AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
AFSC/RACE/GAP/McConnaughey: Fishpac Projects-2009-Reson

The broad scope of the Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) mandate requires an efficient process for describing and mapping the habitat needs of federally managed species.  For example, research indicates surficial sediments affect the distribution and abundance of many groundfish species, yet traditional sampling with grabs and cores is impractical over areas as large as the Bering Sea shelf.  Acoustic tools are suitable for large-scale surveying and show great promise as a substitute for direct-sampling methods, but they have not been proven useful for EFH purposes.

Tags: acoustic sediment classification, afsc/race/gap/mcconnaughey: fishpac projects-2009, alaska fisheries science center, bering sea, doc/noaa/nmfs/afsc, grain size analysis, habitat mapping, multibeam echosounder, national marine fisheries service, noaa, side scan sonar, u.s. department of commerce
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
AFSC/ABL: Electronic archival tag returns for sablefish, shortspine thornyhead (SST), Greenland turbots, spiny dogfish, and ling cod

Conventional spaghetti tags have been implanted on juvenile sablefish in Southeast Alaska, primarily in Saint John Baptist Bay, near Sitka for over 25 years. These releases have been recovered in the fishery and surveys throughout Alaska over time and provide insight into movement patterns of sablefish throughout their life history. Number of releases per year has ranged from 30 to over 2,000 depending on annual abundance and effort. Non-standardized catch-per-unit effort is recorded in most years.

Tags: alaska fisheries science center, auke bay laboratories, doc/noaa/nmfs/afsc, national marine fisheries service, noaa, ora-30625: method dispatch on null self argument is disallowed, u.s. department of commerce
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
AFSC/RACE/GAP/Rooper: Acoustic assessment of rockfish in untrawlable areas

The core function of the Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering (RACE) Division is to conduct quantitative fishery surveys and related ecological and oceanographic research to measure and describe the distribution and abundance of commercially important fish and crab stocks in the eastern Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands, and Gulf of Alaska.  This includes measuring the abundance of fish (including rockfishes) in rocky untrawlable areas. To accomplish this, we are developing acoustic-optic surveys for rockfishes. These data area stored as image files and acoustics files.

Tags: alaska fisheries science center, doc/noaa/nmfs/afsc, groundfish assessment program, national marine fisheries service, noaa, non-federal funding, u.s. department of commerce
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
AFSC/RACE/GAP/McConnaughey: Fishpac Projects-2009-Seaboss-Stills

The broad scope of the Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) mandate requires an efficient process for describing and mapping the habitat needs of federally managed species.  For example, research indicates surficial sediments affect the distribution and abundance of many groundfish species, yet traditional sampling with grabs and cores is impractical over areas as large as the Bering Sea shelf.  Acoustic tools are suitable for large-scale surveying and show great promise as a substitute for direct-sampling methods, but they have not been proven useful for EFH purposes.

Tags: acoustic sediment classification, afsc/race/gap/mcconnaughey: fishpac projects-2009-seaboss, alaska fisheries science center, bering sea, doc/noaa/nmfs/afsc, grain size analysis, habitat mapping, multibeam echosounder, national marine fisheries service, noaa, side scan sonar, u.s. department of commerce
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
AFSC/NMML: Cook Inlet Beluga Opportunistic Sightings, 1975 to 2015

As a part of National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) management of the endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale population, a database of opportunistic beluga whale sightings was compiled from reports made by the general public, aircraft patrols, wildlife surveys, and military and industry monitoring studies.  Sightings are reported to NMFS Alaska Regional (AKR) office personnel either by voice- or e-mail. Sighting data are then transcribed and sent to the NMFS National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML) for entry into the database. Data are first assessed for quality during transcription by NMFS AKR personnel.  Secondary review and confirmation is undertaken by NMFS NMML personnel prior to entry of data into the Access Database.

