Species Analyses

Once onboard, the catch from each tow is sorted and measured by species and size-class if distinct classes within a particular species are evident. A subsample of each species/size-class is further processed for individual weight determination, stomach contents, ageing, and determination of sex and maturity stage.

Single-species assessment models typically require information on (among others) age-, length-, and weight-structure, sex ratio, and maturity stage. Data were synthesized to characterize annual length- and age-frequency distributions. Analytical computer programs to characterize each of the assessment-related data elements (length, weight, age, sex, maturity) were developed to allow for the summarization of these characteristics across a variety of spatial and temporal scales (e.g., by year, season, or region of the bay) for each species.

ChesMMAP

Number of specimens collected, measured and processed for age determination and diet composition, 2002-2012

Year	Number of Species	Specimens Collected	Specimens Measured	Otoliths Sampled	Otoliths Processed	Stomachs Sampled	Stomachs Processed
2002	80	32,019	23,605	5,487	4,944	4,560	3,019
2003	75	30,924	20,828	3,913	3,055	3,250	2,416
2004	71	47,622	31,245	5,169	4,290	4,272	3,330
2005	77	45,204	36,909	6,065	5,006	5,067	3,375
2006	79	43,957	31,243	5,413	4,229	4,402	2,940
2007	75	30,893	22,124	4,282	3,253	3,674	2,871
2008	80	26,299	19,596	4,206	3,048	3,678	3,427
2009	103	22,050	15,694	3,227	2,206	2,722	2,613
2010	100	26,337	20,566	4,003	2,653	3,424	3,236
2011	89	21,185	16,397	3,429	1,999	2,742	2,525
2012	91	17,329	14,955	2,497	1,519	2,016	1,734
2013	89	21,369	14,623	2,739	1,646	1,939	1,375
2014	80	11,316	7,807	1,740	988	893	837
2015	93	22,981	13,011	2,502	1,438	1,137	1,126
2016	94	28,165	18,042	3,341	1,517	1,606	1,587
2017	102	21,246	16,516	3,169	1,625	1,887	1,863
TOTAL		448,873	323,153	62,297	43,068	48,846	38,950

NEAMAP

Total number of species collected, along with the number of specimens caught, the weight of these animals in kilograms, and the number sampled for individual length measurements, given by survey cruise and overall. The numbers sampled and processed (to date) for age and diet determination are also provided.

Cruise	Number of Species	Specimens Collected	Specimens Measured	Otoliths Sampled	Otoliths Processed	Stomachs Sampled	Stomachs Processed
Fall 2007	126	1,101,152	73,473	5,150	3,245	3,905	3,663
Spring 2008	85	298,923	54,700	6,132	3,226	4,810	3,807
Fall 2008	128	731,429	61,334	4,609	3,503	3,383	3,241
Spring 2009	93	285,304	77,276	6,570	3,483	4,851	3,879
Fall 2009	102	1,242,518	105,757	6,446	4,837	4,562	4,256
Spring 2010	91	284,602	50,617	5,285	2,741	4,016	2,811
Fall 2010	125	803,121	93,025	5,149	3,845	3,570	3,466
Spring 2011	108	317,030	72,365	5,262	2,751	3,901	3,772
Fall 2011	124	705,925	86,525	4,766	3,675	3,434	3,209
Spring 2012	111	341,543	93,991	5,926	2,578	4,245	3,918
Fall 2012	124	1,209,251	136,205	6,217	4,265	4,041	3,595
Spring 2013	90	280,929	83,495	6,418	2,598	4,515	4,232
Fall 2013	124	863,162	100,989	4,867	3,166	2,868	2,496
Spring 2014	84	177,337	55,338	5,491	2,348	3,311	3,239
Fall 2014	133	1,131,499	100,517	4,487	3,086	2,281	2,263
Spring 2015	87	148,470	55,159	5,497	2,618	3,105	3,053
Fall 2015	131	753,716	117,717	4,906	3,270	2,262	2,197
Spring 2016	111	489,855	98,054	6,959	3,638	3,381	3,346
Fall 2016	141	562,542	96,462	4,587	3,336	2,063	2,048
Spring 2017	79	187,529	45,924	2,920	1,937	1,708	1,678
Fall 2017	127	776,846	97,677	4,855	3,624	2,006	1,192
TOTAL		12,700,924	1,772,078	112,947	5,623	72,491	65,414

The species descriptions provided on this site are directly from:

FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes - The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Atlantic

Volume 1 : Introduction, molluscs, crustaceans, hagfishes, sharks, batoid fishes and chimaeras

Volume 2 : Bony Fishes Part 1 (Acipenseridae to Grammatidae)

Volume 3 : Bony Fishes Part 2 (Opistognathidae to Molidae), sea turtles and marine mammals