Data description
The Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division (RACE) Groundfish Assessment Program (GAP) of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) conducts fisheries-independent bottom trawl surveys to monitor the condition of the demersal fish and crab stocks of Alaska. These data are developed to describe the temporal distribution and abundance of commercially and ecologically important groundfish species, examine the changes in the species composition of the fauna over time and space, and describe the physical environment of the groundfish habitat.
There are no legal restrictions on access to the data. They reside in the public domain and can be freely distributed. Users must read and fully comprehend the metadata prior to use. Data should not be used beyond the limits of the source scale. Acknowledgement of NOAA, as the source from which these data were obtained, in any publications and/or other representations of these data, is suggested. These data are compiled and approved annually after each summer survey season. The data from previous years are unlikely to change substantially once published.
These data are zero-filled (presence and absence) observations from surveys conducted on fishing vessels. These surveys monitor trends in distribution and abundance of groundfish, crab, and bottom-dwelling species in Alaska’s marine ecosystems. These data include estimates of catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) for all identified species for index stations. Some survey data are excluded, such as non-standard stations, surveys completed in earlier years using different/non-standard gear, and special tows and non-standard data collections.
Though not included in the public data, these surveys also collect oceanographic and environmental data, and biological data such as length, weight, stomach contents (to learn more about diet), otoliths (fish ear bones to learn about age), and tissue samples for genetic analysis, all of which can be shared upon special request. Also not included in the public data are estimated biomass (average total weight of all fish and crabs sampled) of crabs and groundfish that support the creation of annual stock assessments.
Data tables
FOSS_CATCH
These datasets, FOSS_CATCH, FOSS_CPUE_PRESONLY, FOSS_HAUL, and FOSS_SPECIES, when full joined by the HAULJOIN variable, includes zero-filled (presence and absence) observations and catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) estimates for all identified species at for index stations. These tables were created by the Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division (RACE) Groundfish Assessment Program (GAP) of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC). There are legal restrictions on access to the data. These data are not intended for public dissemination and should not be shared without the explicit written consent of the data managers and owners (NOAA Fisheries). The GitHub repository for the scripts that created this code can be found at https://github.com/afsc-gap-products/gap_products. For more information about codes used in the tables, please refer to the survey code books (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/groundfish-survey-species-code-manual-and-data-codes-manual). These data were last updated March 04, 2024.
Number of rows: 939,197
Number of columns: 7
| Column name from data | Descriptive column Name | Units | Oracle data type | Column description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COUNT | Taxon count | count, whole number resolution | NUMBER(38,0) | Total whole number of individuals caught in haul or samples collected. |
| CPUE_KGKM2 | Weight CPUE (kg/km2) | kilograms per kilometers squared | NUMBER(38,6) | Catch weight (kilograms) per unit effort (area swept by the net, units square kilometers). |
| CPUE_NOKM2 | Number CPUE (no/km2) | count per kilometers squared | NUMBER(38,6) | Numerical catch per unit effort (area swept by the net, units square kilometers). |
| HAULJOIN | Haul ID | ID key code | NUMBER(38,0) | This is a unique numeric identifier assigned to each (vessel, cruise, and haul) combination. |
| SPECIES_CODE | Taxon code | ID key code | NUMBER(38,0) | The species code of the organism associated with the ‘common_name’ and ‘scientific_name’ columns. For a complete species list, review the code books. |
| TAXON_CONFIDENCE | Taxon confidence rating | category | VARCHAR2(255 BYTE) | Confidence in the ability of the survey team to correctly identify the taxon to the specified level, based solely on identification skill (e.g., not likelihood of a taxon being caught at that station on a location-by-location basis). Quality codes follow: ‘High’: High confidence and consistency. Taxonomy is stable and reliable at this level, and field identification characteristics are well known and reliable. ‘Moderate’: Moderate confidence. Taxonomy may be questionable at this level, or field identification characteristics may be variable and difficult to assess consistently. ‘Low’: Low confidence. Taxonomy is incompletely known, or reliable field identification characteristics are unknown. Documentation: Species identification confidence in the eastern Bering Sea shelf survey (1982-2008), Species identification confidence in the eastern Bering Sea slope survey (1976-2010), and Species identification confidence in the Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands surveys (1980-2011). |
| WEIGHT_KG | Sample or taxon weight (kg) | kilograms | NUMBER(38,3) | Weight (thousandths of a kilogram) of individuals in a haul by taxon. |
FOSS_HAUL
These datasets, FOSS_CATCH, FOSS_CPUE_PRESONLY, FOSS_HAUL, and FOSS_SPECIES, when full joined by the HAULJOIN variable, includes zero-filled (presence and absence) observations and catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) estimates for all identified species at for index stations. These tables were created by the Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division (RACE) Groundfish Assessment Program (GAP) of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC). There are legal restrictions on access to the data. These data are not intended for public dissemination and should not be shared without the explicit written consent of the data managers and owners (NOAA Fisheries). The GitHub repository for the scripts that created this code can be found at https://github.com/afsc-gap-products/gap_products. For more information about codes used in the tables, please refer to the survey code books (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/groundfish-survey-species-code-manual-and-data-codes-manual). These data were last updated March 04, 2024.
