Cruise results



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12 March 2009

CRUISE RESULTS

NOAA Ship Delaware II

DE-09-01 NOAA LMRCSC SCIENTIFIC

AND EDUCATIONAL CRUISE
Executive Summary and Highlights
A 10 day cruise was conducted during January, 2009 for the purposes of training students in the NOAA Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center (LMRCSC) students in fisheries science, including learning field sampling procedures, and in support of projects being conducted by faculty and graduate students in the LMRCSC program. Three scientific objectives were addressed:
1) An examination of latitudinal variation in habitat and fish assemblages,

2) Investigating spatio-temporal patterns in demersal-megabenthic habitats on the shelf and slope around Hudson Canyon, and



3) Deepwater exploration on the continental slope to define depth limits of monkfish distribution in the vicinities of Hudson and Norfolk Canyons.
Despite some bad weather and equipment damage, all three objectives were met satisfactorily. In pursuit of the latitudinal variations projects, 13 fixed stations between northern New Jersey and northern North Carolina were sampled with CTD, otter trawl, beam trawl, and samples were taken of bottom sediments and plankton. Ten fixed stations were sampled with CTD and beam trawl for the Hudson Canyon study, and eight deepwater trawls were made at depths between 400 and 900 m: beyond the depths sampled by the NEFSC groundfish survey.
Among the highlights of the cruise were the following:

Training:

  • One NOAA/NMFS scientist, one LMRCSC faculty member, three graduate students and five undergraduates participated in the cruise, and at least three additional faculty and their students who were not actually aboard will be utilizing data and samples obtained on this cruise.



Resource Stocks:

  • Shelf wide catches made during the Longitudinal Transect study of butterfish, scup, longfin squid, and black sea bass were substantially smaller this year than during the LMRCSC January 2008 cruise.

  • Catches of spiny dogfish during the Longitudinal Transect study were greater than in 2008, and a larger percentage of females ≥ 80 cm total length (32% of total, mature male:mature female ratio = ~ 1.4:1) suggest that this stock is recovering from depletion of reproductive potential noted in previous years.

  • For the second year in a row, substantial numbers of juvenile southern white shrimp were taken on the shelf off Virginia; their progression northward should be monitored both as a possible indicator of climate change and for its potential commercial importance.

  • Large depth ranges within trawl tracks prevented pinpointing monkfish depth limits to within 75 m as originally planned, but deepwater trawls caught no monkfish at depths beyond 707 m around Norfolk Canyon and 408 m around Hudson Canyon. Fourteen monkfish from various depths were sampled for size, weight, age, sexual maturity, and diet, and samples were taken for reproductive histology, genetic and stable isotope analyses.

  • High densities of deep sea red crab (up to ~105 individuals/km2) and witch flounder (up to ~2700/km2) were estimated from catches in both Norfolk and Hudson Canyon areas. All deepwater trawl catches were dominated by these two species. The highest abundances of red crabs were in the range of ~500-700 m, beyond the depth range of NEFSC survey trawls. Adult-sized witch flounder were more common in Hudson than in Norfolk Canyon.

  • Several species of deepwater crustaceans of possible fisheries value were caught.



Habitat Observations:

  • A pattern is emerging on the Hudson Canyon shelf and slope in which a background of resident species appear consistently in particular habitats year-to-year while others, largely seasonal migrants, do not appear to make use of those habitats in a consistent manner, even in the same season. Catch, hydrographic, sedimentological, and visual (photo and video) data are being analyzed to elucidate this pattern and understand what conditions cause fisheries resource species to behave in this way.

  • Dense patches of deepwater cup corals (the solitary hard coral Dasmosmilia lymani) continue to persist around the rim of Hudson Canyon. Larger deepwater cup corals (Flabellum sp.) and aggregations of large anemones encountered in deepwater trawls near Norfolk Canyon may play roles in structuring deeper slope habitats there.

