"Groundfish Assessment Program"

Alaska Fisheries Science Center Quarterly Report.

The goal of the Ecosystem Considerations report is to provide stronger links between ecosystem research and fishery management and to spur new understanding of the connections between ecosystem components by bringing together many diverse research efforts into one document. The purpose of the first section, the Report Cards, is to summarize the status of the top indicators selected by teams of ecosystem experts to best represent each ecosystem. Time series of indicators are presented in figures formatted similarly to enable comparisons across indicators. Recent trends in climate and the physical environment, ecosystems, and fishing and fisheries are highlighted in bulleted lists.

2014 North Pacific Groundfish Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Reports for 2015 Fisheries.

The goal of the Ecosystem Considerations report is to provide stronger links between ecosystem research and fishery management and to spur new understanding of the connections between ecosystem components by bringing together many diverse research efforts into one document. There are three main sections: • Executive Summary • Ecosystem Assessment • Ecosystem Status and Management Indicators The purpose of the first section, the Executive Summary, is to provide a consise summary of the status of marine ecosystems in Alaska for stock assessment scientists, fishery managers, and the public. Time series of indicators are presented in figures formatted similarly to enable comparisons across indicators. Recent trends in climate and the physical environment, ecosystems, and fishing and fisheries are highlighted in bulleted lists. The purpose of the second section, the Ecosystem Assessment, is to synthesize historical climate and fishing effects on the eastern Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska ecosystems using information from the Ecosystem Status and Management Indicators section and stock assessment reports. Notable trends, “hot topics”, that capture unique occurrences, changes in trend direction, or patterns across indicators are highlighted at the beginning. An ongoing goal is to produce ecosystem assessments utilizing a blend of data analysis and modeling to clearly communicate the current status and possible future directions of ecosystems. In future drafts, the Ecosystem Assessment section will also provide an assessment of the possible future effects of climate and fishing on ecosystem structure and function.

2013 North Pacific Groundfish Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Reports for 2014 Fisheries.

The bathymetry of the Aleutian Islands is poorly described and relatively unknown, considering that it and the rest of Alaska have been part of the United States since 1867. Part of the reason for this lack of information is that Russian and European navigators were late to explore and map the Aleutians, along with other parts of Alaska. Another reason is the vastness and complicated distribution of the Alaska mainland and island areas, with more shoreline than the continental U.S. (Jones 1918). Alaska, and especially the Aleutians, has remained relatively unpopulated and is remote from major population centers since this early period of exploration. Despite these negative factors, the Aleutian waters support important fisheries (Aleutian Islands Ecosystem Team 2007) and the Aleutian chain is crossed twice by about 3,100 commercial vessels each year (Nuka Research and Planning Group, LLC. 2006) while plying the great circle route between the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Asia (Jones 1918; Fig. 1).

Alaska Fisheries Science Center Quarterly Report

The goal of the Ecosystem Considerations report is to provide stronger links between ecosystem research and fishery management and to spur new understanding of the connections between ecosystem components by bringing together many diverse research efforts into one document.

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSFCMA) mandates NOAA to identify habitats essential for managed species and conserve habitats from adverse effects on those habitats. To meet these mandates, NOAA’s research must identify habitats that contribute most to the survival, growth and productivity of managed fish species and determine science-based measures to best manage and conserve these habitats from adverse effects of human activities. The NOAA Essential Fish Habitat Research Implementation Plan (AFSC 2006) for Alaska guided research to meet EFH mandates in Alaska during the last several years. This document revises and supersedes the initial Implementation Plan (AFSC 2006), and similar to the first plan is expected to guide the next several years of EFH research. The revision process began with a coordination meeting between Alaska Region habitat managers and Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) habitat scientists to determine the scope of the revised EFH research plan with a smaller group of 11 AFSC and Alaska Region staff subsequently completing the revision.

Alaska Fisheries Science Center Quarterly Report