Physical oceanographic data in the Gulf of Alaska/Shelikof Strait, January - February 2001

Fisheries-Oceanography Coordinated Investigations (FOCI) is an effort by NOAA and associated academic scientists. At present, FOCI consists of a Shelikof Strait (western Gulf of Alaska) walleye pollock project, and a NOAA Coastal Ocean Program project: Southeast Bering Sea Carrying Capacity. FOCI also supports associated projects, such as the Arctic Research Initiative, and U.S. GLOBEC, that address scientific issues related to FOCI. FOCI's goal is to understand the effects of abiotic and biotic variability on ecosystems of the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea in order to discern the physical and biological processes that determine recruitment variability of commercially valuable finfish and shellfish stocks in Alaskan waters. We will be conducting bottom trawl sampling on the outer continental shelf and upper slope in the Gulf of Alaska beginning near Kodiak Island and ending near Sanak Island to collect ripe adult arrowtooth flounder (ATF). We will also be deploying deep bongo plankton tows to collect their eggs. This work is needed to establish the appearance of arrowtooth flounder eggs in the plankton, so they can be identified with confidence in samples. Data on physical characteristics of water in the area will also be collected.