  • Deepwater slope habitats demonstrated extraordinary biodiversity as judged from taxa numbers: 96 total of which 61 were fish taxa, as compared with the Latitudinal Transect study on the shelf (74 total taxa, 28 fishes) and Hudson Canyon beam trawl study (66 total taxa, 24 fishes).



Ecosystem Assessment:

  • A method was devised by which to assess year-to-year changes in biota shelf-wide based on a combination of otter and beam trawls taken on a grid of fixed, geographically widespread sites on the mid-Atlantic shelf (the Latitudinal Transects). Subject to further development and critical review, this could serve as the basis for a direct biological indicator of fisheries ecosystem state.

  • A shelf wide series of CTD deployments over the short time span of the cruise provided a near-synoptic snapshot of hydrological climate for the entire mid-Atlantic shelf. Inshore-offshore gradients in bottom temperatures were much stronger in 2009 than in 2008: colder inshore and warmer offshore than in the previous year. Inshore water columns were again well-mixed whereas vertical stratification appeared primarily near or beyond the shelf break, and again was particularly prominent in the vicinity of Hudson Canyon, more so there than further south.

Cruise Period and Area of Operations
This cruise was conducted from January 14 through 21, 2009 with designated stations (Figure 1) located in coastal and shelf off northern New Jersey (northern most site) to Oregon Inlet, North Carolina (southern most site).
Cruise Goals and Objectives
The purpose of this cruise was to provide scientific personnel of the NOAA Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center (NOAA/LMRCSC) the opportunity to conduct a series of studies and to provide experience to graduate and undergraduate students who are engaged in academic programs in the marine sciences. Thirty one stations were surveyed using 36’ Yankee, Beam trawls, and Deepwater Flat Net (Table 1). Three studies were conducted during the course of this cruise. The studies were as follows: 1) Examination of latitudinal variation in habitat and fish assemblages; and 2) Hudson Canyon sampling, and 3) Deepwater exploration to define depth limits of monkfish distribution in the vicinities of Hudson and Norfolk Canyons. The results of this cruise also provided experience and insight into the planning and onboard management of multi-sampling and multi-project cruises, in anticipation of more inclusive kinds of cruise programs that will be demanded in support of Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management.
Site Selection
Stations for DE-09-01 (Figure 1) were chosen based on study requirements and consultation with scientists at the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC). Station names remained the same as on previous LMRCSC (latitudinal transect stations) and Benthic Habitat cruises (Hudson Canyon beam trawl stations). Deepwater monkfish stations in the vicinity of Hudson and Norfolk Canyons were designated with “HC” and “NC” numbers according to a scheme devised by Drs. Anne Richards and Andrea Johnson for monkfish trawls. Not all stations originally planned were able to be sampled during the cruise. Due to mechanical problems the cruise was delayed for 1½ days. Despite the delay and inclement weather 87% of the Latitudinal stations and all of the Hudson Canyon beam trawl stations were completed. Four each trawls were made in each monkfish transect area. These were chosen from among groups of 12 depth ranges specified by Drs. Anne Richards and Andrea Johnson at each canyon transect site. The 4 depths utilized were chosen from among the 12 specified in order to span the depth range 400-1000m. Uneven topography and long, straight trawl tracks, particularly in the Norfolk Canyon Transect area, prevented the tight control of trawl depth specified by the original 12 depth plan. Precise trawl locations were chosen for relatively flat contours at approximately the specified depth range by the bridge watch based on sonar reconnaissance.

