Acknowledgments

     The authors extend their appreciation to C. R. Hitz, who encouraged the publication of this guide, an expansion of his previous prodigious efforts. Financial support was provided by the Rockfish Working Group of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Trainers and debriefers of the Observer Program of the Resource Ecology and Fisheries Management Division, including especially S. Corey, K. Krieger, N. Raring,, and K. Teig, provided helpful criticisms and suggestions. Many fisheries observers shared their criticisms and frustrations with early drafts of the guide; we hope their concerns were addressed. Bob Lauth, Jerry Hoff, Ted Pietsch, and Catherine Mecklenberg provided critical reviews that greatly improved the manuscript. Bob Lauth and D. W. Kessler provided many photographs and Glenn Sprague produced several of the illustrations incorporated in early versions. We thank the curators and their respective institutions for providing loans and making space available to examine material under their care: T. W. Pietsch, B. Urbain, A. M. Snyder (UWFC); R. Lavenburg and J. Siegel (LACM); S. Jewett (USNM); J. D. McPhail, G. Hass, E. Keeley (UBC); R. Rosenblatt, H. J. Walker, C. Klopek (SIO); and W. N. Eschmeyer, D. Catania (CAS).

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