Tags: alaska fisheries science center, cetacean assessment and ecology program, cook inlet, doc/noaa/nmfs/afsc, monitoring, national marine fisheries service, noaa, opportunistic sightings, u.s. department of commerce
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
Results of 2019 Chukchi Sea Acoustic/Trawl Survey

We conducted acoustic-trawl (AT) surveys of the US continental shelf region of the Chukchi Sea during ice-free periods (27 August to 26 September) with a focus on Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), a key species in Arctic ecosystems. These surveys indicate that midwater fishes are dominated by age-0 Arctic cod, with large numbers of age-0 walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) found in the region for the first time. Age-0 Arctic cod abundances were significantly larger than observed in previous surveys. Age-0 Arctic cod were distributed north of 70 Â°N with the highest densities in the northeastern Chukchi Sea, west of 164 Â°W. Age-0 pollock were found between 66-72 Â°N. Additional key pelagic species included capelin (Mallotus villosus), saffron cod (Eleginus gracilis), Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus), and Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii). These four species were primarily found in coastal areas between 66.5-72 Â°N. The increase in age-0 pollock abundance suggests that environmental conditions now enable species from the south to colonize the Chukchi Sea, at least on a seasonal basis. Age-0 Arctic cod not found in significant abundance in the central and southern Chukchi as in previous surveys, indicating that changes in the environment may be restricting the southern extent of their distribution.

Tags: acoustic trawl surveys, afsc/race/mace: chukchi sea acoustic/trawl survey, alaska fisheries science center, arctic cod (boreogadus saida), arctic zone, capelin (mallotus villosus), chukchi sea, doc/noaa/nmfs/afsc, midwater trawl, national marine fisheries service, noaa, northern bering sea, pacific cod (gadus macrocephalus), pacific herring (clupea pallasii), pelagic fish, saffron cod (eleginus gracilis), u.s. department of commerce, walleye pollock (gadus chalcogrammus)
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
AFSC/RACE/GAP/McConnaughey: Trawlex Chronic Effects: Bottom Trawl Catch Effort Data from NORPAC for Years 1973-2001

The eastern Bering Sea has experienced rapid and intensive development of commercial trawl fisheries. Because of good record keeping and the relatively brief history of fishing it is possible to reconstruct the spatial and temporal patterns of exploitation. Previously unfished (UF) areas can be identified and directly compared with heavily fished (HF) areas to investigate long-term consequences for the benthos. Using this approach, macrofauna populations in a shallow (48 m average) soft-bottom area were studied during 1996. Catch data were extracted from the AFSC NORPAC database for years 1973-2001 to provide a summary of trawl catch effort, specific focus was placed on the area within Fisheries Management Area 512. The total number of hauls and tonnage for each data point are provided. Foreign, domestic, and Joint Venture fishing vessels are also described.

Tags: afsc/race/gap/mcconnaughey: trawlex chronic effects-1996-other, alaska, alaska fisheries science center, bering sea, bottom trawl effort, doc/noaa/nmfs/afsc, fisheries management area 512, national marine fisheries service, noaa, norpac, u.s. department of commerce
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
AFSC/REFM: BSAI Crab Economic Data Report

Economic data collected for years 1998, 2001, 2004, and 2005 and onward for the BSAI Crab Economic Data Report (EDR). Reporting is required of any owner or leaseholder of a vessel or processing plant, or a holder of a registered crab receiver permit, that harvested, processed, custom processed, or obtained custom processing for rationalized crab in specified Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) crab fisheries during the prior calendar year.

Tags: alaska, alaska fisheries science center, aleutian islands, bering sea, commercial fisheries, costs, doc/noaa/nmfs/afsc, earth science, economic resources, employment, fisheries, fishery-dependent, fishing vessels, human dimensions, individual fishing quota, national marine fisheries service, noaa, revenue, seafood processors, socioeconomics, surveys and questionnaires, tracked asset, u.s. department of commerce
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
AFSC/RACE/MACE: Results of 2014 Pollock Acoustic-Trawl Survey Shelikof- DY1403

The Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering (MACE) Program of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center's (AFSC) Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering (RACE) Division conducts annual acoustic-trawl (AT) stock assessment surveys in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) during late winter and early spring to estimate the distribution and abundance of walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus). Historically, most of these efforts have been focused on the Shelikof Strait area, which has been surveyed annually since 1981, except in 1982, when no survey was scheduled, and in 1999 and 2011, when all winter GOA surveys were cancelled due to vessel delays. The Shumagin Islands area has been surveyed annually since 2001 (except in 2004 and 2011) with prior surveys in 1994-1996. Sanak Trough has been surveyed annually since 2002 (except in 2004 and 2011), and the GOA continental shelf break east of Chirikof Island to Barnabas Trough has been surveyed annually since 2002 (except in 2011). Marmot Bay has been surveyed in the winter six times (1989, 1990, 1992, 2007, 2009, and 2010). This report presents the results from AT surveys conducted in the aforementioned areas of the GOA during February and March 2014.

Tags: afsc/race/mace: pollock acoustic/trawl survey spawning annual shelikof, alaska fisheries science center, doc/noaa/nmfs/afsc, national marine fisheries service, noaa, u.s. department of commerce
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
AFSC/RACE/SAP/Foy: Effects of ocean acidification on embryo stages of Tanner crab: Kodiak Island, Alaska.

To study the effects of ocean acidification we examined the effects of ocean acidification on the embryo stages of the economically important southern Tanner crab, Chionoecetes bairdi.
                Ovigerous females were reared in one of 3 treatments: control (ambient pH ~8.1), pH 7.8, and pH 7.5 for 2 years. Embryos in year 1 were from oocytes developed in the field whereas embryos in 
                year 2 were from oocytes developed under acidified conditions. Datasets associated with this study include Brooding Duration, Carbonate Chemistry, Embryo Morphology, and Embryo Stages. Embryo 
                stages assessed monthly included detailed developmental stages from the prefuniculus formation through the prehatching stage. Embryo stages were not different among pH treatments. Embryo 
                morphology included egg area, egg diameter, yolk area, yolk diameter, embryo area, eye area, and eye diameter. Each morphological characteristic varied according to pH treatment using a principal 
                component analysis.

Tags: alaska, alaska fisheries science center, doc/noaa/nmfs/afsc, embryo morphology, embryo stages, kodiak island, national marine fisheries service, noaa, seafloor, shellfish assessment program, tanner crab, u.s. department of commerce
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
A Dataset from Bio-Loggers Deployed on Adult Bearded Seals (Erignathus barbatus) in Kotzebue Sound, Alaska, USA (2009-2012)

Bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus) are one of the most important subsistence resources for the indigenous people of coastal northern and western Alaska, as well as key components of Arctic marine ecosystems. Yet, relatively little about their abundance, seasonal distribution, migrations, or foraging behaviors has been documented scientifically. Ice-associated seal populations may be negatively impacted by offshore oil and gas development as well as by climate change. Our ability to predict impacts, however, is limited by inadequate knowledge of seal population structure and foraging ecology. By working cooperatively with Alaska Native subsistence hunters we developed methods for live- capturing bearded seals in the Chukchi Sea using nets set in the shallow coastal waters where bearded seals were foraging. Capture efforts were based out of Kotzebue and various locations in the North Slope Borough from Wainwright to Barrow in June and July from 2009 to 2012. In all, 7 seals were caught (2 adults and 5 sub-adults; 4 males and three females; ranging in length and weight from 159 cm and 116 kg to 216 cm and 253 kg), all from Kotzebue Sound. Each seal was released with two different types of bio-logging devices: the SPOT5, attached to a rear flipper, provided information on the timing of hauling out and on the sealâs location for up to three years. The MK10, glued to the top of a sealâs head, provided the same information as well as data on the timing and depths of dives. MK10 deployments remained active up to ten months and were shed from the seal during the annual molt.

