Gulf of Mexico Current Meter and Fish Survey Data from 1978-1981

June 1978 to June 1981 data collection includes ocean current measurements and fish/shellfish population surveys from the Gulf of Mexico. The data were submitted by Texas A&M University as part of the Brine Disposal project and processed by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC) into standard F005 and F123 formats.

Use Cases

• Analyze relationships between current direction/speed and fish catch statistics (e.g., weight, number per unit volume).
• Model water temperature and salinity effects on species distribution from biological characteristics data.
• Correlate meteorological conditions and wind speed with dominant wave height and period measurements.
• Study predator/prey interactions using stomach contents analysis data from the F123 format.

Strengths

• Three-year temporal coverage from June 1978 to June 1981.
• Data processed to two standardized NODC formats (F005 and F123) with documented specifications.

Limitations

• Data is temporally stale, with the last update in June 1981.
• Specific row counts, column names, and sample sizes are unknown.
• Geographic coverage is limited to the Gulf of Mexico.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).

Collection Method

Data collected via moored current meter casts and field sampling of marine fish and shellfish.

Time Range

1978-06-21 to 1981-06-24

Geography

Gulf of Mexico