Procedures
At the Latitudinal Transect (LT) sites, a CTD, Van Veen Grab, paired bongo plankton nets, a 2m beam trawl, and a 36 foot Yankee (36Y) otter trawls (rock hopper) were deployed. Trawl nets were deployed from the stern trawl A-frame using both trawl winches (36Y) or only the port trawl winch (2m bt). Non-standard 3/8” trawl wires were loaded on both trawl winches in order to accommodate the longer lengths needed for the deepwater trawl net. These wires were used for all trawl gear. The 2m bt was deployed for a 15 minute tow at ~2 kt., and the 36Y was towed at ~3.8 kt. The first 36Y trawl at station LT1-2 was towed for 30 minutes, as had been done in previous years. However, a large catch of spiny dogfish at that station caused us to reduce the towing time to 15 minutes at all subsequent LT stations. Due to time constraints resulting from the need to remain inshore to avoid rough offshore weather during the first half of the cruise, the limitation to daylight deployment for 36Y trawls as performed in 2008 was dropped; they were performed at whatever time of day or night the ship arrived at the site. First trawls at each station alternated between 36Y and 2m bt to avoid the need for changing over nets twice at each station. The CTD, Van Veen Grab, and plankton bongo nets were deployed from the forward starboard A-frame using the ship’s hydrographic winch. Here, too, first deployments alternated between the Van Veen and CTD-bongo rigs to avoid the need for two changes per station.
Hudson Canyon beam trawl sampling consisted of CTDs deployed prior to individual trawl, followed by a 15 minute tow at ~2 kt. approximately along a specified depth contour with a 2 meter beam trawl (2m bt).
Deepwater trawls were made at 3 kt. with a 36’ flat net equipped with deepwater head rope floats and an ITI sensor to transmit trawl depth and temperature. At the Norfolk Canyon Monkfish Transect (Fig. 1), tows length was 30 minutes. This was reduced to 15 minute tows at the Hudson Canyon Monkfish Transect (Fig. 1), which provided tighter control on the depth sampled with a straight trawl track over uneven topography. Deep trawls were preceded by CTDs to a maximum depth of 500 m at two sites in NCMT and one in HCMT. The ITI sensor was also deployed on two 36Y trawls in the LT series for comparison with ship’s sensor data.
All trawl catches were processed during the cruise. Catches were sorted to the lowest practicable taxon (LPT), which for most specimens was species. All taxa were enumerated and weighed by LPT. Size distributions were recorded for all fishes, sea scallops, squid, and crab and lobster species of fisheries interest. Large samples were enumerated and sized by extrapolation from subsamples. Biological specimens of doubtful identity were photographed and preserved in 10% buffered formalin for subsequent identification. Reference specimen representing fish species not previously encountered were retained for the Reference Collection of the LMRCSC.
Van Veen grabs were performed by lowering the apparatus to the bottom, and once closed raising it and removing 2 replicate samples of approximately 1 kg in weight. Samples were placed in Ziploc® freezer bags and transferred to the -20°C freezer for storage during the cruise. The paired bongo nets were lowered in conjunction with the CTD. Once retrieved, nets were washed down with sea water, and the replicate samples remaining in the cod end collectors transferred to individual 1 L glass jars, diluted with filtered sea water to approximately 700 mL, to which was added ~70 mL full strength borate-buffered formalin.
Data recorded for monkfish captured (by all methods) included total length, sex and maturity, gut content identity, and weights of total body, liver, and gut contents. Samples of ovary were take for histology, samples of fin and liver for genetics, and samples of muscle and liver for stable isotope analysis, as requested by Anne Richards and Andrea Johnson.

Whole specimens of longfin squid from the Latitudinal transects and deepwater squid species from the Deepwater Monkfish survey were frozen retained as requested by Lisa Hendrickson. Specimens of deep sea red crab and witch flounder from the Deepwater Monkfish transects were frozen and retained as requested by Antonie Chute and Susan Wigley, respectively.