The data files within this dataset represent the 'raw' data obtained from the Wildlife Computers data portal. Each deployment (unique tag id + animal id combination) is provided as a zipped archive. The root folder also includes additional documentation. The various files and detailed column descriptions are described in the 'Spreadsheet-File-Descriptions.pdf' which was downloaded from Wildlife Computers (https://wildlifecomputers.com/support/downloads/). The '00_kotzeb0912_get_data.Rmd' file is an RMarkdown file that provides code and documentation of the data retrieval process. The corresponding '00_kotzeb0912_get_data.hml' file is autogenerated from the RMarkdown file.

Tags: alaska, alaska fisheries science center, arctic ocean, bearded seal, beaufort sea, bering sea, chukchi sea, doc/noaa/nmfs/afsc, ice seal telemetry, national marine fisheries service, noaa, u.s. department of commerce
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
AFSC/RACE/GAP/McConnaughey: Trawlex BACI-2001-2002 -CTD

The Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering (RACE) Division of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) conducted a survey in the eastern Bering Sea (EBS) to evaluate short-term impacts of bottom trawls on soft-bottom benthic habitats and to describe the recovery process.  This was a multi-year project which follows earlier studies of long-term bottom trawling impacts in the same general region.  The study area was within the Crab and Halibut Protection Zone 1 in Bristol Bay (management area 512; approximately latitude 58 degrees north and longitude 160 degrees west.  In general, at-sea work was divided into three phases: (1) integrated biological and geological sampling before experimental trawling, (2) experimental trawling and (3) integrated biological and geological sampling after experimental trawling.  Survey activities were conducted aboard the 47.2 meter (155 ft) chartered vessel Ocean Explorer.  This was a commercial fishing vessel modified to support the research activities.  Activity during phase 1 consisted of side scan assessments of seafloor morphology with an interferometric Klein 5410 side scan sonar towfish during night wheel watches, and epifauna trawls and collection of infauna and sediment grabs during daylight hours.  All samples from a particular gear were collected in succession, so as to minimize time spent installing and configuring gear during phases (1) and (3).  Assessment activities after the impact phase were a repeat of activities prior to experimental trawling.

Tags: acoustic sediment classification, afsc/race/gap/mcconnaughey: trawlex baci-2001-2002, alaska fisheries science center, baci design, bering sea, doc/noaa/nmfs/afsc, national marine fisheries service, noaa, side scan sonar, trawl impact, u.s. department of commerce
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
Northern fur seal foraging behavior and prey fields in the Bering Sea, Alaska during July-October 2006

These data were used by Kuhn et al. (2015) to investigate how conclusions about predator-prey relationships change with increasing temporal disparity between predator tracking periods and prey surveys. Northern fur seals (n = 20) from St. Paul Island (Alaska, USA) were equipped with satellite tracking transmitters and time-depth recorders from July to October 2006. Fur seal dive and movement metrics were examined in relation to the relative abundance of the fur sealsâ primary prey, walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus), reported from the annual eastern Bering Sea groundfish survey. Relationships between foraging behavior metrics and prey abundance were examined within the Bering shelf survey grid cells at three time scales: within 2 weeks of the prey survey, within 1 month, and over the northern fur seal reproductive season (>4 months).

Tags: alaska ecosystems program, alaska fisheries science center, callorhinus ursinus, doc/noaa/nmfs/afsc, foraging, national marine fisheries service, noaa, northern fur seal, otariid, pinniped, u.s. department of commerce, walleye pollock
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
AFSC/RACE/MACE: Results of 2020 acoustic saildrone survey Eastern Bering Sea SD1046_2020-01

Eastern Bering Sea shelf walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) midwater abundance and distribution were assessed using 3 Saildrone autonomous vehicles due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Tags: acoustics, afsc/race/mace: pollock acoustic-trawl survey biennial bering sea, alaska, alaska fisheries science center, doc/noaa/nmfs/afsc, national marine fisheries service, noaa, pollock, saildrone, u.s. department of commerce
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
AFSC/REFM: Alaskan yellowfin sole extended chronology Black et al 2013

