Summer / Fall Groundfish Surveys

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The Oregon II conducts a groundfish cruise in the summer and fall across the northern Gulf of Mexico from Alabama to the Mexican border in depths between 5 and 60 fathoms. CTD casts are completed at randomly chosen station locations, then Bottom Trawling is conducted with a 40 foot shrimp trawl net to gather samples. The primary sampling objective in the summer is to determine the abundance and distribution of shrimp by depth. In the fall, the objective is to determine the abundance and distribution of bottom fish by depth. Other objectives include obtaining samples of shrimp, bottom fish, and crustaceans; collecting hydrographic and meteorological data; and comparing catch rates with cooperating NOAA and State research vessels. A secondary activity for the fall and summer projects is to acquire Plankton samples at stations in the groundfish survey area. The summer survey has been conducted aboard the Oregon II since 1982, while the fall survey has been completed since 1972.