Results
Disclaimer: Results presented here represent a very preliminary overview of observations and data collection during cruise DE-09-01. Additional quality assurance examination needs to be applied to raw data and no attempt has been made to apply rigorous statistical tests to any existing quantitative data regarding any hypotheses. The following detailed presentation is meant only to provide the reader a general idea of the nature of the raw data available and its utility toward meeting the stated objectives of the cruise.
Project Summaries: Of the projects initiated during the cruise, all were completed to the satisfaction of the investigator. The results from each of these are as follows.
1. Marine Fish Diversity along Latitudinal Gradients of the Mid-Atlantic Bight – During the sampling, the 36’ Yankee otter trawl, two meter beam trawl, CTD, paired bongo nets, and Van Veen grab sampler were deployed at thirteen stations representing five longitudinal transects as summarized in Figure 1 and Table 1. Catches are summarized in Tables 1 and 4. Catches with the 36Y net were heavily dominated by spiny dogfish and longfin squid at most stations. Summer flounder, northern searobin, and margined sea star were also important in terms of occurrence. To this list beam trawl catches added gulf stream flounder, sand shrimp, sand dollars, juvenile rock crabs, common sea stars, and sea slugs as important species in these transects.
2. Hudson Canyon Sampling – Results of beam trawl sampling in the Hudson Canyon area (Fig. 1) are provided in Tables 2 and 5. This data is part of an ongoing data set used by NMFS for the Hudson Canyon. Despite employing the same fishing technique with the beam trawl in the Latitudinal Transects, catches proved quite different, emphasizing the differences between the outer shelf and upper slope systems around this canyon and the rest of the mid-Atlantic shelf. Gulf stream flounder, juvenile rock crabs, margined sea stars, and sea slugs are still important, but monkfish, silver and red hakes, and euphausiids play are much more prominent.
3. Deepwater Monkfish Transects – Deepwater flat net catches in the Norfolk Canyon and Hudson Canyon Monkfish Transects (Fig. 1) are summarized in Tables 3 and 6. Catches were very heavily dominated by deep sea red crabs, and all also included witch flounder. Fifteen specimens captured between the deepwater transects and Hudson Canyon beam trawls were processed as described above.

Observations
Stocks of Interest
1. Spiny Dogfish
In recent years there has been concern over the stock structure of the spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias). Large (>80 cm TL), productive females had fallen to less than 5% of the catch in some surveys. Catches in this year’s Latitudinal survey greatly exceeded those taken during last year’s LMRCSC cruise (DE08-01). In 2009 all male dogfish measured and all but one female exceeded 60 cm total length (Table 7). At all but three stations in two northernmost transects, females dominated catches. Females exceeding 80 cm TL consistently accounted for 25% or more of total catches at all stations except the three male-dominated northern stations. Large females constituted 57% of all females and 32% of the total spiny dogfish catch overall. This suggests recovery of stock structure.
2. Monkfish
One of the goals of the Deepwater Monkfish Transect study was to determine the maximum depth at which the species occurs. Monkfish (Lophius americanus) were caught in two of the eight trawls (Fig. 2): 3 individuals in trawl NC5 (Norfolk Canyon Transect: depth range 545-707m) and 8 in HC2 (Hudson Canyon Transect: depth range 324-408 m). Additional single specimens were captured with the 2m bt during the Hudson Canyon Sampling project at stations IJ1, PR31, and UV01 (128, 113, and 96 m depth, respectively). Large depth variations in Norfolk Canyon trawl tracks prevented narrowing the maximum depth of monkfish to within the 75 m depth increments specified in the instructions. However, the maximum depth appears to be less than 707 m. Deeper trawls in that transect (NC7, NC9) yielded no monkfish, but neither did NC3 with a depth range within that of NC5. At Hudson Canyon, only the shallowest of the deep trawls (HC2) yielded monkfish, suggesting a depth limit of less than 408 m.
3. Deep Sea Red Crab
Deep sea red crab (Chaceon quinquidens) was the major catch species in all Deepwater Monkfish Transect catches (Table 8). As stock assessment is performed infrequently with this species, data on catch distribution from this cruise might be of some use. A summary of red crab catches is presented in Table 8. Maximum densities in the Norfolk Canyon Transect area occurred at NC3 and NC5 (545-707 m depth), where catches were dominated by females. Lower densities dominated by males occurred at greater depths. In the Hudson Canyon Transect area maximum densities were encountered between 489 and 603 m and were substantially higher than at Norfolk Canyon. Bottom temperatures were higher at Hudson Canyon sites than at corresponding depths in the Norfolk Canyon area (Table 8), but this may or may not be related to differences in maximum densities. Trawl track locations and red crab densities are presented graphically in Fig. 2.

