Feasibility of using sea surface temperature imagery to mitigate cheloniid sea turtle–fishery interactions off the coast of northeastern USA

As sea turtles migrate along the Atlantic coast of the USA, their incidental capture in fisheries is a significant source of mortality. Because distribution of marine cheloniid turtles appears to be related, in part, to sea surface temperature (SST), the ability to predict water temperature over the continental shelf could be useful in minimizing turtle–fishery interactions. We analyzed 10 yr of advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) SST imagery to estimate the proportion of 18 spatial zones, nearshore and offshore of Hatteras, North Carolina, USA (35° N), to north of Cape Sable, Nova Scotia (44° N), at temperatures >10 to 15°C, by week. Detailed examples for 11°C, the temperature employed by some management actions in the study area, and for 14°C, the lowest temperature at which turtles were sighted by some studies in the area, demonstrate a predictable pattern of rapid warming in March and April, followed by rapid cooling in October and November, with nearshore waters warming more rapidly than those offshore. Of those loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta that stranded, were sighted, or were incidentally captured between Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and Cape Cod, Massachusetts, those at lower latitudes occurred when 25% or more of the area reached a water temperature of 11°C, while those in the northern zones did not occur until 50% or more of the area had reached a water temperature of 14°C. This analysis provides a means of predicting marine cheloniid turtle presence, which can be helpful in regulating fisheries that seasonally interact with turtles.

Maturation of Nineteen Species of Finfish off the Northeast Coast of the United States, 1985-1990

Observations on maturation stages of nineteen species of economically important finfish off the Northeast coast of the USA were analyzed to examine relationships between fish size or age, and maturity. Maturation schedules and median lengths (L50) and ages (A50) at maturation were derived by fitting the logistic model to the observed proportions. Analyses were generally restricted to observations from 1985 to 1990 obtained during stratified random bottom trawl surveys conducted in spring and autumn by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries in waters of the continental shelf from Nova Scotia to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Butterfish, Peprilus triacanthus, attained sexual maturity at the smallest median length (11.4 cm, males) and pollock, Pollachius virens, at the highest (41.8 em, males). Median length at maturity for gadiforms ranged from 22.2 to 41.8 em. Within the pleuronectiforms, median length at maturity ranged from 19.1 to 30.4 cm. Median lengths for the pelagic and miscellaneous demersal species were in the same ranges as the pleuronectiforms. Butterfish also attained sexual maturity at the youngest median age (0.9 yr, both sexes) whereas redfish, Sebastes fasciatus, were the latest to mature (5.5 yr, both sexes). For gadids, the median age at maturity ranged from 1.3 to 2.3 yr. Within the pleuronectiforms, median age at maturity ranged from 1.3 to 4.4 yr and, for pelagic species, from 0.9 to 3.0 yr. Median lengths and ages for many species are lower than those reported in earlier studies of the same general region of the Northwest Atlantic. (PDF file contains 72 pages.)

Revealing the appetite of the marine aquarium fish trade: the volume and biodiversity of fish imported into the United States

The aquarium trade and other wildlife consumers are at a crossroads forced by threats from global climate change and other anthropogenic stressors that have weakened coastal ecosystems. While the wildlife trade may put additional stress on coral reefs, it brings income into impoverished parts of the world and may stimulate interest in marine conservation. To better understand the influence of the trade, we must first be able to quantify coral reef fauna moving through it. Herein, we discuss the lack of a data system for monitoring the wildlife aquarium trade and analyze problems that arise when trying to monitor the trade using a system not specifically designed for this purpose. To do this, we examined an entire year of import records of marine tropical fish entering the United States in detail, and discuss the relationship between trade volume, biodiversity and introduction of non-native marine fishes. Our analyses showed that biodiversity levels are higher than previous estimates. Additionally, more than half of government importation forms have numerical or other reporting discrepancies resulting in the overestimation of trade volumes by 27%. While some commonly imported species have been introduced into the coastal waters of the USA (as expected), we also found that some uncommon species in the trade have also been introduced. This is the first study of aquarium trade imports to compare commercial invoices to government forms and provides a means to, routinely and in real time, examine the biodiversity of the trade in coral reef wildlife species.

Status of the coral reef ecosystems in the U.S. Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico: Florida, Flower Garden Banks, Puerto Rico, Navassa and USVI

This chapter covers coral reef areas under the jurisdiction of the USA in the Wider Caribbean: Florida; Flower Garden Banks; Puerto Rico; U.S. Virgin Islands; and Navassa. The following information is condensed from six chapters of The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States and Pacific Freely Associated States: 2008. Access to the full text of this comprehensive report is available at: http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/stateofthereefs.

