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The first demersal trawl survey of benthic fish and invertebrates in the Beaufort Sea since the late 1970s

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Abstract

This study represents the first demersal trawl survey of marine fishes and invertebrates in offshore waters of the Beaufort Sea since 1977. Species composition, distribution, and abundance of demersal fish and benthic invertebrates were assessed with standard methods and demersal trawl gear by the Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Fishes made up 6% of the total catch weight, and invertebrates made up the remaining 94% of the catch weight. A total of 32 species of fish were identified, two taxa were identified to genus and one to family, and 174 taxa of invertebrates were identified. The most abundant demersal fishes were polar cod (Boreogadus saida), eelpouts (Lycodes spp.), Bering flounder (Hippoglossoides robustus), and walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma). The most abundant invertebrates were notched brittle stars (Ophiura sarsi), snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio), mussels (Musculus spp.), and the mudstar (Ctenodiscus crispatus). We documented or confirmed extension to the known ranges of four species of fishes: walleye pollock, Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus), festive snailfish (Liparis marmoratus), and eyeshade sculpin (Nautichthys pribilovius). We also documented the presence of commercial-sized snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio), which has not previously been recorded in the North American Arctic.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this study was provided by the US Department of the Interior’s Mineral Management Service (MMS), Alaska Region (Interagency Agreement M07PG13152 and AKC-058). We would like to thank National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Fisheries Science Center’s (AFSC) Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division (RACE) for providing survey gear, support and expertise. We would like to especially thank Héloïse Chenelot of the University of Alaska Fairbanks for providing species identification on the invertebrates and Erika Acuna (RACE) for providing expertise on fish species identification in the field. James Orr and Duane Stevenson (RACE) provided taxonomic verification and identification of all fish species. The AFSC’s Age and Growth Program analyzed otoliths for fish ages. Thanks to Sandra Parker-Stetter and Jennifer Nomura who were part of the scientific crew. We would like to thank the captain and crew of the F/V Ocean Explorer (Captain Darin Vanderpol and Raphael Guiterrez, Tom Giacalone, Joao DoMar, Ben Boyok and Jessica Heaven) for a productive and safe research cruise. Finally, we thank the 3 reviewers for their thoroughness, time, and constructive input.

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  1. Resource Ecology and Fisheries Management Division, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Seattle, WA, 98115, USA

    Kimberly M. Rand & Elizabeth A. Logerwell

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  1. Kimberly M. Rand
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  2. Elizabeth A. Logerwell
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Correspondence to Kimberly M. Rand.

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Rand, K.M., Logerwell, E.A. The first demersal trawl survey of benthic fish and invertebrates in the Beaufort Sea since the late 1970s. Polar Biol 34, 475–488 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-010-0900-2

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