CRUISE PLAN R/V WECOMA
Oregon State University

College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences

FILING DATE: March 1998

CRUISE NUMBER: WE98-06B
TITLE: Western Gulf of Alaska Age-0 Pollock Survey

CONTRACT/GRANT NUMBER:

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS:

Kevin Bailey

(NOAA/Alaska Fisheries Science Center, phone: 206-526-4243, fax: (206) 526-6723)

CRUISE DATES: June 17 - 30, 1998

SCIENTIFIC PERSONNEL:

Scientist in charge:

Matt Wilson

(NOAA/Alaska Fisheries Science Center, 206-526-6522; email, Matt.Wilson@noaa.gov; Fax: 206-526-6723).

Other scientists:

Lisa Britt, Jay Clark, Steve Porter, Bill Rugen (all from AFSC), and Sherrie Rees (PMEL)

PURPOSE:

To assess the distribution and abundance of age-0 pollock in the western Gulf of Alaska and collect biological specimens. The R/V Wecoma will be used to repeat a survey done at almost the exact same time (June 18-July 1, 1987) aboard the Miller Freeman (4MF87) using as similar techniques as possible in sampling the fish and environment. This will allow us to compare the taxonomic composition and age-0 pollock biology during the upcoming El Nino summer with that of a non-El Nino summer. Even if transport or other environmental conditions are not anomalous, this would give us an opportunity to make comparisons of the distribution and abundance of pollock and other dominant species as well as intra-annual comparisons with two surveys conducted earlier in 1998. It will also provide specimens to examine growth and hatch-date distributions and feeding at a metamorphic stage of pollock that we have seldom had the opportunity to examine. FOCI can anticipate that at least five drifters will be deployed in Shelikof Strait during the spring of 1998 to interpret transport throughout the season. The locations of these drifters at the time the cruise begins, as well as earlier larval distribution patterns, may alter the location of the proposed sampling grid.
This cruise will also be our last opportunity in 1998 to sample the physics, biology and chemistry of Shelikof Strait and the Alaska Coastal Current as funded by a special NOAA program to determine the effects of the 1997/1998 El Nino. To this end, Jeff Napp and Sarah Hinckley have requested additional sampling to monitor the effects of El Nino, ground-truth instrumented moorings, continue the Line 8 time series, and collect information to be used in mathematical models.

ITINERARY:

On June 17, approx. 08:00 ADT, the ship will depart Dutch Harbor and steam to the first station (station AA3", see Figs 1 and 2, Table 1). Specific location of the Methot sampling grid will depend somewhat on the results from the late-larval survey occurring in mid-May. In addition to the Methot station grid, several days will be allowed for collecting samples for Jeff Napp and Sarah Hinckley in the vicinity of Chirikof Island and off the west end of Kodiak Island (Fig. 3 and Table 1). The cruise will end when the ship arrives in Kodiak at 09:00 ADT on June 30.

SAMPLING PLAN:

A) Age-0 Pollock Survey (77-station grid; Fig. 1 and 2, Table 1)

1. At each station, one oblique tow will be made with the Methot trawl fished off the stern of the Wecoma. The net will be fished to a depth of 100 m or, where shallower, to within 5-10 m of the bottom. Depth will be monitored in real time with the SCANMAR acoustic unit, temperature at depth will be recorded using the micro-bathythermograph (MBT) and light along the path of the tow may be monitored using an Mk7f recording device. Sea surface temperatures would be measured using a bucket thermometer or the ship's flow-through thermosalinograph. A total of 77 stations have been identified as potential Methot sampling locations (Fig. 1).
2. At twelve of the 77 grid stations, additional gear will be fished as part of an experiment designed to compare the size and abundance of age-0 pollock collected with the 1 m2 Tucker, 60 cm bongo, and Methot net. These stations will be chosen on the basis of relatively high age-0 pollock abundance. The 1 m2 Tucker and 60 cm bongo will be fished after the Methot sample has been collected.
3. Excluding the 12 gear comparison stations, the Clarke-Bumpus net will be attached inside the Methot only for 10 stations at about the middle of the grid. It will not be used on the Tucker.
4. At a few stations, to be specified by the scientist-in-charge, a second Methot tow will be made to collect specimens for the special study requests of Brown/Wilson and Brown/Busby.
5. Sample processing will be as follows:

a. Methot catches:
i. rinse, count and weigh jellyfish (if possible, sort to lowest taxonomic level on at least a few hauls), record total number and weight on DSDB haul comments then discard,
ii. randomly select 20 pollock, measure SL mm (record on ichthyoplankton length form), and preserve in 95% EtOH, record number of fish on DSDB as "j-oto" and "j-len",
iii. preserve all remaining fish and invertebrates in 5% formalin buffered with sodium borate and record number of jars on DSDB, put a note specifying how many were removed for otoliths,
iv. if need be, save only a subsample of the remaining invertebrates but record the weights of each, the subsample and discard portions, on DSDB.

