State of North Carolina R/V Carolina Coast Pamlico
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STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA R/V CAROLINA COAST PAMLICO-ALBEMARLE SOUNDS SURVEY September 1987 Cruise Report Prepared by C. Dianne Stephan David W. Moye Steven K. Strasser North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Community Development Division of Marine Fisheries P. 0. Box 769 Morehead City, NC 28557 March 1988 The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries' R/V CAROLINA COAST departed Morehead City, North Carolina, on 16 September 1987 for the third quarterly cruise of the Pamlico-Albemarle Sounds Survey. The Survey is designed to provide a long-term fishery-independent database for the waters of Pamlico Sound, eastern Albemarle Sound and the lower Neuse and Pamlico rivers (Figure 1). For specific objectives and methodology, see the Pamlico-Albemarle Sounds Survey March 1987 Cruise Report. Fifty-two stations were sampled during September 16-18 and September 21-24 (Figure 2). During the two week sampling period water temperature ranged from 24.7°C to 28.2°C on the bottom and 24.7°C to 29.5°C on the surface (Table 1). Mean salinity appeared much lower in Albemarle Sound and slightly lower in the Pamlico River than in the other strata. Mean temperature values appeared similar throughout the strata (Table 2). Eighty-three species were encountered over the cruise (Table 3); however, four commercially important species, spot (Leiostomus xanthurus), croaker (Micropogonias undulatus), blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), and weakfish (Cynoscion regalis) accounted for the greatest number of individuals. Aside from abundant catches of tunicates, these 4 species also comprised the greatest total biomass. Largest catches of spot occurred in both Albemarle Sound strata (Table 5). Spot were noticeably less abundant in the Pamlico Sound substrata west of Bluff Shoal (PDW and PSW, Tables 4 and 5). Two cohorts of spot appear to be represented in Figure 3. Croaker was the most abundant species in every strata and substrata except PR and AS, where they ranked third and second, respectively (Table 4). Greatest total numbers of croaker were found at Albemarle Sound stations (strata AS and AD, Table 5). Only one cohort of croaker is apparent in Figure 4. Of all the commercially important species, blue crab was the most widely distributed, occurring in 45 stations, or 87% of all stations sampled. The greatest mean number of individuals per station appeared to occur in Albemarle Sound (Table 4). They were also abundant in all Pamlico Sound substrata. Length-frequency data showed the possibility of two cohorts of blue crab (Figure 5). 2 The greatest catches of weakfish occurred in Pamlico Sound substrata east of Bluff Shoal (PSE and POE, Table 5) while the greatest mean number of individuals per station appeared to be in Albemarle Sound (Table 4). Relatively few weakfish were captured in Pamlico Sound west of Bluff Shoal (PSW and POW). Weakfish exhibited one strong cohort with a total of 4 possible cohorts (Figure 6). Other commercially important finfish which were present in relatively great numbers included summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus), southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma), southern kingfish (Menticirrhus americanus), Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus), and bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix). Summer flounder was the sixth most abundant species in total number (Table 3), and was widely distributed through the Pamlico and Albemarle strata (Table 5). The greatest mean number of summer flounder per station was found in Albemarle Sound strata (AS and AD). Summer flounder exhibited a unimodal length-frequency distribution (Figure 7). The greatest mean number of individuals per station of southern flounder occurred in the PSW strata (Table 4). Southern flounder had a large size range, but showed only one obvious cohort in their length-frequency distribution (Figure 8). Relatively few southern kingfish were caught in September, and were dispersed among only three substrata, POE, POW, and PSW. The length-frequency distribution of these individuals did not depict a significant pattern (Figure 9). Conversely, relatively numerous Spanish mackerel were present for the first time during the September cruise (Table 3). This species was present in every strata except for AD and PR. The length-frequency distribution did not show any conclusive