Number of rows: 33,334
Number of columns: 27
| Column name from data | Descriptive column Name | Units | Oracle data type | Column description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AREA_SWEPT_KM2 | Area swept (km) | kilometers | NUMBER(38,6) | The area the net covered while the net was fishing (kilometers squared), defined as the distance fished times the net width. |
| BOTTOM_TEMPERATURE_C | Bottom temperature (degrees Celsius) | degrees Celsius | NUMBER(38,1) | Bottom temperature (tenths of a degree Celsius); NA indicates removed or missing values. |
| CRUISE | Cruise Name | ID key code | NUMBER(38,0) | This is a six-digit integer identifying the cruise number of the form: YYYY99 (where YYYY = year of the cruise; 99 = 2-digit number and is sequential; 01 denotes the first cruise that vessel made in this year, 02 is the second, etc.). |
| CRUISEJOIN | Cruise ID | ID key code | NUMBER(38,0) | Unique integer ID assigned to each survey, vessel, and year combination. |
| DATE_TIME | Date and time | MM/DD/YYYY HH::MM | DATE | The date (MM/DD/YYYY) and time (HH:MM) of the haul. All dates and times are in Alaska time (AKDT) of Anchorage, AK, USA (UTC/GMT -8 hours). |
| DEPTH_M | Depth (m) | degrees Celsius | NUMBER(38,1) | Bottom depth (meters). |
| DISTANCE_FISHED_KM | Distance fished (km) | degrees Celsius | NUMBER(38,3) | Distance the net fished (thousands of kilometers). |
| DURATION_HR | Tow duration (decimal hr) | hours | NUMBER(38,1) | This is the elapsed time between start and end of a haul (decimal hours). |
| HAUL | Haul number | ID key code | NUMBER(38,0) | This number uniquely identifies a sampling event (haul) within a cruise. It is a sequential number, in chronological order of occurrence. |
| HAULJOIN | Haul ID | ID key code | NUMBER(38,0) | This is a unique numeric identifier assigned to each (vessel, cruise, and haul) combination. |
| LATITUDE_DD_END | End latitude (decimal degrees) | decimal degrees | NUMBER(38,6) | Latitude (one hundred thousandth of a decimal degree) of the end of the haul. |
| LATITUDE_DD_START | Start latitude (decimal degrees) | decimal degrees | NUMBER(38,6) | Latitude (one hundred thousandth of a decimal degree) of the start of the haul. |
| LONGITUDE_DD_END | End longitude (decimal degrees) | decimal degrees | NUMBER(38,6) | Longitude (one hundred thousandth of a decimal degree) of the end of the haul. |
| LONGITUDE_DD_START | Start longitude (decimal degrees) | decimal degrees | NUMBER(38,6) | Longitude (one hundred thousandth of a decimal degree) of the start of the haul. |
| NET_HEIGHT_M | Net height (m) | meters | NUMBER(38,1) | Measured or estimated distance (meters) between footrope and headrope of the trawl. |
| NET_WIDTH_M | Net width (m) | meters | NUMBER(38,1) | Measured or estimated distance (meters) between wingtips of the trawl. |
| PERFORMANCE | Haul performance code | category | NUMBER(38,0) | This denotes what, if any, issues arose during the haul. For more information, review the code books. |
| SRVY | Survey abbreviation | text abbreviated | VARCHAR2(255 BYTE) | Abbreviated survey names. The column ‘srvy’ is associated with the ‘survey’ and ‘survey_definition_id’ columns. Northern Bering Sea (NBS), Southeastern Bering Sea (EBS), Bering Sea Slope (BSS), Gulf of Alaska (GOA), Aleutian Islands (AI). |