Influence of hard bottom morphology on fish assemblages of the continental shelf off Georgia, southeastern USA

Various reef types worldwide have inconsistent relationships among fish assemblage parameters and benthic characteristics, thus there is a need to identify factors driving assemblage structure specific to each reef type and locale. Limestone ledges are known to be key habitats for bottom fish on the continental shelf of the southeastern USA, however, the specific factors that link them to fish assemblages have not been quantified. Bottom fishes and habitat characteristics on ledges were surveyed at a study site located centrally in the southeastern USA continental shelf. Species richness, diversity, abundance, and biomass of fish were higher at ledges than on flat bottom. Species richness, abundance, and biomass of fish were well explained by ledge variables including percent cover of sessile invertebrates, total height, and height of undercut recesses. Multivariate analyses based on biomass of individual species at ledges revealed two fish assemblages associated with four ledge types. One assemblage was associated with ledges that were tall, heavily colonized with sessile invertebrates, large in area, and did or did not have undercuts. The other assemblage was associated with ledges that were short, not undercut, smaller in area, and were or were not heavily colonized by invertebrates. Seafloor classification schemes presently used in the region do not adequately capture hard bottom diversity to identify the location and extent of essential fish habitats for ecological and fisheries purposes. Given that ledges cover only ∼1% to 5% of the southeastern USA continental shelf, they merit the highest levels of consideration in regional research, conservation, and management plans.

Neogene through Pleistocene paleoclimate of the Great Salt Lake region, northeastern Great Basin, USA

In a cooperative agreement between Amoco Production Company and the University of Arizona Geosciences Department, extensive data and resources associated with 15 deep wells drilled in the Great Salt Lake are currently on loan at the University of Arizona. Seismic data, electric and lithologic logs, cuttings and previously-prepared pollen slides will eventually permit a thorough study of both the tectonic and climatic history of the Great Salt Lake region. The preliminary study presented here concentrates on the Late Tertiary and Pleistocene climatic reconstruction of the eastern Great Basin through examination of fossil pollen.

Estimation of the relative annual abundance of yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares, in the Eastern Pacific Ocean during 1970-1985

ENGLISH: Estimates of relative annual abundance of yellowfin tuna in the eastern Pacific Ocean during 1970-1985 are made using catch rates, measured as tons caught by purse seiners per hour of searching. Catch rates are standardized a weighted generalized linear model. The important standardizing factors are vessel speed, season-area, and whether the yellowfin were caught in association with dolphins, skipjack tuna, or floating objects. Observations are weighted to give equal areas equal weight and to give each unit of fishing effort equal weight within an area. The results indicate that catch per days fishing underestimates abundance during the late 1970's when the fishery shifted some of its effort from dolphin sets to floating object sets, and overestimates abundance when the fishery shifted back to dolphin sets in 1984 and 1985. SPANISH: Se estima la abundancia anual relativa del atún aleta amarilla en el Océano Pacífico oriental (OPO) durante 1970-1985 por medio de tasas de captura, calculadas como toneladas cortas capturadas por barcos cerqueros por hora de búsqueda. Se usa un modelo lineal ponderado generalizado para estandardizar las tasas de captura. Los factores importantes de estandardización son la velocidad del barco, temporada-área, y si se capturaron los aletas amarillas en asociación con delfines, barriletes, o objetos flotantes. Se ponderaron las observaciones para otorgar igual importancia a áreas iguales y a cada unidad de esfuerzo pesquero dentro de un área. Los resultados señalan que la captura por día de pesca estima por bajo la abundancia durante los últimos años de la década de los 70, en cual época la pesquería trasladó parte de su esfuerzo de lances sobre delfines a lances sobre objetos flotantes, y la sobreestima al volver la pesquería a lances sobre delfines en 1984 y 1985. (PDF contains 45 pages.)

Data management plans - the role of the library

Planning the management of data at proposal time and throughout its lifecycle is becoming increasingly important to funding agencies and is essential to ensure its current usability and long term preservation and access. This presentation will describe the work being done at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) to assist PIs with the preparation of data management plans and the role the Library has in this process. Data management does not mean simply storing information. The emphasis is now on sharing data and making research accessible. Topics to be covered include educating staff about the NSF data policy implementation, a data management survey, resources for proposal preparation, collaborating with other librarians, and next steps.

