Atlantic Herring Acoustic Surveys

The NEFSC Advanced Sampling Technologies Research Group conducts annual fisheries acoustic surveys using state-of-the-art acoustic, midwater trawling, and underwater video technologies to improve fisheries-independent stock assessments for pelagic species. Pilot and experimental studies were conducted during 1995-97 to develop the NEFSC's fisheries acoustic capabilities. Annual NEFSC Atlantic Herring Acoustic Surveys began in 1998. NEFSC acoustic capabilities include multifrequency EK60 echosounder data, Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP), and trawl monitoring systems. Midwater trawling, plankton sampling, and underwater video operations provide biological samples and target verification. CTD (conductivity-temperature-depth) vertical profiles are also routinely obtained during survey operations.

The Fisheries Acoustics Research Group uses state-of-the-art acoustic optic sampling technologies to provide unbiased fishery independent abundance estimates of commercially important pelagic fish stocks in the Northwest Atlantic.

The NEFSC Advanced Sampling Technologies Research Group conducts annual fisheries acoustic surveys using state-of-the-art acoustic, midwater trawling, and underwater video technologies to improve fisheries-independent stock assessments for pelagic species.

Available to qualified researchers.

1. Formal request in writing usually to the data owner/contact or Center Director.

2. Requester is contacted by data owner to review and verify the request content and details for data delivery options.

3. If data is confidential then owner will determine is the data may be released to the requester.

4. If data can be released, the data is downloaded and packaged for delivery electronically; or the requester may be directed to where the data is available online.

If data is stored on an internal NEFSC network, the requester may not have direct access to query the data unless they are also authorized for network access.

User must read and fully comprehend the metadata prior to use. Applications or inferences derived from the data should be carefully considered for accuracy. Acknowledgement of NOAA/NMFS/NEFSC, as the source from which these data were obtained in any publications and/or other representations of these, data is suggested.

RDBMS: Oracle

SCS and FSCS data collection software programs employ real-time validation and must meet database integrity constraints. Prior to FSCS data collection, paper logs were pre-audited prior to keypunching. Data were then subject to post-audits.

Archiving solution for Oracle Data Sets is yet to be determined.

Archival of source data preserving unaltered collected data, Scheduled backups, Remote storage backups, Password protection.

Vessel sensor data are collected electronically using SCS. Station, catch and biological data were collected manually using paper logs until 2000. At the completion of each cruise leg, the logs were keypunched and data audited extensively prior to being released.

Starting with year 2001, FSCS 1.0 was implemented to electronically capture station, catch and biological data. Data were subject to extensive audits prior to being released.