Annual growth increment patterns observed in the hard parts of many marine organisms are often related to factors in the physical environment, and investigators are increasingly using dendrochronology (tree-ring science) methods to explore these relationships. Dendrochronology techniques were applied to the otolith growth increments of yellowfin sole Limanda aspera to determine the extent to which somatic growth and otolith growth are coupled. Otoliths were visually crossdated to ensure that the correct calendar year was assigned to each growth increment. Growth-increment widths were measured in each otolith, crossdating was statistically checked, and a master chronology was generated by averaging measurement time series after age-related growth declines had been removed. The final chronology spanned 43 yr and was significantly related to Bering Sea bottom temperature and sea surface temperature. The relationship between otolith growth and somatic growth was explored using regression analysis. Population-wide otolith anomalies were found to be significantly related to population-wide anomalies in body size, as indexed by fish weight-length ratios.

Tags: alaska fisheries science center, bering sea, biochronology, climate, climatology/meteorology/atmosphere, doc/noaa/nmfs/afsc, growth, life history, national marine fisheries service, noaa, otolith, sclerochronology, u.s. department of commerce
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
AFSC/NMML: North Pacific right whale aerial surveys in the southeastern Bering Sea, 2008-2009.

As part of an inter-agency agreement between the National Marine Mammal Laboratory and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, aerial surveys of the North Aleutian Basin and sourtheastern Bering Sea were conducted from 24 July to 28 August 2008 and 14 July to 25 August 2009.  Both surveys were conducted from an Aerocommander 690A.  In 2008, the survey design consisted of broadscale transects covering the waters from Bristol Bay west to the Pribilof Islands.  The survey covered a total of 5,821 nmi (10,782 km) on-effort, 471 nmi (872 km) transit and crosslegs, and off-effort accounted for 837 nmi (1551 km). There were a total of 263 sightings (755 individuals) of 11 confirmed marine mammals species; these included right, humpback, fin and sei whales as well as killer whales, Dall's, and harbor porpoise, Pacific white-sided dolphins, fur seals, sea lions, walrus and sea otters.  There were 10 sightings (12 individulas) of right whales recorded on 3 separate days.  Six unique individuals were photo-identified and 4 matches were made between the aerial and vessel surveys.  In 2009, the survey consisted of finescale transects over the critical habitat and an acoustic component was added to complement the visual survey.  The survey covered a total of 2,590 nmi (4,800 km) on effort .  There were a total of 124 sightings (213 individuals) of 3 confirmed marine mammal species, right, humpback and fin whales.  There were 23 sightings (28 individuals) of right whales documented on 9 separate days.  Seven unique individuals were photo-identified.  Three matches were made to the 2008 survey.  In all, the 2 year survey documented 10 unique North Pacific right whales.

Tags: acoustic, aerial, alaska fisheries science center, bering sea, cetacean assessment and ecology program, critical habitat, doc/noaa/nmfs/afsc, national marine fisheries service, noaa, oil lease area, u.s. department of commerce
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce
AFSC/RACE/SAP: Detailed Crab Data From NOAA Fisheries Service Annual Eastern Bering Sea Summer Bottom Trawl Surveys 1975 - 2018

This dataset contains detailed crab data 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. In areas surrounding St. Matthew (1983-present) and the Pribilof Islands (1981-present), grid corners were also sampled to better assess king crab concentrations. In 1975, tows were 1 hour in duration; from 1976 to present, 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.  100% of the catch is sorted for red, blue, and golden king crab, bairdi Tanner, snow crab, hybrid Tanner, and hair crab. Crabs are sorted by species and sex, and a sample is measured to the nearest millimeter to provide a size-frequency distribution (see note under use constraints for analyzing catches where crab were subsampled for measurement). Carapace width is measured for Tanner crabs, and carapace length is measured for king and hair crabs.

Tags: alaska, alaska fisheries science center, bering sea, chukchi sea, doc/noaa/nmfs/afsc, national marine fisheries service, noaa, norton sound, shellfish assessment program, summer, u.s. department of commerce
Organization: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce