centimeters are recorded to the nearest millimeter. Lengths of fish over 50 centimeters are recorded to the nearest centimeter. The sex of adult fish is determined by dissection. A sample of at least ten fish of each species is also dissected to determine physical condition and breeding status. Changes to Protocol after Year One: For previous researchers, deep water habitats provided some low level of productivity for the fisheries, and were important habitat components to sample. During the first year of sampling, however, the three deep water sites (north basin, south basin and inter-basin)

In the spring of 2003, California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) personnel began quarterly sampling of Salton Sea fish at fourteen stations around the sea, as the basis of a long term monitoring program. To allow comparison of current and future monitoring efforts by CDFG to past results, the protocol was adapted from those previously used by researchers at the Salton Sea. Each quarter, if conditions allow, this protocol will produce about 816 net-hours of sampling. To date data collection was started in the spring of 2003, continuing quarterly. Data collection is ongoing as of 2008. Two seasons were missed due to unavailability of launch sites: Fall 2007 and Winter 2007. *Note: This dataset should be viewed with the Quarterly Water Quality Surveys - Salton Sea [ds429] dataset. Methods: The 11 sampling sites comprise three broad habitat types: pelagic (3 sites), near-shore (8 sites), and estuarine (3 sites). The pelagic sites are in the approximate middles of the north basin, south basin and inter-basin areas of the Sea. The near-shore sites are spaced widely apart, four each, near the west and east shores, to capture as much breadth of habitat as possible. The estuarine sites are in the body of the Sea, close enough to the mouths of the New, Alamo, and Whitewater Rivers, to be under the influence of their outflows. Sampling takes place during each of the putative seasons, as follows: spring- April and May; summer- July and August; fall- October and November; winter- January and February. We attempt to compress the total sampling period into as few days as possible, to the extent that the weather, equipment maintenance, and personnel scheduling constraints allow. Nets are typically set at one or two sites in the morning, and hauled in after approximately 24 hours. The exact number of hours set is recorded for each net, to the nearest quarter-hour. Fish are sampled by deploying multi-panel monofilament gill nets with 6 X 30 foot panels of 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4 inch mesh. Two nets are set at all sites at the waters surface. The nets are set far enough apart to allow room for maneuvering a boat during setting and retrieval, usually 100-200 meters. The nets at near-shore and estuarine sites are set in 2.5 to 4.5 meters of water, typically 200-300 meters from the shore. Two additional nets are set at the bottom of water column at the three pelagic sites. The conditions fish experience at the bottom in deep water is different enough from the surface water, in dissolved oxygen, light, food availability and temperature, that this can be considered a discrete habitat, and thus we sample it as though it were a separate site. At the time of each set and retrieval, water depth, water temperature, conductivity, salinity, and dissolved oxygen are measured and recorded. When nets are pulled in the following day, all fish are removed and immediately stored on ice. Data are collected from these fish as soon as possible, almost always the same day they are hauled in. All fish are identified to species level and counted. For the four sport fish in the Salton Sea, (tilapia, Gulf croaker, orangemouth corvina and sargo) weights, lengths (fork length), sex, physical condition, and reproductive status are recorded. Fish above five pounds are weighed to the nearest ounce. Fish below five pounds are weighed to the nearest half ounce. Lengths of fish under 50 centimeters are recorded to the nearest millimeter. Lengths of fish over 50 centimeters are recorded to the nearest centimeter. The sex of adult fish is determined by dissection. A sample of at least ten fish of each species is also dissected to determine physical condition and breeding status. Changes to Protocol after Year One: For previous researchers, deep water habitats provided some low level of productivity for the fisheries, and were important habitat components to sample. During the first year of sampling, however, the three deep water sites (north basin, south basin and inter-basin)

This data includes information on water quality, zooplankton, and fish sampled in ponds on delta islands in San Joaquin County, California. The islands include Bacon (North and South ponds), Bouldin (East and West ponds), Holland Tract (Middle, North, and South ponds), and Webb Tract (East, Middle, and North ponds). Discrete water quality parameters were measured bimonthly and continuous temperature was recorded every 15 minutes. Zooplankton were sampled monthly using a Schindler-Patalas 12L plankton trap with a 200mL Dolphin bucket with 61 micron stainless mesh. Fish were sampled once at each pond using beach seines, gill nets, and boat electrofishing gear.

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