4. Witch Flounder
In contrast to the pattern with red crabs, densities of witch flounder were generally higher in the Norfolk Canyon area than in Hudson Canyon (Fig. 2). In the former area, witch flounder densities were correlated with those of red crabs. In the latter they were not; the highest density occurred in the deepest trawl site (HC8: 822-898 m depth). There was also some distinction between the size distributions of witch flounder caught in the two canyon areas; the Hudson Canyon distribution has a higher median value the distribution is more skewed to larger size classes (Fig. 3). It is suspected that the fish in the Norfolk Canyon area are nearly all large juveniles, while a larger proportion of the Hudson Canyon individuals are adults.

5. Decapod Crustaceans (various species)
For the second year in a row, juvenile white shrimp (Litopeneaus setiferus) were caught in moderate numbers in Latitudinal Transect 6, off the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. This species, which supports an important commercial fishery south of Cape Hatteras, NC, is known to stray as far north as Cape Cod during summer. The significance of juvenile presence north of Hatteras in mid-winter is not known. It’s distribution here may be of significance as in indicator of climate change if not for fisheries.
Two specimens of gamba prawn (Aristaeopsis edwardsiana: Fig. 4) were captured by the deepwater trawl, one each at stations NC5 and NC7. This very large penaeoid shrimp has a widespread distribution on the continental slopes of North and South America, Europe, and Africa and is landed commercially in Brazil and West Africa.
Aviu shrimp (Acetes americanus: Fig. 5) were caught in large numbers by the deepwater trawl at stations NC3, HC4, and HC8. It may also have occurred at other stations and recorded as unclassified shrimp. This will be rectified when preserved samples, retained for identification, have been identified. These occurrences are well north of the published northern limit for this species (Cape Hatteras). While there is no known commercial fishery for this American species, there is a major fishery for its close relative A. japonica in Asia for use in producing shrimp paste.

Three specimens of the porcupine king crab (Neolithodes sp., probably N. garibaldi: Fig. 6) were taken in the deepwater trawl at station NC9. This crab is caught and marketed in the Canadian maritimes, where it is taken as a bycatch of the turbot gillnet fishery. It is widespread on the northeastern continental slope.



6. Squid
Longfin squid (Loligo pealeii) occurred in all 36Y catches in the Latitudinal Transect survey, and some of the deepwater trawls and beam trawls. Table 9 summarizes catches from the former two types of gear; beam trawl catches are excluded because of the poor efficiency of that gear for capturing longfin squid. All samples were heavily dominated by small size classes (mantle length or MT ≤ 7 cm). Individuals of MT > 7 cm accounted for less than 20% of the catch overall. There appeared to be no consistent pattern of size distribution with depth or bottom temperature (Table 9). Longfin squid were rare in deepwater trawl catches, but one occurred even in the deepest trawl in Hudson Canyon (822-898 m). This was a fresh, intact specimen, not one left on the net, deck, or checker table from a previous trawl.
No shortfin squid (Illex illecebrosus) were caught in any trawls on this cruise. Other cephalopods caught included a few specimens of a deepwater squid yet to be identified from stations NC5, NC9, and HC8, a few specimens of bathyal octopus (Bathypolypus arcticus) from NC5, and NC9 (Fig. 9), and a few specimens of bobtail squid (probably Semirossia tenera) from the deepwater trawl at NC5, from a 2m bt sample from station IJ3 in Hudson Canyon, and from 36Y and 2m bt samples at station LT6-1.