b. Tucker catch, from Net 1 (at-depth to surface) only:
i. rinse and discard all jellyfish, no records of count or weight are necessary,
ii. randomly select 20 pollock, measure SL mm (record on ichthyoplankton length form), and preserve in 95% EtOH, enter the number of fish saved on DSDB as "j-oto" and "j-len",
iii. preserve remainder, record number of jars on DSDB, put a note specifying how many were removed for otoliths.
iv. Net 2 will not be fished.
c. 60 cm bongo:
i. preserve all of Net 1 in 5% formalin buffered with sodium borate, record number of jars on DSDB,
ii. from Net 2, randomly select 20 pollock, measure SL mm (record on ichthyoplankton length form), preserve them in 95% EtOH, and record number of fish on DSDB as "j-oto" and "j-len".

B)

Napp/Hinckley special study requests (Fig. 3, Table 1), will be fulfilled, time permitting, after the main Methot grid has been occupied. Sampling at 33 stations was requested. This sampling will involve the use of the 20 and 60 cm bongo, 1 m2 Tucker, and CalVET (CalCOFI Vertical Egg Tow) nets but not all will be used at every station (see Table 1, operation sequence numbers 75 through 104). CTD casts, including bottles on the rosette for collecting water, have also been requested. Enough time will be reserved so that, enroute to Kodiak, the three remaining grid stations will be sampled using the Methot and bongo nets.

C)

Most of the sampling gear (CTD, Tucker, bongo, and Methot nets) was used during the 1997 Wecoma cruise.
1. The CTD will be fished off the starboard midship using the hydro winch.

2. Tucker and bongo nets will be fished off the starboard stern quarter using the trawl winch, boom, and boom crutch. A wire angle of 45 degrees should be maintained during the tow. The wire out speed during deployment should be 50 m/min and during retrieval it should be 20 m/min. We will monitor the depth of the Tucker and bongo nets using a SeaCat terminated to the end of the 0.322" (5/16 inch) wire on the trawl winch and connected to a deck unit and Personal Computer in the dry lab, this will require slip rings.

a. The Tucker net will be deployed fishing the drogue net (Net 0) which will not have a codend. When at depth, the towing wire must be within easy reach of the deck so that a messenger can be attached to and sent down the wire after the net is at depth. The action of the tripping mechanism must be felt to ensure that the drogue net closed and that Net 1 opened.
i. For the 12 gear comparison tows:
1) Net 1 will be fished from 100 m or 5-10 m off-bottom, whichever is shallowest, to the surface (Net 2 will not be fished).
2) Mesh size of Nets 1 and 2 will be 505 microns.
ii. For the Napp/Hinckley collections:
1) Net 1 will be fished from 10 m off-bottom to 150 m, Net 2 from 150 ­ 0 m.
2) Mesh size as above.
3) Attach a Clarke-Bumpus net (150 micron mesh) inside Net 1 and 2.

b. Bongo Net.
i. For the 12 gear comparison tows:
1) The bongo net will be fished to 100 m or 5-10 m off-bottom, whichever is shallowest.
2) Mesh size of both nets will be 505 microns.
ii. For the Napp/Hinckley collections:
1) The 60 cm bongo net will be fished to 10 m off-bottom.
2) Mesh size of both 60 cm nets will be 333 microns.
3) Attach the 20 cm bongo net (150 micron mesh nets) to the wire above the 60 cm bongo.

3. The CalVET net will be used only during the Napp/Hinckley collections. It is a very small net (bongo style with each hoop about 25 cm diameter and an overall length of about 2 m) and will be fished off the starboard stern quarter. The net is attached to the wire above a ~35 kg weight and is fished vertically with the ship hove-to. Wire rates are 60 m/min down and up. The maximum depth is 60 m. Deploying and retrieving these nets will require no more than two or three scientists, one crewman, and a winch operator.

4. The Methot net will be fished off the stern as was done during 1997. The Methot net will be fished over an oblique path using the stern A-frame and the coring winch. Ships speed during the tow should be 2-3 knots. The net will be fished to within 5-10 m off bottom. Wire speed during deployment must be 30-40 m/min, depending upon sea state. It will be retrieved at 20 m/min. Realtime depth of the Methot will be accomplished using Scanmar equipment (a small depth sensor is attached to the net and a hydrophone will be draped over the stern on the port side at a depth of about 3 meters). We will also monitor the temperature at depth using a mini bathythermograph (MBT) and light using the Mk7f device which is a self-contained unit that attaches directly to the gear and records for a predetermined time. Deploying and retrieving the Methot will require two or three scientists, one crewmen, and a winch operator. More details regarding the typical deployment/retrieval routine for these gears is attached.

LOAD/OFFLOAD:

Most of the needed equipment will be barged up to Dutch Harbor during mid-May so as to be in storage at FTS (FTS, Dutch Harbor / Vessel Support & Supply Center / P.O. Box 1085 / Dutch Harbor, AK 99692 / Tel. 907-581-2490 / Fax. 907-581-2491) by 1 June. All gear will be loaded using the ship's crane in Dutch Harbor after the scientific crew arrives at approx. 3 pm on 16 June (Tues.). Prior to when the cruise ends, approx. 9 am on 30 June (Tues.), all gear will be stowed on the Wecoma and will be off-loaded in Newport, OR shortly after the ship docks on 9 July (Thurs.).

RADIOACTIVE METHODS: None will be used.

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS:

30 liters Formalin (37% formaldehyde)
18 liters Sodium borate solution
4 liters 95% Ethyl Alcohol (EtOH)
300 mls 95% Ethyl Alcohol (EtOH) (prepackaged in vials for Jerry Hoff)
0.05 g MS-222

PERSONNEL/EQUIPMENT REQUESTED:

A) Personnel
1. OSU Marine Technicians: 1 requested
2. Electronics Technician: 1 requested

B) Winches and accessories
1. Dynatron winch and stern A-frame for fishing Methot.
2. Trawl winch (5/16" 3-conducter cable) and boom crutch for fishing Tucker, bongo and CalVET nets over starboard stern quarter.
3. Electromechanical swivels, winch slip rings, and wire rate counters.

C) CTD and accessories.
1. Shipboard CTD system (with spare sensors), and associated data display, logging, and output systems.
2. Sixteen 5-liter Niskin bottles (includes 4 spares) and mounting pins.
3. Six 10-liter Niskin bottles for microzooplankton (includes 2 spares).
4. Rosette, stand and weights

D) A copy of the latest calibration sheets/documentation for all WECOMA instrumentation used should be provided.

E) GPS navigation system, INMARSAT phone/fax system, and e-mail for routine scientific use.

F) The bridge will be requested to maintain a record of the ship=s position, time (GMT), and bottom depth whenever sampling gear is deployed, at depth, or retrieved. FOCI may provide a form for this purpose.

G) Sample processing space (sink w/ hood for formalin, seawater hose for rinsing nets on deck and for rinsing codends/sieves in lab).

H) Location in the main dry lab to set up computers and readouts for: wireout, wire rate, GPS, bottom depth, ship=s speed, and deck units for SCANMAR (depth of Methot), Sea-Cat (depth of Tucker, bongo and CalVET), and CTD.

I) Miscellaneous:
1. Two portable chest freezers (each 15 cu. ft.) for nutrient and chlorophyll samples
2. The storage van that fits on main deck under trawl winch
3. Plain paper copier.

USER SUPPLIED EQUIPMENT: gear list will be attached to final draft

OTHER BULKY HEAVY ITEMS:

All of the following may be stored on the open deck:
1) Methot frames, depressors, and bridles (2 sets @~500 lbs per set),
2) Tucker Aframe@, and bridles (~200 lbs total),
3) 60 cm bongo frame and weight (100 lbs total).

BILLING INFORMATION:

Name: Rick Alvarez
Address: NOAA, AFSC, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Seattle, WA 98115
Account Number (or number to reference):

DO YOU WANT CELLULAR/INMARSAT PHONE ACCESS: Yes

Attachments:

Map of Methot station grid showing topography
Map of Methot station grid showing grid notation cross-referenced with Table 1
Map of Napp/Hinckley special study area
Table of station identifier, position, planned operations, and time schedule