Fishing event data (e.g. year, date, time, location, catch and effort) and associated biological data from the Offshore Stratified Random Survey component of the annual Sablefish Research and Assessment Survey on the British Columbia coast.

Introduction

DFO and the Canadian Sablefish Association (CSA) collaborate to undertake an annual fishery-independent research survey under a joint agreement. The survey employs longline trap gear to obtain catch rate data, gather biological samples, capture oceanographic measurements, and collect tag release and recapture data.

Data summaries provided here are for the offshore stratified random sampling design (StRS) component of the survey, which has been conducted annually since 2003. The design of the sablefish survey has developed over time by incorporating and discontinuing components, including individual experimental studies (not available on OpenData). This StRS Survey component differs in methodology from the other two survey components:

(1) Standardized trap survey – mainland inlets (1994-present; available on OpenData using link below), and

(2) Standardized trap survey – offshore indexing and offshore tagging (1990 – 2010; not yet available on OpenData).

The Sablefish offshore stratified random trap survey (StRS) follows a depth and area stratified random sampling design. The survey area is partitioned into five spatial strata (S1 to S5) and three depth strata (RD1 to RD3) for a total of 15 strata. The five spatial strata are S1 (South West Coast Vancouver Island or SWCVI), S2 (North West Coast Vancouver Island or NWCVI), S3 (Queen Charlotte Sound or QCS), S4 (South West Coast of Haida Gwaii or SWCHG), and S5 (North West Coast of Haida Gwaii or NWCHG). The three depth strata are 100-250 fathoms (RD1), 250-450 fathoms (RD2), and 450-750 fathoms (RD3). The area within each of the 15 strata are sectioned into 2 km x 2 km grid cells or ‘fishing blocks’ from which set locations are randomly chosen each year. Survey procedures are standardized and documented in Canadian Technical Reports of Fisheries and Aquatic sciences.

Data tables provided for the offshore stratified random survey include (i) effort, (ii) catch, (iii) biological information, (iv) the sampling frame from which blocks are selected for sampling each year, and (v) the calculated coastwide Sablefish biomass index.

StRS Effort

This table contains information about the annual survey trips and fishing events (sets). Trip-level information includes the year the survey took place, a unique trip identifier, the vessel that conducted the survey and the trip start and end dates (the dates the vessel was away from the dock conducting the survey). Set-level information includes the date, time, location and depth that fishing took place, the survey spatial and depth strata for the set, reason for the set, soak time, number of traps deployed and number of traps fished. All successful fishing events are included, i.e., those sets that conformed to specified survey standards.

StRS Catch

This table contains the catch information from successful fishing events. Catches are identified to species or to the lowest taxonomic level possible. Catches are recorded as fish counts and / or weight. The unique trip identifier and set number are included so that catches can be related to the fishing event information (including capture location).

StRS Biological Information

This table contains the biological data for sampled catches. Data may include any or all of length, weight, sex, maturity, and age. Most of the sampled catch is Sablefish; however, some biological information has been collected on Rockfish, Flatfish and other Roundfish species in some years. Age structures are collected and are archived until required for analyses; therefore, all existing structures have not been aged at this time. Tissue samples (usually a fin clip) may be collected for genetic (DNA) analysis for specific species. Genetic samples may be archived until required for analyses; for more information, please see the data contacts. The unique trip identifier and set number are included so that samples can be related to the fishing event and catch information.

Sample Frame

This table contains a list of all of the 2km x 2km grid cells or ‘fishing blocks’ that are part of the stratified random sampling frame. A subset of blocks are randomly selected for sampling each year from this list. For each grid cell, the corresponding depth and spatial strata ID is included. This sample frame can be used to calculate design-based abundance indices for the survey.

StRS Biomass Index

This table contains a coastwide relative biomass index for Sablefish based on the annual StRS survey. Stratified random sampling mean index values and 95% confidence intervals are calculated by year using the classical survey stratified random sampling estimator (Cochran 1977) and the number of possible sampling units per stratum provided by Wyeth et al. (2007). The relative biomass index has been input to the operating model and management procedure used to provide management advice for BC Sablefish since 2011 (Cox et al. 2011).