Ecosystem Measures
The fact that an identical multi-method sampling regime has been conducted at the same locations for two successive years in pursuit of the Latitudinal Survey opens the possibility of combining data from the various sites to make year-to-year comparisons of ecosystem over a wide geographical area. For this purpose data from 36Y and 2m bt samples has been combined by normalizing numerical catches to densities per square km, then summing all trawls at a parallel set of stations for each year. A comparison of trawl data for 2008 and 2009 combined in this way is made in Figs. 7 and 8. For simplicity, only the 13 most numerically important species of fishes and invertebrates are represented in these two figures, respectively. What these figures suggest is that there have been substantial changes is both fish and invertebrate abundances between 2008 and 2009. Butterfish and scup numbers were much smaller in 2009 than in 2008, while spiny dogfish and Atlantic mackerel numbers were much greater in 2009. Smaller numbers of gulf stream flounder, black sea bass, spotted hake, and fawn cusk eels were also noted in 2009, while red hake and northern sea robin numbers remained almost unchanged. Abundances of all invertebrates appeared to be down in 2009, most notably sand dollars, sand shrimp and longfin squid, with only margined sea stars remaining almost unchanged. While the mid-Atlantic ecosystem featured the same major “players” in both years, the balance between among their abundances was clearly different.
The distribution of measured bottom temperatures was also quite different between 2008 and 2009 (Fig. 10). In particular, inshore-offshore gradients that had ranged from approximately 0.5 to 1.0° C in 2008 increased to approximately 3.5 to 5.0° C in 2009. Inshore bottom temperatures were about 0.5 to 2.0° C cooler and offshore bottom temperatures about 1.0 to 2.5° C warmer in 2009 than in 2008. Exactly how the differing temperature regime may have influenced the differing abundances of animals is not at all clear.
Regarding biodiversity as an indicator of ecosystem condition, the results of this cruise demonstrate an important issue with respect to methods. It is clear that a single means of sampling (e.g. the 36’ Yankee rockhopper otter trawl), while well-designed to catch most commercial species, in very inadequate for determining biodiversity of the demersal-megabenthic community. Parallel trawling with 36Y and 2m bt nets yielded 74 species total: 49 from the 36Y and 62 from the 2m bt. Only 37 of these were caught by both methods, leaving 12 caught only by the 36Y and 37 only by the 2m bt. Clearly, neither method was providing the whole story. While the new four seam net used aboard Henry B. Bigelow may be more efficient at capturing fish than the 36Y, its performance has not been assessed against other types of nets like beam trawls; it may or may not be any better than 36Y in defining community composition and assessing the support functions provided for fisheries by living components of the ecosystem. That remains to be tested.

Oceanography

Water column temperature profiles for CTDs made during DE09-01 are shown in Fig. 10. As observed in 2008, inshore and mid-shelf profiles appear uniform (well-mixed), while those from the outer shelf tend to be stratified. As in 2008, patterns in and around Hudson Canyon tend to demonstrate strong patterns of stratification, often with multiple layers separated by sharp gradients.



