First sampling event April 4 2016 - part 1

Today was a great day! We sampled for the first time beginning at 7 am just as it started to get light. We established 2 transects; one from 15 to 60 m & the other from 60 to 100 bathymetric depth. We collected acoustic data and gathered a surface larval trawl sample along 4 segments during each transect for a total of 8 trawls.

The Xs on the chart are the start and end positions of the trawl tows. We then established a limnology site at the center of each segment, again 8 sites in total (blue squares).

The platform we built last week seems be working stupendously! The next photo shows the pole/platform system as seen from the dock. You can also see the larval net stowed on the bow. A boat hook is in the water. It tried to swim away, but we caught it.

Here is the zooplankton net we are using. It has a circular mouth. We lower & retrieve it with a hand-powered winch. This same winch is being used for all overboard collections. I was told it is over 50 years old. Any tool that stays in use for 50 years is a very good tool indeed.