Abstract:

Shelf and slope waters in the Deep Water Horizon oil spill (DWHOS) area are known to serve as critical spawning, nursery, and foraging habitat of several important oceanic species including billfishes (e.g. blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish), tunas (bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna), and other pelagic taxa (swordfish, dolphinfishes). The aim of this component was to further investigate potential ecological effects of the DWHOS on pelagic fishes during the early life period. Larval fishes were sampled from 48 stations in the northern Gulf of Mexico and cruise data was collected at each site including latitude/longitude, date, time and environmental data (sea surface temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, Sargassum biomass) during 2015. Samples were obtained from R/V Blazing Seven cruises LF2015A and LF2015B from June 2015 - July 2015. This dataset report environmental data (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen) collected during these cruises.

Suggested Citation:

Jay R. Rooker, R.J. David Wells. 2017. Cruise data for neuston net and paired bongo net tows from 48 stations in the northern Gulf of Mexico from R/V Blazing Seven cruises LF2015A and LF2015B June 2015 and July 2015. Distributed by: Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information and Data Cooperative (GRIIDC), Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/N72B8W3M

Publications:

Meinert, C. R., Clausen-Sparks, K., Cornic, M., Sutton, T. T., & Rooker, J. R. (2020). Taxonomic Richness and Diversity of Larval Fish Assemblages in the Oceanic Gulf of Mexico: Links to Oceanographic Conditions. Frontiers in Marine Science, 7. doi:10.3389/fmars.2020.00579

Purpose:

Generalized additive models (GAMs) will be developed for periods before (2007-2009) and after (2015-2017) the DWHOS event to characterize habitat associations of selected taxa (billfishes, tunas, dolphinfishes, flyingfishes). Habitat suitability models will then be used to predict the probability of occurrence of each taxa during (2010) and several years after (2011-2013) in relation to regions exposed to oil to identify areas of high quality habitat that overlap with regions exposed to the DWHOS. In addition, life history and ecosystem parameters that favor the production and survival of pelagic fish larvae and juveniles from multiple cohorts (2015-2017) will be compared to estimates before and after the DWHOS.

Data Parameters and Units:

Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L) Sea Surface Temperature (°C) Salinity (Practical Salinity Unit) Latitude (degrees decimal minute) Longitude (degrees decimal minute)

Methods:

Sea surface water samples were collected at each station and measured for temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen. GPS location was recorded at each station.

Instruments:

EXO2 Multiparameter Sonde (Salinity, Dissolved Oxygen, Sea Surface Temperature) Garmin GPSmap76 (Latitude and Longitude)

Provenance and Historical References:

Ichthyoplankton surveys will be conducted in shelf and slope waters of the northern GOM, and approximately 50 stations between approximately 92-88 W longitude and 27-28 N latitude have been sampled for 8 years (2006-2013). The proposed early life surveys will complement collections taken during and after the spill (2010-2013 TAMU survey funded by LDWF).

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