W9905D CRUISE PLAN R/V WECOMA

Oregon State University, College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences

FILING DATE: March 1999

CRUISE NUMBER: W9905D

TITLE: Western Gulf of Alaska Larval Pollock Index Survey

CONTRACT/GRANT NUMBER:

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS:

Kevin Bailey

NOAA/Alaska Fisheries Science Center; phone, 206-526-4243; fax, 206-526-6723

Phyllis Stabeno

NOAA/Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory; phone, 206-526-6453

CRUISE DATES: 21 May — 5 June 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:

Jan Benson, Jay Clark, Bern Megrey, Susan Picquelle, Bill Rugen (all from AFSC), and Carol DeWitt (PMEL).

PURPOSE:

To assess the distribution and abundance of larval pollock in the western Gulf of Alaska (GOA). The R/V Wecoma will be used to collect samples needed to map the large-scale abundance of larval pollock over the shelf and nearshore areas from Unimak Island to Kenai Peninsula. This survey will be conducted in conjunction with the NOAA ship Miller Freeman. The two vessels must be in radio contact because specific location of stations sampled with the Freeman depends upon results from the Wecoma. However, the Freeman will be restricted to a smaller area around the Semidi Islands where high densities of larvae from the spawning in Shelikof Strait are expected. A secondary purpose will be to conduct 13 CTD casts in the Bering Sea as part of a monitoring study by NOAA.

ITINERARY:

Scientists will arrive Dutch Harbor 20 May 2:30 pm (ADT, Reeve flt #4389). On 21 May (Fri.), 10:00 ADT, the ship will depart Dutch Harbor and steam to the first CTD station (Figs 1, Table 1). The cruise will end when the ship arrives in Kodiak at 10:00 ADT on 5 June (Sat.). The time schedule is overbooked so it is unlikely that sampling will be accomplished at all bongo stations.

SAMPLING PLAN:

1. Thirteen CTD casts in the Bering Sea (Fig. 1, Table 1).
2. When available, and where possible, a fluorometer, light meter, and transmissometer should be mounted on the CTD stand for all casts.
3. Once the CTD has been deployed, it should be lowered to 10m. The deck unit should be turned on. After 20 seconds the CTD can be returned to just below the surface. Then the data acquisition program and VHS cassette CTD tape backup system should be started. The CTD should descend at a rate of 30m/min for the first 200m and 45m/min below that. The ascent rate should be 50m/min. The ship’s position should be logged for each CTD cast at the maximum cast depth.
4. CTD data will be acquired on a WECOMA PC computer using SEASOFT software. Scientists will keep the "CTD Cast Information/Rosette Log". Pressure, primary salinity, primary temperature, secondary temperature, fluorescence, and light levels will be recorded on the "CTD Cast Information/Rosette Log" for all water bottle samples.
5. CTD Calibration: Salinity samples will be taken at approximately six of the total casts (or as specified by the Chief Scientist). No reversing thermometers will be required. The CTD systems will be equipped with dual thermistors.
6. Age-0 Pollock Survey (233-station grid; Fig. 1, Table 1)
7. About 233 stations will be occupied from southwest to northeast between Unimak Pass and the Kenai Peninsula. Note that some station locations and transits need to be altered due to areas that are not navigable, the chief scientist and Wecoma personnel will do this during the cruise.
8. A 60-cm bongo plankton net (505 micron mesh) will be fished at each station using the trawl winch and boom. The net is fished obliquely by deploying at 50 m/min, to 100 m or within 5-10 m of the bottom, and retrieving at 20 m/min while maintaining a 45-degree wire angle. Depth will be monitored in real time with a SeaCAT terminated to the end of the 0.322" wire, just above the net. The SeaCAT will be monitored in the dry lab via a deck unit and Personal Computer so slip rings on the winch are required. We have used this arrangement successfully aboard the Wecoma on previous cruises.
9. Three additional casts of the ship’s CTD will be made during the larval survey. One cast each at about the beginning, middle, and end of the cruise is needed to verify the accuracy of the SeaCAT temperature and salinity measurements. The SeaCAT will not be put on the rosette; rather, the CTD cast will simply follow a regular bongo tow.
10. Sample processing will be as follows:
    1. Net 2: quickly rinse net, subsample if needed, rough count, preserve pollock in 95% EtOH (if subsampled, preserve only the larvae in the subsample), discard remainder, record number of pollock saved on DSDB as "l-oto".
    2. Net 1: thoroughly rinse net, preserve in 5% formalin buffered with sodium borate, record number of jars on DSDB as "QtowF".

LOAD/OFFLOAD:

Loading the Wecoma will take place in Newport sometime during 28-30 (Fri.) April. Offloading will occur in Kodiak on 5 June (Sat.) but some gear and samples may be left aboard for transport to Seattle where the boat will be off-loaded sometime during 11-14 June.

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 (also see attached Shared-Use Equip. Request):

1. Personnel
2. OSU Marine Technicians: 1 requested
3. Electronics Technician: 1 requested
4. Winches and accessories
5. Trawl winch (0.322" 3-conducter cable), main boom, and boom crutch.
6. Winch slip rings and wire rate counter.
7. Hydro winch and boom for CTD casts
8. CTD and accessories.
9. Shipboard CTD system (with spare sensors), and associated data display, logging, and output systems.
10. A copy of the latest calibration sheets/documentation for all WECOMA instrumentation used should be provided.
11. GPS navigation system, INMARSAT phone/fax system, and e-mail for routine scientific use.
12. 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
13. Sample processing space (sink w/ hood for formalin, seawater hose for rinsing nets on deck and for rinsing codends/sieves in lab).
14. 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 SeaCAT and CTD.
15. Miscellaneous:
16. One small chest freezer for freezing seawater used to chill sample while sorting.
17. The storage van that fits on main deck under trawl winch (for samples, preservatives, miscellaneous that need to be kept outside but dry)
18. Plain paper copier.

USER SUPPLIED EQUIPMENT: see attached Gear List

OTHER BULKY HEAVY ITEMS: none

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:

Station map with labels corresponding to Table 1.

Table of stations and estimated time schedule.

List of gear to be loaded by NOAA personnel.

Shared-use equipment request form (previously submitted).