West Coast Groundfish Observer Program Manual, Part2 - NOAA

GLOSSARY
A - B
ABC - “Acceptable Biological Catch” - the annual harvest level for each species based only on biological
considerations
Aft - towards the stern or back end of a vessel
Amidships - midway between the bow and stern of a ship, or on the centerline
Anchor/Buoy lines - Sections of line that join the groundline and anchors on the bottom of the ocean to the
buoys or “bags” on the surface.
Athwart ships - side-to-side across a ship, perpendicular to the centerline
Bag - the codend or another name for a buoy.
Bait bags/jars - Containers filled with ground bait that are hung inside pots to attract fish.
Beam - width of a ship
Benthic - living in direct relation with the bottom
Bias- Tending to yield one outcome more frequently than others. Factors affecting the randomness of a
sample, including possible mechanical sorting of catch by an incline belt, or purposeful presorting by a crew
member, will introduce bias.
Bight - a loop or turn in a line
Bleeder/Sorter - Crewman assigned to sort bycatch out of the catch, and to cut the “throat”of the cod.
Block/Hydro/Hauler - Hydraulically driven wheel into which the groundline is placed during gear retrieval.
As the wheel spins the groundline is drawn on board.
Boat Share - the percentage of the gross which goes to the vessel owner
Bobbin - a round, rubber or steel roller used in the footrope of a bottom net to protect the net from damage
Bosun - person in charge of a ship’s rigging, anchors, cables and deck crew
Bottom - (1) ocean floor, (2) fishing depth, or (3) a ship hull. Which meaning to apply must be taken from
context.
Bow - the front section of a boat or ship
Bowline - a type of knot used to form an eye in the end of a rope.ii
Brailer - a type of netting that is attached to a crane and used to transport fish and other materials from one
vessel to the dock or to another vessel
Breech - a behavioral characteristic of some marine mammals such as humpback whales, where they rise
vertically out of the water, and then with most of their body above the surface, they fall to their back or side
Bridge - the control center of a ship
Bridle - wire attached to the headrope, footrope or side panel of a net, by which the net is towed
Bulkhead - a wall separating compartments of a ship
Bulwarks - the upper section of the side plating of a ship, which extends above and around the upper deck
C
Capstan (gypsy) - an upright, spool-shaped, power rotational cylinder around which cables or hawsers are
wound
Catch Category – Categories comprised of one or more species for management purposes.
Catcher boat - vessel that is used for catching fish and that does not process (freeze) fish on board
Chaffing gear - protective carpeting (or strands of nylon forming a carpet pile) on the outer, underside of the
trawl net to keep it from catching and ripping on obstacles on the bottom
Chief - the engineer; responsible for care of engines and deck machinery
Choker, choke strap - a loop of wire or rope used to cinch off the net or codend
1/30/2004 A- 73