cohorts (Figure 10). Only ten bluefish were encountered in September (Table 5), ranging in size from 190 to 380 mm (Figure 11). Three species of commercially-important shrimp were encountered in September, including pink shrimp (Penaeus duorarum), brown shrimp(£. aztecus), and white shrimp(£. setiferus), in order of abundance (Table 3). The greatest mean number of individuals per station for all three species appeared to occur in Albemarle Sound (Table 4). Unimodal length-frequency distributions were present for each species (Figures 12, 13, and 14). A number of commercially-important juvenile reef and pelagic species were present during this quarter. These were found in one or more of three Pamlico Sound substrata (POW, PSE, and POE) and included cobia (Rachycentron canadum), blue runner (Caranx crysos), jack crevalle (Caranx hippos), king 3 mackerel Scomberomorus cavalla), gag grouper (Mycteroperca microlepis), black sea bass (Centropristis striata), Warsaw grouper (Epinephelus nigratus), red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus), grey snapper (Lutjanus griseus), and lane snapper (Lutjanus syngris). 4 CRUISE PARTICIPANTS Dianne Stephan, Chief Scientist, DMF Morehead City District, Morehead City, NC David Moye, Chief Scientist, DMF Washington District, Washington, NC Beth Burns, Marine Biologist I, DMF Elizabeth City District, Manteo, NC Jack Guthrie, Fisheries Technician, DMF Morehead City District, Morehead City, NC Paul Moore, Fisheries Technician, DMF Morehead City District, Morehead City, NC Steve Strasser, Fisheries Technician, DMF Washington District, Washington, NC Lele Tison, Fisheries Technician, DMF Washington District, Washington, NC Mike Pulley, Fisheries Technician, DMF Washington District, Washington, NC Robert Guthrie, Captain, DMF Morehead City District, Morehead City, NC Mike Guthrie, Mate, DMF Morehead City District, Morehead City, NC Table 1. Environmental data including station location, date and time of sampling, depth, surface and bottom salinity and surface and bottom temperature for the September, 1987, Paml i co-/\ 1bemarl e sounds cruise of the R/V CAROLINA COAST. *AREA LATITUDE LONGITUDE STATION DAY TIME DEPTH SURFACE BOTTOM SURFACE BOTTOM ( M) SALINITY SALINITY TEMPERATURE TEMPERATLIRF <PPT> ( F'F'T) ( . ;; ) (. c} A_D 35 59 OON 75 49 14W 1 169A 23 936 3.6 4.5 4.7 25.1 2~). 1 35 59 OON 75 59 i 2W 1173A "3 1123 4.6 4.5 4.7 25.4 25.0 35 59 42N 75 49 oow 11 82A 23 1247 5.8 4.6 25.0 25.0 uA_S 35 57 09N 75 39 oow 1 197A 23 751 2.4 8.0 ~:~ 24.7 24.7 76 39 0078N 16 813 5.5 16.6 16.7 27.5 27.5 N_R 35 01 OON 06W ::_'6.,1, 34 56 30N 76 49 00W 0056N 16 831 4.3 17.4 1 7. 1 27.5 r;-, 7 34 \7 30N 76 02 00W 0662S 17 1320 4.9 2i .2 2~ • 4 28.0 35 14 OON 76 04 00W 0915S 17 1427 4.9 20.3 20.6 28.6 35 14 OON 75 55 30W 0786S 22 827 5.8 21 .3 24.1 26.8 g*:6 P-D-E~=i=~ 35 2i 30N 75 43 00W 0493S 22 1007 5.2 21..2 24.7 27.4 27. i P-D-E 35 25 OON 75 37 30W 0374S 22 11" 5.8 20.5 20.6 28.1 26.6 35 27 OON 75 43 30W 03i2S 22 1158 5.8 19.9 20.2 27.9 26.8 4.9 19.0 19.9 ":17 4 26.2 35 32 OON 75 35 30W 0199S 22 1302 ?7. '~ 35 36 OON 75 36 30W 0130S 22 1439 4.3 18.7 18.6 26.5 P~~€~~ D E 35 38 OON 75 35 49W OlliS 22 1530 4.0 18.8 18.9 27:1 26.7 P-D-E 35 43 OON 75 39 19W 0066S 23 1459 4.0 19.5 19.6 25.2 25.0 35 41 OON 75 40 00W 0o9ss 23 1543 3.6 18.3 19.8 25.3 n=~ OON 75 43 30W 0114S 23 1709 3.6 1 8. 1 18.4 25.9 ~~·~ ~n~ 30N 75 41 00W 0115S 1758 4.0 17.5 17.5 2s:6 35 32 OON 75 49 30W 0209S ~~ 754 4.9 18.6 20.0 ~~:8 25.8 35 28 OON 75 51 30W 0304S 24 835 5.5 20.4 20.4 25.3 25.6 P-D-E~=n 35 27 OON 75 53 30W 0330S 24 915 5.2 19.8 20. t ?5 ') 25.2 P-D-E 35 25 OON 75 51 30W 0381S 24 9~54 5.8 :20.9 '1 0 9 2s:s 25.5 P-D-E 35 23 30N 75 54 oow 0419S 2<\ 1034 5.8 20.1 :22:0 25.1 ~g.s 35 22 OON 75 55 30W 0490S 24 11H 4.6 20.5 25.2 .,_::;. 3 ~=g=~ 35 05 OON 76 29 42W 1031S 16 no 6.1 r~:5 16.9 27.5 28.2 F-· n-w 35 06 OON 76 29 30W 1008$ 16 1004 6.4 27.9 27.8 35 08 OON 76 27 30W 0962S 16 1041 t~J 1~:~ 28.4 28.1 FE=~ 35 09 30N 76 23 oow 0933S 16 1127 ~:~ 17.0 18.5 28.1 28.1 35 iS OON 76 19 39W 0728S 16 1358 4.3 16.0 16.9 28.5 27.8 35 17 30N 76 19 oow 0646S 17 903 4.3 17.0 17.0 27.8 27.8 35 11 OON 76 15 30W 0872S 18 852 5.5 19.4 19.5 27.5 27.7 P-n-w~=B=~ 35 09 OON 76 17 06W 0972S 18 946 4.6 19.5 19.5 27.9 27.7 P-D-W 35 05 30N 76 23 oow 1033S 19 1051 4.3 20.4 20.6 27.7 27.2 P-D-W 35 05 30N 76 13 oow 1044S 21 1610 6.1 20.5 20.3 29.5 28.0 35 06 24N 76 10 oow 1028S 21 1651 19.9 22.1 26.9 FP 35 20 30N 76 30 oow 0047P 16 g:3 11 • 4 14.9 ~~:~ 27.4 35 20 30N 76 32 oow 0043P 16 1555 4.9 11.4 1 4.