Port Sampling
Objective
The purpose of this project is to collect biological samples from the Port Orford area nearshore fish species to establish baseline information and monitor changes over time. The information collected is to be used to document life history, develop a genetic database, and to inform stock assessments and management decisions with local stock information.Goals
This is year 3 of a 3 year fish biological sampling project. The two previous years this project was conducted were 2004 and 2005. This project is a collaboration between the Port Orford Ocean Resource Team (POORT) and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). Trained assistants will 1)collect samples, 2)record location, vessel, depth and date of capture, 3)collect length and weight information from the whole fish, 4)extract and secure otoliths, gonads and fin samples for further lab testing. If funding permits, fish liver samples will also be taken to analyze for toxicology.Community based fisheries management (CBFM) is a large part of the POORT mission, and a large part of CBFM is collection of scientific information. The information collected here will aid in the stock assessment of the Port Orford stock and further the process of creating a CBFM system.
Solution
One commercial fishing vessel, the F/V Top Gun, will be chartered for the entire study period, preferably during the first two weeks of the month. The charter will go out to various locations in our fishing area to gather fish for port-based sampling by qualified and trained individuals. Because the data do not require the fish to remain alive, they will be placed on ice until sampling can be completed.Fish Collection
Once a month, the vessel take out a trained scientist to collect fish for the project. A mix of the target species is preferred each collection period, using Table 1 as a guideline for amounts of each species to aim for. These fish will not count against the vessels quota for any of the fish caught and retained for the purposes of this project.NOTE: The chartered vessel will obtain the required permits to collect fish during regular commercial fishery season openings and also during commercial fisheries closures. Charter vessels may be on the water collecting fish when commercials fishers are not allowed to land nearshore species. Research is being conducted on a monthly schedule.
The fish will be caught using either hook and line or longline techniques. When the fish are caught, they will be immediately placed on ice to minimize tissue changes after death.
Location Information
Location and depth information will be gathered by the scientist or ODFW personnel aboard the vessel. The GPS latitude and longitude, depth and time will be collected at the following times:- When the first hook hits the water for a longline set
- When the last hook comes aboard for a longline set
- When the first hook hits the water for jig events
- When the last hook leaves the water for jig events
Sampling Protocols
In order to effectively use all of the data collected in the study, the collection of the biological data from the fish must be standardized. All specimens will be assigned a number that will be associated with all data collected from the specimen:- Fork length of the fish is measured from the tip of the snout to the middle rays of the caudal fin. This measurement is taken with a strip divided into centimeters flush with a hard surface to lay the snout of the fish against for accurate measure. The fork length is determined by spreading the caudal fin rays out and taking the reading at the middle of the rays.
- The weight is taken in pounds. Using a scale that is either calibrated for a container or to zero for direct measure, the fish is placed on the scale and the weight recorded.
- Otoliths are located in two pockets posterior to the eyes and below the brain. Collection of the otoliths can be achieved by a variety of cut methods to gain access to the cavity and extract the bones.
- To collect the gonads of the fish, an insertion is made from the anus toward the head. In most roundfish, the gonads are located near the spine. Once the insertion is made, all organs are gently pushed out of the way to expose the gonads. A cut is made at the insertion of the gonads near the head, and another near the anus to extract the entire gonad. Care should be taken to keep them intact. They are then weighed in grams while wet and recorded to calculate the gonadosomatic index (GSI).
- Finclips are to be collected using a clean knife, scalpel or even scissors. Since these will be used for DNA extraction, it is important to keep these clean between sample collection to minimize cross-contamination. In order to store the finclips at room temperature, it is best to keep them in at least 80% ethanol, but preferably 95%.
- If the funding permits, the livers will be removed for toxicology studies. The liver is located near the stomach. To remove, grasp the liver at the attachment to the intestine and lift out. Use fine forceps that have been soaking in an ethanol bath to remove contaminants.
Materials Needed
- Length strip in centimeters
- Board with vertical surface to place the strip against in order to measure the fish
- Scales that measure to the hundredth of a gram
- Sharp knives to perforate skull to extract otoliths
- Tray to hold otoliths during collection
- Cassettes to store and transport otoliths
- Sharp scalpels to collect gonads
- Cassettes to hold and store gonads
- Formalin to store gonads in
- MSDS for formalin if will be stored in collection area
- Scalpels for finclip collection
- 80-95% ethanol to store finclips (individual storage)
- Sponges to clean fins, knifes, otoliths
- Gloves for collectors
- pencils (HB) for data sheets
- alcohol and water resistant markers for biological sample collections