Smooth Bottom Net Trawl Fishing Gear Effect on - New England ...

NOAA/NMFS Unallied Science Project, Cooperative Agreement NA16FL2264 December 2005
<strong>Smooth</strong> <strong>Bottom</strong> <strong>Net</strong> <strong>Trawl</strong> <strong>Fishing</strong> <strong>Gear</strong> <strong>Effect</strong> on the Seabed:
Investigation of Temporal and Cumulative <strong>Effect</strong>s BKAM/CR
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
1.0 INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………….1
1.1 Statutory and Regulatory Basis for <strong>Fishing</strong> <strong>Gear</strong> – Essential
Fish Habitat Research and Compatibility of this Study with
EFH Research Priorities 1
1.2 Project Goals and Objectives 3
1.3 Project Team 4
1.4 Survey <strong>Gear</strong> Selection 5
1.5 Experimental Design 5
2.0 CUMULATIVE TRAWL IMPACT STUDY FIELD OPERATIONS
AND METHODS…………………………………………………………………………..8
2.1 Navigation Methods 8
2.2 Experimental <strong>Trawl</strong> Methods 8
2.2.1 Impact trawling 8
2.3 Water Column Sampling Methods 10
2.4 Bathymetric Survey Methods 10
2.5 Side-scan Sonar Methods 11
2.6 Benthic Sampling Methods 12
2.7 Sediment Profile Camera Methods 13
2.8 Video Sled Methods 13
2.9 Cruise Summary 14
3.0 CHRONIC TRAWL IMPACT STUDY RESULTS…......................................................15
3.1 Water Column Characteristics 15
3.2 Geophysical Results 19
3.2.1 Bathymetric Results 19
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