| STATION | Station ID | ID key code | VARCHAR2(255 BYTE) | Alpha-numeric designation for the station established in the design of a survey. |
| STRATUM | Stratum ID | ID key code | NUMBER(10,0) | RACE database statistical area for analyzing data. Strata were designed using bathymetry and other geographic and habitat-related elements. The strata are unique to each survey region. Stratum of value 0 indicates experimental tows. |
| SURFACE_TEMPERATURE_C | Surface temperature (degrees Celsius) | degrees Celsius | NUMBER(38,1) | Surface temperature (tenths of a degree Celsius); NA indicates removed or missing values. |
| SURVEY | Survey name | text | VARCHAR2(255 BYTE) | Name and description of survey. The column ‘survey’ is associated with the ‘srvy’ and ‘survey_definition_id’ columns. |
| SURVEY_DEFINITION_ID | Survey ID | ID key code | NUMBER(38,0) | The survey definition ID key code uniquely identifies a survey/survey design. Integer code that uniquely identifies survey. Full list of survey definition IDs are in RACE_DATA.SURVEY_DEFINITIONS. IDs used in GAP_PRODUCTS are: 47 (Gulf of Alaska); 52 (Aleutian Islands); 78 (Bering Sea Slope); 98 (Eastern Bering Sea Shelf); 143 (Northern Bering Sea Shelf). The column ‘survey_definition_id’ is associated with the ‘srvy’ and ‘survey’ columns. For a complete list of surveys, review the code books. |
| SURVEY_NAME | Survey name official | text | VARCHAR2(255 BYTE) | Long name of the survey conducted |
| VESSEL_ID | Vessel ID | ID key code | NUMBER(38,0) | ID number of the vessel used to collect data for that haul. The column ‘vessel_id’ is associated with the ‘vessel_name’ column. Note that it is possible for a vessel to have a new name but the same vessel id number. For a complete list of vessel ID key codes, review the code books. |
| VESSEL_NAME | Vessel name | text | VARCHAR2(255 BYTE) | Name of the vessel used to collect data for that haul. The column ‘vessel_name’ is associated with the ‘vessel_id’ column. Note that it is possible for a vessel to have a new name but the same vessel id number. For a complete list of vessel ID key codes, review the code books. |
| YEAR | Survey year | year | NUMBER(10,0) | Year the observation (survey) was collected. |
FOSS_SPECIES
These datasets, FOSS_CATCH, FOSS_CPUE_PRESONLY, FOSS_HAUL, and FOSS_SPECIES, when full joined by the HAULJOIN variable, includes zero-filled (presence and absence) observations and catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) estimates for all identified species at for index stations. These tables were created by the Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division (RACE) Groundfish Assessment Program (GAP) of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC). There are legal restrictions on access to the data. These data are not intended for public dissemination and should not be shared without the explicit written consent of the data managers and owners (NOAA Fisheries). The GitHub repository for the scripts that created this code can be found at https://github.com/afsc-gap-products/gap_products. For more information about codes used in the tables, please refer to the survey code books (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/groundfish-survey-species-code-manual-and-data-codes-manual). These data were last updated March 04, 2024.
