Survey Background

Who conducts the survey?

The California Current Ecosystem Survey is conducted by researchers at the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center from the Fisheries Resources Division. The survey is also made possible by volunteers from additional NOAA line offices and science centers, universities, international partners, NOAA interns, and inter-agency employees.

Where does the survey take place?

Sardine distribution

General sampling scheme
Figure 1.1: On left, a conceptual spring (shaded region) and summer (hashed region) distributions of potential habitat for the northern stock of Pacific Sardine along the west coasts of Mexico, the United States, and Canada. On right, the general sampling scheme of planned core-region (solid black lines), adaptive (dashed red lines), and nearshore lines (pink).

Research objectives:

  1. Acoustically map the distributions, measure the species compositions and size-frequency distributions, and estimate the abundances and biomasses of CPS present in the survey area, e.g., Pacific Sardine Sardinops sagax, Northern Anchovy (Engraulis mordax), Pacifc Herring (Clupea pallasii), Round Herring (Etrumeus acuminatus), Pacific Mackerel (Scomber japonicus), and Jack Mackerel (Trachurus symmetricus)
  2. Characterize and investigate linkages to their biotic and abiotic environments
  3. Gather information regarding their life histories
  4. Compare the species composition and size distributions of trawls and near shore vessel purse seine sets.

Survey History:

The SWFSC’s ATM surveys of CPS in the CCE began in 2006 with a focus on the northern stock of Pacific Sardine. Since then, they have expanded in scope and objectives to include the larger forage-fsh assemblage and krill. This evolution, and the migratory behavior of Pacific Sardine, serve to explain the present survey region and design.

Code of Conduct