Laura Palamara, John Manderson, Josh Kohut, Matthew Oliver, John Goff, Steven Gray Developing Ecological Indicators for Fisheries Management using IOOS Defined Habitat Characteristics in the Mid-Atlantic Bight

Objectives  Model fish distributions (multi- and single- species) using environmental data: benthic AND pelagic  See if we can use remotely sensed data as a surrogate for going out to sea  Apply model results to fisheries management  Important environmental indices  EFH, MPA  Curb by-catch

Statistical models of fish-habitat associations NEFSC bottom trawls Spring Fall Species

Bathymetry Sediment Grain Size Ship Surveys: Bottom Habitat Data depth median standard deviation slope median standard deviation aspect median standard deviation profile curvature median standard deviation tangential curvature median standard deviation sediment grain size

Ship Surveys: CTD temperature surface bottom salinity surface bottom stratification mixed-layer depth Simpson’s potential energy entire water column top 30 meters

Sea Surface Temperature Ocean Color Integrated Ocean Observation Systems: Satellite Data sea surface temperature mean standard deviation water-leaving radiance (ocean color) 412 nm (M & SD) 443 nm (M & SD) 488 nm (M & SD) 531 nm (M & SD) 551 nm (M & SD) 667 nm (M & SD) Chlorophyll a mean standard deviation water mass data

Integrated Ocean Observation Systems: HF radar - ocean currents Current Velocity Divergence Trend detided & filtered along-shore velocity detided & filtered cross-shore velocity variance in raw along-shore velocity variance in raw cross-shore velocity divergence average trend vorticity average trend

Current Velocity

Divergence & Vorticity

Seasonal Divergence Trends

Multivariate Analysis (CCA) Final Environmental Variables Used Benthic Depth (log-transformed) Profile curvature Slope (residuals vs. depth) Sediment grain size IOOS SST 488 nm reflectance 551 nm reflectance (residuals vs. 488 nm) Cross-shore velocity Variance in cross-shore velocity Divergence trend CTD Mixed-layer depth Simpson’s PE (limited to top 30 m) Bottom temp Bottom salinity (residuals vs. depth)

Community Axis 1 Temp Depth 551 nm resids

Benthic IOOS CTD 21.4% 16.8% 24.8% 5.2% 6.1% 16.7% 8.9% 41.6% 47.6% 56.5% 27.5% 33.5% 14.1% 30.9% 22.0% 25.6% Percent of Explained Community Variation Partial CCA divergence trend 488 nm reflectance Simpson’s potential energy bottom T  SST bottom salinity residuals  SST mixed-layer depth  current velocity

Squid GAM Used multivariate results as a guide Explained approximately 85% of the variation in squid abundance Variables included: – bottom temperature – SST x depth interaction – sediment grain size – current velocity – divergence trend – water-leaving radiance: 488 nm

Conclusions Pelagic habitat is important IOOS provides useful measures of the pelagic habitat IOOS increases explanatory power of statistical habitat models