• Shelikof Strait hydroacoustic cruise -  Preliminary results of this spring's hydroacoustic assessment suggest that fewer (~25%) pollock were present than models predicted.  Further evidence of low stocks came from the fishing industry, which was unable to fill quotas for this area.

 
• Recruitment Processes cruise (MF-01-05) - The Shelikof Strait area bongo survey showed patchy high concentrations in the northeastern part of Shelikof Strait, near and probably coming from Cook Inlet.  Moderate concentrations were found southwest of the strait.  Very few larvae were found within the strait. The MOCNESS and SCAMP were deployed in the area off Low Cape at the southern end of Kodiak Island. This gave simultaneous measurements of the vertical structure of the ocean and the distribution of larvae. Dave Walsh reported moderate success using the SCAMP; it could be deployed only when winds were less than 15 knots.  Phytoplankton, probably chaetoceros, were encountered in high concentrations during the cruise.  A SEAWIFs image from May 8 showed high concentrations of chlorophyll on the east side of Shelikof Strait.

 
• Gulf of Alaska mooring and drifter deployment (RB-01-03, Leg 1) -  Moorings have been deployed on line 8, south of Kodiak, and at Gore Point.

 
• GLOBEC Process Cruise (HX-242) - CTD sampling showed high day-to-day variability in the position of the ACC along the GAK line (from Resurrection Bay to the shelf break).

 
• A Bering Sea cruise departing May 12 (MF-01-06) will recover and deploy moorings for crab, SEBSCC, Stellar sea lion, and Alaska Stream studies.

 
• During GLOBEC cruise RB-01-03, Leg 2, 13 drifters will be deployed near Gore Point, the Seward line, and Amatuli Trough.  A grid will be sampled at the edge of an eddy currently positioned near Kayak Island to examine interactions between the eddy and shelf water.

 
• A marine mammals cruise at the end of May will collect data on Stellar sea lion ecology in the Aleutians.

• RB-01-03, Leg 3 will return to the Bering Sea on a cruise to find an eddy impinging on the continental shelf.  Optics data will be collected by Dalhousie University.

 
• C. Baier and J. Lanksbury will participate on the second GLOBEC Process cruise (HX-244) in May.

 
• K. Bailey will lead FOCI's annual survey of late larval pollock (MF-01-07) during the last week in May.

2002 FIELD SEASON

FOCI is investigating ships available for spring 2002, as the Ron Brown will be on the east coast.  Possible candidates include the Healy and the Thompson.