Data Management Plan

This dataset contains crab data from a field survey of Chionoecetes bairdi and C. opilio collected at six designated index sites in the Bering Sea during the 2015 NOAA/NMFS/AFSC/RACE crab-groundfish bottom trawl surveys of the eastern Bering Sea. Each of the six index sites were made up of approximately 10 survey stations and chosen based on historical incidences of the parasite Hematodinium sp., the causative agent of Bitter Crab Syndrome (BCS). Blood samples were taken from collected crab using non-lethal methods and were preserved in 100% ethanol. Samples were tested in a laboratory with a DNA test to detect the presence of the parasite Hematodinium sp., the causative agent of Bitter Crab Syndrome (BCS) to evaluate any changes in intensity of disease within the index sites that may provide information as to how the disease is moving or changing within EBS crab populations. The data includes sampling year, index site, species, crab morphometrics, Hematodinium sp. parasite presence/absence based on PCR assay results.

Eastern Bering Sea, Alaska

Process Steps:

• This dataset contains randomly chosen samples of crab collected from the annual NOAA/NMFS/AFSC/RACE crab-groundfish bottom trawl survey of the eastern Bering Sea continental shelf. The standard survey area, surveyed each year since 1975, encompasses a major portion of the eastern Bering Sea shelf between the 20 meter and 200 meter isobaths and from the Alaska Peninsula to the north of St. Matthew Island. The study area is divided into a grid with cell sizes of 20 x 20 nautical miles (37 x 37 kilometers). Sampling takes place within each 20 x 20 nautical mile grid cell. Each tow is one-half hour in duration, averaging 1.54 nautical miles (2.86 kilometers) - exact tow duration and distance fished for each haul can be found in RACEBASE.HAUL. 
• Six index sites, composed of approximately 10 survey stations each, were preselected prior to the RACE crab-groundfish bottom trawl survey. The target sample size was 200 randomly chosen crabs (20 samples from each station). The sex of the crab is identified (1 = Male, 2 = Female, 3 = Unknown, 9 = no sex reported for this crab specimen). Individual crab carapaces were measured (± 1 mm), excluding spines, and are reported as size. Null or blank fields in data represent no size information reported for crab specimen. Chela height is measured on right chela at greatest distance (± 0.1 mm) excluding spines. Null or blank fields in data represent no chela height information reported for crab specimen.
• Shell condition class serves as a semi-quantitative index of molt status and time in shell post-molt. Carapace shell condition was assigned to one of six classes according to specific criteria (0 = premolt or molting, 1 = soft and pliable, 2 = new hardshell both firm and clean, 3 = oldshell slightly worn, 4 = oldshell worn, 5 = very oldshell, 9 = no shell condition information reported for crab specimen).
• DNA was extracted using modified Ivanova et al. (2006) protocol. Extracted DNA was assayed with two primer sets, targeting either 18S or ITS1 rDNA, to determine presence or absence of Hematodinium spp. Refer to metadata Point of Contact for PCR conditions. PCR Result is identified (0 = negative for Hematodinium DNA, 1 = positive for Hematodinium DNA, 3 = undetermined, at the limit of detection).

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IT Security and Contingency Plan for the system establishes procedures and applies to the functions, operations, and resources necessary to recover and restore data as hosted in the Western Regional Support Center in Seattle, Washington, following a disruption.