Data Management and Disposition of Data and Samples
Raw catch data from all trawls have been entered into a Windows Excel® spreadsheet database based on a data template employed for trawl data from Benthic Habitat cruises. Separate spreadsheets were used for each project. Another spreadsheet, also based on a Benthic Habitat cruise template, contains a log of all cruise sampling activities, including CTDs. These are retained by Chief Scientist Vince Guida at NEFSC J.J. Howard Laboratory for dissemination to principal investigators for all projects. The Chief Scientist has also retained all ship’s SCS files (including GPS, sonar, ADCP, ITI, and ship’s weather and hydrographic sensor data) as provided by the ship’s electronic technician, plus CTD files from the cruise for dissemination as requested. CTD files are also retained by the NEFSC Oceanography Branch.
For purposes of quality assurance, data catch will be independently verified by a second researcher within LMRCSC. Metadata for each spreadsheet will be created that will list the individuals who entered and checked the data. Data will be disseminated to the principal investigators for all projects and will be written to a CD-ROM. The CD-ROM and all datasheets are managed in a single folder under the auspices of Dr. Eric B. May, Cruise Scientific Coordinator.
Fish specimens taken during the cruise have been processed to the LMRCSC Reference Collection. Each specimen will be identified to species and samples of the specimens will be provided a catalogue number. These numbers have been entered into a spreadsheet for database management of the LMRCSC Reference Collection, which includes many representatives of fish species occurring near or in the coastal bays of Maryland. Collection data will also be transformed into a website with digital images of representative specimens. Digital images from the cruise have been posted to the LMRCSC website and included on quarterly reports. All digital files are managed by Mr. Todd Christenson, LMRCSC Program Manager.
Sediment and plankton samples taken with Van Veen and bongo nets, respectively have also been retained for analysis by LMRCSC. Preserved invertebrate specimens have been retained for identification by the Chief Scientist at NEFSC J.J. Howard Laboratory. Digital images of specimens taken by the Chief Scientist are also retained by him at J.J. Howard Laboratory. Requested samples of monkfish tissues and detailed monkfish data collected on this cruise have been distributed to Anne Richards of NEFSC Woods Hole Laboratory and Andrea Johnson of University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Requested whole frozen specimens of deep sea red crab, witch flounder, and cephalopod mollusks have been distributed to Antonie Chute, Susan Wigley, and Lisa Hendrickson of NEFSC Woods Hole Laboratory, respectively.
Data and results from all studies will either be reproduced through peer-reviewed publications, society meetings, public forums, or website postings. In addition to faculty and research associates, approximately 5 graduate students and 2 undergraduate students will utilize the data for augmenting or developing their own research. In most cases, the data will provide foundation for larger research studies that are currently conducted or soon will be conducted at the UMES LMRCSC.
Scientific Personnel
Dr. Vincent Guida Chief Scientist NEFSC, J.J. Howard Lab

Dr. Eric May* Scientific Coordinator NOAA LMRCSC

Jhamyllia Rice* Graduate Scientist NOAA LMRCSC UMES

Jennifer McClain Deepwater fish specialist UNC Wilmington

Sean Brockington Undergraduate Scientist UMES

Joanna Donaldson Undergraduate Scientist UMES

Whitney Dyson Undergraduate Scientist UMES

Dominique Lazarre Graduate Scientist RSMAS, U. Miami

Tom MIller Undergraduate Scientist UMES

Belita Nguluwe Undergraduate Scientist UMES


*watch chiefs

For further information, contact:


Dr. Vincent Guida, NOAA, NEFSC, J.J. Howard Laboratory, 74 Magruder Rd., Highlands, NJ 07734, (732) 872-3042 or vincent.guida@noaa.gov 0R
Dr. Eric May, NOAA LMRCSC, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne MD 21853, (410) 651-8342 or ebmay@umes.edu



Figure 1 - Map of Northeast United States and Mid Atlantic Bight showing proposed sampling locations and cruise path. Dotted lines indicate cruise track: red – outgoing, blue – monkfish transects, mustard – returning. Numbered Latitudinal Transects (LT) and their individual stations occur throughout the range of the cruise, Hudson Canyon (HudCan) beam trawl stations are clustered around that feature, off New Jersey. Hudson Canyon Monkfish Transect (HCMT) and Norfolk Canyon Monkfish Transect (NCMT) are indicated in blue.


Figure 2A. Chart showing tracks of Deepwater Monkfish Transect trawls with densities of deep sea red crabs and witch flounder and occurrence of monkfish.


A. Norfolk Canyon Transect B. Hudson Canyon Transect

Figure 3. Witch flounder size distribution in catches from the Norfolk Canyon and Hudson Canyon Deepwater Monkfish Transects.



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