Abundance and distribution of Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) and other pelagic fishes over the U.S. Continental Shelf of the Northern Bering and Chukchi Seas

Abstract

We conducted acoustic-trawl (AT) surveys of the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas during ice-free periods in 2012 and 2013. The mixed species assemblages in the study area required refinement of standard AT survey methods, and adjustment of trawl catches for the effects of trawl selectivity. Sensitivity analyses indicate that the AT abundance estimates are relatively robust to the assumptions of the analysis. These surveys indicate that midwater fishes are dominated by age-0 Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), age-0 saffron cod (Eleginus gracilis), capelin (Mallotus villosus), and Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii). In both years, age-0 Arctic cod were distributed principally ≥69.5°N, age-0 saffron cod were abundant in coastal areas between 66.5 and 69.5°N, and Pacific herring were distributed south of 67°N. These three fishes exhibited consistent associations with temperature, salinity and bottom depth: e.g., age-0 Arctic cod were abundant at lower mean water column temperatures than saffron cod. In contrast, capelin were distributed throughout the study area, and were not consistently associated with environmental measures. There was a geographic trend in body length, with smaller Arctic cod, saffron cod and capelin in northern areas, but smaller herring in the south. Arctic cod, saffron cod, herring and capelin were all >2 times more abundant in 2013 than 2012. Sizeable populations of age-0 Arctic cod were observed in the northern Chukchi Sea, which suggests that this area is an important nursery ground. However, relatively few older Arctic cod were observed in this and other surveys of the area, which suggests that either overwinter mortality of age-0 Arctic cod is high, and/or these fish are not retained on the Chukchi shelf.