Management and Promotion of Digitization Projects: Geologic Atlas of the US

The Geologic Atlas of the United States was digitized and stored in the Texas A&M University institutional repository. Extensive metadata was created which emphasized the geographic and geologic aspects of the material. The map sheets were also convered into kml files for Google Earth and ESRI shape files for use in GIS. A Yahoo!Map interface allows for visualization of the locations of each folio and user friendly browsing across the collection. Details of the project will be discussed, including the selection, digitization methods and standards, preservation, metadata, web presence and staffing. Its storage in DSpace, assortment of publicity outlets, and its inclusion in targeted clearinghouses expand its potential use to national and international audiences.

Not just another pretty reef: the Gainesville Florida Reef, a satellite of the worldwide Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef project: poster presentation

The Gainesville Florida Reef, a satellite of the Worldwide Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef, project not only shows the beauty of reefs but serves to: • Foster scientific communication through the visual arts • Raise awareness of the fragility of our coral reefs and the entire ecosystem • Support learning by creating physical models of geometric principles • Connect several areas on campus, including fine arts, mathematics and ecology and environmental sciences through collaboration and mutual interest • Encourage local community and alumni involvement through creating, observing and learning

Report of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission for the year 1991

ENGLISH: The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission operates under the authority and direction of a convention originally entered into by Costa Rica and the United States. The convention, which came into force in 1950, is open to adherence by other governments whose nationals fish for tropical tunas in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Under this provision Panama adhered in 1953, Ecuador in 1961, Mexico in 1964, Canada in 1968, Japan in 1970, and France and Nicaragua in 1973. Ecuador withdrew from the Commission in 1968, Mexico in 1978, Costa Rica in 1979, and Canada in 1984. Costa Rica re-adhered to the convention in 1989, and Vanuatu joined the Commission in 1990. A technical meeting was convened in La Jolla, California, USA, on January 14•15, 1991, to elaborate the details of an international program for the conservation of the dolphin populations affected by the fishery for tunas in the eastern Pacific Ocean. SPANISH: La Comisión Interamericana del Atún Tropical funciona bajo la autoridad y dirección de un convenio suscrito originalmente por Costa Rica y los Estados Unidos de América. El convenio, vigente desde 1950, está abierto a la afiliación de cualquier pais cuyos ciudadanos pesquen atunes tropicales en el Oceano Pacífico oriental. Bajo esta estipulación, la República de Panamá se afilió en 1953, Ecuador en 1961, Mexico en 1964, Canadá en 1968, Japón en 1970, Francia y Nicaragua en 1973. Ecuador se retiró de la Comisión en 1968, México en 1978, Costa Rica en 1979 y Canadá en 1984. Costa Rica se adhirió de nuevo al Convenio en 1989, y Vanuatu se hizo miembro de la Comisión en 1990. (PDF contains 273 pages.)

Report of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission for the year 1992

ENGLISH: The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission operates under the authority and direction of a convention originally entered into by Costa Rica and the United States. The convention, which carne into force in 1950, is open to adherence by other governments whose nationals fish for tropical tunas in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Under this provision Panama adhered in 1953, Ecuador in 1961, Mexico in 1964, Canada in 1968, Japan in 1970, and France and Nicaragua in 1973. Ecuador withdrew from the Commission in 1968, Mexico in 1978, Costa Rica in 1979, and Canada in 1984. Costa Rica re-adhered to the convention in 1989, and Vanuatu and Venezuela joined the Commission in 1990 and 1992, respectively. The Commission held its 50th meeting in La Jolla, California, USA, on June 16-18, 1992. SPANISH: La Comisión Interamericana del Atún Tropical funciona bajo la autoridad y dirección de un convenio suscrito originalmente por Costa Rica y los Estados Unidos de América. El convenio, vigente desde 1950, está abierto a la afiliación de cualquier país cuyos ciudadanos pesquen atunes tropicales en el Océano Pacífico oriental. Bajo esta estipulación, la República de Panamá se afilió en 1953, Ecuador en 1961, México en 1964, Canadá en 1968, Japón en 1970, y Francia y Nicaragua en 1973. Ecuador se retiró de la Comisión en 1968, México en 1978, Costa Rica en 1979, y Canadá en 1984. Costa Rica se adhirió de nuevo al Convenio en 1989; y Vanuatu y Venezuela se hicieron miembros de la Comisión en 1990 y 1992, respectivamente. La Comisión celebró su quincuagésima reunión en La Jolla, California, EE.UU., del 16 al 18 de junio de 1992. (PDF contains 316 pages.)