Fish

Subtopic

Archived Coastal Trawls Data

This subtopic contains layers depicting the distributions of over 80 individual fish species based on their presence in repeated trawl surveys throughout the northeast region from 2005-2014. (More recent datasets are contained in the Federal and Coastal Trawls by Species subtopic.)

Archived Coastal Trawl data were produced by the Marine life Data and Analysis Team (MDAT) and the Portal Working Group in collaboration with the NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MDMF), North East Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (NEAMAP), Maine & New Hampshire state trawls (ME/NH), and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Long Island Sound trawl (LIS).

For each of more than 80 species, the data products include bubble plots of raw observations and a 10km x 10km inverse-distance weighted interpolation plot which smoothed over multiple observations and interpolated in regions with few observations. All units are natural log kilograms per tow.

Data Considerations

These data are considered “archived” because they represent observed biomass from 1978-2014 and more recent fish distribution data are now available under Federal and Coastal Trawls by Species.

Each set of data sources have used standardized survey designs and data collection methodology, but some have used different vessels and gears over time. Results have been normalized to account for these vessel and gear differences. Fall survey samples were collected primarily from September to November, and spring survey samples were collected primarily from February to April. These data products are based on observed data, not model predictions, for the selected time period.

For more detail about the available time periods, mapping approaches, and other methodologies, including information about vessels, gear types, and species catchability, see the MDAT Technical Report on the Methods and Development of Marine-life Data.

For additional detail about individual state and coastal trawls, including the length of their full records and data availability, visit the Northeast Regional Habitat Assessment Data Explorer.

Status

Archived Coastal Trawl data products represent observations between 1978-2014. They were originally added to the Portal in 2015 and were updated in 2021.

Examples of Data

• Atlantic cod interpolated natural log biomass, fall 2005-2014 (ME/NH)
• Atlantic cod, natural log biomass, fall 2005-2014 (MDMF)

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Subtopic

Federal Trawl Summary Products

This subtopic contains Summary Products depicting the distributions of groups of fish species based on their presence in the spring and fall bottom trawl conducted by the NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center between 2010-2019. Species groups were developed through a partnership with the Marine life Data and Analysis Team (MDAT) and fall into several categories:

• Ecological (Diadromous, Forage, Demersal)
• Managed Species (NEFMC multispecies, NEFMC small mesh multispecies, NEFMC skates)
• Stressor Groups (Abundance vulnerable to climate changes, Distribution vulnerable to climate changes, Potentially vulnerable to EMF)

For each of these species groups, users can view biomass and species richness summarized for 2010-2019. Also within this subtopic are Historical Summary Products for all of the species groups listed above. Users can view spring and fall biomass Summary Products by decade between 1980 and 2019.

Data Considerations

Federal Trawl Summary Products provide a general overview of the total biomass or number of species (richness) for groups of species that are similar because of the way they are managed, their ecology, or their sensitivity to specific stressors. The Northeast Regional Ocean Council’s Marine Life Work Groups, stakeholders, the Ecosystem Based Management Work Group, and similar proceedings in the Mid-Atlantic region helped determine what Species Groups should be mapped and what species should belong to each group.

Species Group products can help answer questions such as:

• Where do the highest number of managed species overlap? (Species of Concern)
• Where are demersal fish most abundant? (Ecological Group)
• Where are fish that are potentially vulnerable to EMF most abundant? (Stressor Group)

Species Group products show annual averages of species patterns, they group as many as 81 species together on a single map, and they do not have specific associated estimates of uncertainty. For these reasons, Species Group products are a good starting point for further detailed analyses and exploration of the Individual Species products on which they are based.

To address specific questions, users should explore Individual Species map products. The entire marine life virtual reference library contains extremely detailed spatial and temporal information, including several measures of uncertainty to supplement each individual species map. These data are well suited to address specific questions in conjunction with site-specific data, scientific literature, public input, and many other information sources. For more details about mapping approaches, specific methods, caveats, and limitations, see the Marine-life Data and Analysis Team Model Repository.

Status

Federal Trawl Summary Products mostly represent observations between 2010-2019, and some products show observations between 1980-2019.

Examples of Data

• Demersal biomass, fall 2010-2019, NEFSC
• Demersal species richness, fall 2010-2019, NEFSC

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Subtopic

Highly Migratory Species Habitat Suitability – Past and Future

These data products were developed as part of the NASA-funded Fisheries and Climate Toolkit (FaCeT, https://fisheriesclimatetoolkit.sdsu.edu). FaCeT is a set of products to visualize and explore how climate change will impact highly migratory marine species and fisheries, bridging the gap between fisheries and climate science to support climate resilient and sustainable fisheries.

Data Considerations

Past and future habitat suitability for highly migratory species are modeled data products that leverage several input datasets. Species occurrence was represented using two fishery-dependent datasets: a tag database from the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas Secretariat and catch data from the at-sea observer program that monitors the U.S. Atlantic pelagic longline fishery. Several oceanographic data and models were used as potential predictor variables in the species distribution models. All of the oceanographic datasets were plotted, coarsened, or interpolated to match a grid with a ~9km horizontal resolution. Data were derived from the Global Ocean Physics Reanalysis (GLORYS) for observed oceanographic conditions (1993-2019) and Regional Ocean Model System (ROMS) simulations of the Northwest Atlantic ocean for future oceanographic conditions (2070-2099):

• Monthly sea surface temperature, degC
• Monthly sea surface height (meters)
• Monthly sea surface salinity (PSU)
• Bathymetry (meters) – from ETOPO1
• Rugosity (meters) – from ETOPO1

Full details for data processing and quality control can be found in Braun et al., 2023a and implementation of those methods for climate-scale projections is detailed in Braun et al., 2023b.

Status

These data products are final and were added to the Portal in 2025.

Examples of Data

• Bluefin Tuna Habitat Suitability, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2070, 2080, 2090
• Swordfish Habitat Suitability, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2070, 2080, 2090

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