2022 Northeast Ship-Based Survey Review

Days at Sea and Mission Accomplishment

Our science center completed 14 of 17 planned ship-based surveys during 2022:

• Eleven accomplished more than 90 percent of their planned mission
• Three accomplished less than 90 percent of their planned mission, primarily due to availability of ship crew, equipment malfunctions, and COVID. One was canceled because of ship maintenance issues
• Two were planned but not scheduled because no sea days were available on NOAA vessels

These surveys collect data that underpin research across our scientific mission. In many cases these surveys continue decades-long data collection efforts. They are the main reason the Northeast U.S. Shelf ecosystem is one of the best understood marine ecosystems in the world. These surveys also support fishery and protected species management in the region, which directly affects some of the nation’s most valuable fisheries and endangered species.

Survey	Vessel	% DAS Execute	% Mission Completed
Winter Ecosystem Monitoring Survey	NA	0%	0%
Spring Bottom Trawl Survey	NOAA Ship Bigelow	92%	98%
Spring Ecosystem Monitoring Survey	NOAA Ship Bigelow	94%	92%
Spring Gulf of Maine Bottom Longline Survey	F/V Mary Elizabeth & F/V Tenacious II	100%	100%
Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species Survey	NOAA Ship Gunter	0%	0%
Spring Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Inshore Bottom Trawl Survey	R/V Gloria Michelle	100%	98%
North Atlantic Right Whale Survey	R/V Warren Jr	100%	100%
Atlantic Sea Scallop Survey	R/V Sharp	97%	93%
Gulf of Maine Northeast Shrimp Survey	R/V Gloria Michelle	95%	97%
Atlantic Surfclam/Ocean Quahog Survey	F/V Pursuit	93%	94%
Deep-See Technology Development	NOAA Ship Bigelow	87%	35%
Summer Ecosystem Monitoring Survey	NA	0%	0%
Sea Turtle Survey	R/V Warren Jr	100%	100%
Fall Bottom Trawl Survey	NOAA Ship Bigelow	77%	83%
Fall Ecosystem Monitoring Survey	NOAA Ship Pisces	56%	40%
Fall Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries Inshore Bottom Trawl Survey	R/V Gloria Michelle	100%	97%
Fall Gulf of Maine Bottom Longline Survey	F/V Mary Elizabeth & F/V Tenacious II	100%	100%

2022 Survey Highlights

One of our most popular features during the year are the blogs submitted by scientific staff during their time at sea. This year, more than a dozen blogs revealed what researchers find interesting about being at sea:

• Wow-worthy moments from the bottom longline survey
• A glimpse of creatures from the “twilight zone”
• A record haul of young sea scallops
• A return to eDNA sampling across our survey area

Here are summaries of some of our 2022 ship-based survey activities:

• Spring Bottom Trawl Survey
• Spring Ecosystems Monitoring Survey
• Fall Bottom Trawl Survey
• Fall Ecosystems Monitoring Survey
• Atlantic Sea Scallop Survey
• Surfclam/Ocean Quahog Survey
• Gulf of Maine Northeast Shrimp Survey

Original source can be found here.