Assessment of Nearshore Fish around Akutan Harbor Using Beach Seines During March and June 2000. by

• Main Authors: Martin Robards, Mark Schroeder
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2000
• Subjects: Pacific; Varden; Pink salmon; Alaska
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.597.8333; http://alaska.usgs.gov/science/biology/seabirds_foragefish/products/reports/AkutanRep.PDF

We sampled nearshore fishes from Akutan Harbor at Akutan Island (eastern Aleutian chain, Alaska) during March and June 2000 using a beach seine. A total of 6,445 fish were caught, comprising at least 14 fish species (one helmet crab was the only invertebrate species caught) from a total of 27 sets. Only 6 of 15 sets made in March caught fish (5 sets containing 2 fish, and 1 set containing 1 fish), whereas all 12 sets made in June caught fish. Over 99 % of these fish were pink salmon that were collected in only two sets. Adult rock sole and Dolly Varden were the next most abundant species. The pattern of low numbers of nearshore fish in winter and large numbers of juvenile salmon in June is common in Alaskan nearshore waters. Results also indicate the presence of several key forage fish species (sand lance, capelin, and Pacific cod).