AFSC/RACE/MACE: Results of 2010 Acoustic-trawl survey of the Shumagin Islands, Sanak Trough, Kenai Peninsula bays and Prince-william sound dy1001

Scientists from the Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering (MACE) Program of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center's (AFSC) Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering (RACE) Division routinely conduct acoustic-trawl (AT) stock assessment surveys in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) during late winter and early spring to estimate the distribution and abundance of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma). Historically, most of these efforts have been focused on the Shelikof Strait area, which has been surveyed annually since 1980, except in 1982 and 1999. The Shumagin Islands area has also been surveyed annually since 2005 with prior surveys in 1994-1996 and 2001-2003. Additionally, the GOA continental shelf break east of Chirikof Island to Barnabas Trough has been surveyed annually since 2002. In 2010, survey activities were expanded to include Morzhovoi Bay, Pavlof Bay, the bays along the southern coast of the Kenai Peninsula, and Prince William Sound. This report presents the distribution and abundance of walleye pollock for all AT surveys conducted in the GOA during February and March 2010 along with acoustic system calibration and physical oceanographic results.