MRRI staff conduct shallow water trawl surveys in the coastal zone of the South Atlantic Bight annually since 1986. The survey monitors abundance and biomass of fish, shrimp, crabs, horseshoe crabs, sea turtles, mantis shrimp, and squid to build a long-term database for fisheries management. Sampling occurs from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to Cape Canaveral, Florida at depths of 15 to 30 feet.
Use Cases
- Analyze population trends of priority species based on recorded abundance and biomass data.
- Model species distribution and habitat use based on geographic sampling locations.
- Assess fisheries stock health and management strategies based on long-term catch data.
- Study seasonal migration patterns based on data collected in Spring, Summer, and Fall surveys.
Strengths
- Long-term data collection spanning from 1986, providing a multi-decade baseline.
- Survey encompasses the entire Southeast region from North Carolina to Florida.
- Collects detailed data for 27 priority species, including individual weights, sex, and tagging.
Limitations
- Last updated 2010-11-12 23:59:59.999000; freshness should be verified.
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
Provenance
- Source
- Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program - South Atlantic (SEAMAP-SA) of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
- Collection Method
- Samples collected aboard the R/V Lady Lisa by towing paired 75 ft. mongoose-type Falcon Trawls for 20 minutes.
- Time Range
- Annual surveys conducted in Spring (mid-April to end of May), Summer (mid-July to mid-August), and Fall (October to mid-November).
- Geography
- Shallow coastal waters from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to Cape Canaveral, Florida.