Number of rows: 1,894
Number of columns: 6
| Column name from data | Descriptive column Name | Units | Oracle data type | Column description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMMON_NAME | Taxon common name | text | VARCHAR2(255 BYTE) | The common name of the marine organism associated with the ‘scientific_name’ and ‘species_code’ columns. For a complete species list, review the code books. |
| ID_RANK | Lowest taxonomic rank | text | VARCHAR2(255 BYTE) | Lowest taxonomic rank of a given species entry. |
| ITIS | Integrated taxonomic information system (ITIS) serial number | ID key code | NUMBER(38,0) | Species code as identified in the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (https://itis.gov/). |
| SCIENTIFIC_NAME | Taxon scientific name | text | VARCHAR2(255 BYTE) | The scientific name of the organism associated with the ‘common_name’ and ‘species_code’ columns. For a complete taxon list, review the code books. |
| SPECIES_CODE | Taxon code | ID key code | NUMBER(38,0) | The species code of the organism associated with the ‘common_name’ and ‘scientific_name’ columns. For a complete species list, review the code books. |
| WORMS | World register of marine species (WoRMS) taxonomic serial number | ID key code | NUMBER(38,0) | Species code as identified in the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) (https://www.marinespecies.org/). |
FOSS_SURVEY_SPECIES
This reference dataset contains the full list of species by survey to be used to zero-fill FOSS_CATCH and FOSS_HAUL for each survey. These tables were created by the Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division (RACE) Groundfish Assessment Program (GAP) of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC). There are legal restrictions on access to the data. These data are not intended for public dissemination and should not be shared without the explicit written consent of the data managers and owners (NOAA Fisheries). The GitHub repository for the scripts that created this code can be found at https://github.com/afsc-gap-products/gap_products. For more information about codes used in the tables, please refer to the survey code books (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/groundfish-survey-species-code-manual-and-data-codes-manual). These data were last updated March 04, 2024.
Number of rows: 5,030
Number of columns: 2
| Column name from data | Descriptive column Name | Units | Oracle data type | Column description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPECIES_CODE | Taxon code | ID key code | NUMBER(38,0) | The species code of the organism associated with the ‘common_name’ and ‘scientific_name’ columns. For a complete species list, review the code books. |
| SURVEY_DEFINITION_ID | Survey ID | ID key code | NUMBER(38,0) | The survey definition ID key code uniquely identifies a survey/survey design. Integer code that uniquely identifies survey. Full list of survey definition IDs are in RACE_DATA.SURVEY_DEFINITIONS. IDs used in GAP_PRODUCTS are: 47 (Gulf of Alaska); 52 (Aleutian Islands); 78 (Bering Sea Slope); 98 (Eastern Bering Sea Shelf); 143 (Northern Bering Sea Shelf). The column ‘survey_definition_id’ is associated with the ‘srvy’ and ‘survey’ columns. For a complete list of surveys, review the code books. |
FOSS_TAXON_GROUP
This reference dataset contains suggested search groups for simplifying species selection in the FOSS data platform so users can better search through FOSS_CATCH. These tables were created by the Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division (RACE) Groundfish Assessment Program (GAP) of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC). There are legal restrictions on access to the data. These data are not intended for public dissemination and should not be shared without the explicit written consent of the data managers and owners (NOAA Fisheries). The GitHub repository for the scripts that created this code can be found at https://github.com/afsc-gap-products/gap_products. For more information about codes used in the tables, please refer to the survey code books (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/groundfish-survey-species-code-manual-and-data-codes-manual). These data were last updated March 04, 2024.
Number of rows: 33,721
Number of columns: 3
| Column name from data | Descriptive column Name | Units | Oracle data type | Column description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLASSIFICATION | Taxonomic classification rank group | category | VARCHAR2(255 BYTE) | Phylogenetic classification group rank for a given species. |
| RANK_ID | Taxonomic rank | category | VARCHAR2(255 BYTE) | The taxonomic rank of a taxon identification. |
| SPECIES_CODE | Taxon code | ID key code | NUMBER(38,0) | The species code of the organism associated with the ‘common_name’ and ‘scientific_name’ columns. For a complete species list, review the code books. |