Southeast Fisheries-Independent Survey (SEFIS) NOAA ship PISCES cruise number PC-15-03 from 10 - 18 July 2015 , 21 July - 03 August 2015 and 03 - 08 August 2015 (transit to Pasc...

The NOAA Ship Pisces departed from Morehead City, NC, on 10 July 2015 at 1030 for a Southeast Fishery-Independent Survey (SEFIS) research cruise in continental shelf and shelf-break waters off the southeastern US. Departure of the cruise was delayed five days due to vessel repairs. SEFIS was created by the National Marine Fisheries Service in 2010 and operates out of the Beaufort Laboratory. This survey was created to conduct applied fishery-independent sampling and related research focusing on the assessment of spatial variability in distribution and abundance of red snapper and other reef species within the snapper-grouper complex, via data collected from fish traps, video cameras, and acoustics. During this survey, chevron trap catches and associated underwater video recordings were collected from hardbottom habitats found in Raleigh, Onslow, and Long bays, North and South Carolina. A total of 320 stations were sampled with camera-trap arrays over 23 sea days between 18 and 110 m depths.

Cruise PC-15-03 Objectives

1. Fishery-independent sampling of randomly selected stations in North Carolina. Baited chevron traps, with two mounted high-definition video cameras, were utilized for (a) hardbottom reef fish community assessments, (b) collection of reef fish for biological samples (i.e., otoliths and gonads), and (c) comparative gear sampling (cameras versus traps).

2. Use video cameras on chevron traps to address trap selectivity issues, locate and describe hardbottom habitats, and provide an additional index of abundance for stock assessments.

3. Map bottom habitats using multibeam sonar to improve survey design and to expand knowledge of hardbottom habitats in the southeast US.

4. Use a CTD instrument package to collect environmental data (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity) at camera-trap sampling locations, and XBTs to sample water temperature during multibeam mapping operations

Title : Southeast Fisheries-Independent Survey (SEFIS) NOAA ship PISCES cruise number PC-15-03 from 10 - 18 July 2015 , 21 July - 03 August 2015 and 03 - 08 August 2015 (transit to Pascagoula)

Personal Author(s) : Bacheler, Nathan;Schobernd, Christina;

Corporate Authors(s) : Southeast Fisheries Science Center (U.S.);United States. National Marine Fisheries Service.;

Published Date : 2015

Series : PC-15-03 (0038)

DOI : https://doi.org/10.25923/w8dq-6693