This data layer represents the 12 uniquely identified stocks of harbor seals found in Alaskan waters. Stocks were identified by NMFS and their co-management partners, the Alaska Native Harbor Seal Commission, in 2010 based largely on genetic structure. Given the genetic samples were not obtained continuously throughout the range, a total evidence approach was used to consider additional factors such as population trends, observed harbor seal movements, and traditional Alaska Native use areas in the final designation of stock boundaries. The 12 stocks of harbor seals currently identified in Alaska are 1) the Aleutian Islands, 2) the Pribilof Islands, 3) Bristol Bay, 4) North Kodiak Island, 5) South Kodiak Island, 6) Prince William Sound, 7) Cook Inlet/Shelikof Strait, 8) Glacier Bay/Icy Strait, 9) Lynn Canal/Stephens Passage, 10) Sitka/Chatham Strait, 11) Dixon/Cape Decision and 12) Clarence Strait.

This dataset contains detailed crab data collected from the annual NOAA/NMFS/AFSC/RACE crab-groundfish bottom trawl survey of the eastern Bering Sea continental shelf. The standard survey area, surveyed each year since 1975, encompasses a major portion of the eastern Bering Sea shelf between the 20 meter and 200 meter isobaths and from the Alaska Peninsula to the north of St. Matthew Island. The study area is divided into a grid with cell sizes of 20 x 20 nautical miles (37 x 37 kilometers). Sampling takes place within each 20 x 20 nautical mile grid cell. In areas surrounding St. Matthew (1983-present) and the Pribilof Islands (1981-present), grid corners were also sampled to better assess king crab concentrations. In 1975, tows were 1 hour in duration; from 1976 to present, each tow is one-half hour in duration, averaging 1.54 nautical miles (2.86 kilometers) - exact tow duration and distance fished for each haul can be found in RACEBASE.HAUL. 100% of the catch is sorted for red, blue, and golden king crab, bairdi Tanner, snow crab, hybrid Tanner, and hair crab. Crabs are sorted by species and sex, and a sample is measured to the nearest millimeter to provide a size-frequency distribution (see note under use constraints for analyzing catches where crab were subsampled for measurement). Carapace width is measured for Tanner crabs, and carapace length is measured for king and hair crabs.

Flatfish catch and effort data collected by observers in the United States commercial groundfish fisheries of Alaska (Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska, 1993-2017.
Subset of the Alaska observer groundfish data, aggregating by 400km square cells and eliminating cells with less than three vessels to create a public version of the Alaska groundfish observer data.
Purpose: Allows visitors use of the aggregated observer data to create maps. These maps are designed to provide a better understanding of where groundfish are caught in the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska.
Supplemental_Information: http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/FMA/fma_database.htm
Number 2 of a set of 5 files:
1. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Rockfish Catch
2. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Flatfish Catch
3. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Most fishes (excluding flatfishes and rockfishes) Catch
4. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Invertebrates Catch
5. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Effort Statistics
https://www.afsc.noaa.gov/FMA/spatial_data.htm; https://www.afsc.noaa.gov/FMA/data_availability_page.htm; https://www.afsc.noaa.gov/FMA/format.htm; https://www.afsc.noaa.gov/maps/FMA/datamap/metadata_template.php?fname=OBSweb.xml;

Groundfish catch and effort data (excluding flatfishes and rockfishes) collected by observers in the United States commercial groundfish fisheries of Alaska (Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska, 1993-2017.
Subset of the Alaska observer groundfish data, aggregating by 400km square cells and eliminating cells with less than three vessels to create a public version of the Alaska groundfish observer data.
Purpose: Allows visitors use of the aggregated observer data to create maps. These maps are designed to provide a better understanding of where groundfish are caught in the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska.
Supplemental_Information: http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/FMA/fma_database.htm
Number 3 of a set of 5 files:
1. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Rockfish Catch
2. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Flatfish Catch
3. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Most fishes (excluding flatfishes and rockfishes) Catch
4. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Invertebrates Catch
5. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Effort Statistics

Effort data collected by observers in the United States commercial groundfish fisheries of Alaska (Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska, 1993-2017.
Subset of the Alaska observer groundfish data, aggregating by 400km square cells and eliminating cells with less than three vessels to create a public version of the Alaska groundfish observer data.
Purpose: Allows visitors use of the aggregated observer data to create maps. These maps are designed to provide a better understanding of where groundfish are caught in the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska.
Supplemental_Information: http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/FMA/fma_database.htm
Number 5 of a set of 5 files:
1. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Rockfish Catch
2. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Flatfish Catch
3. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Most fishes (excluding flatfishes and rockfishes) Catch
4. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Invertebrates Catch
5. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Effort Statistics

Invertebrate catch and effort data collected by observers in the United States commercial groundfish fisheries of Alaska (Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska, 1993-2017.
Subset of the Alaska observer groundfish data, aggregating by 400km square cells and eliminating cells with less than three vessels to create a public version of the Alaska groundfish observer data.
Purpose: Allows visitors use of the aggregated observer data to create maps. These maps are designed to provide a better understanding of where groundfish are caught in the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska.
Supplemental_Information: http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/FMA/fma_database.htm
Number 4 of a set of 5 files:
1. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Rockfish Catch
2. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Flatfish Catch
3. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Most fishes (excluding flatfishes and rockfishes) Catch
4. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Invertebrates Catch
5. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Effort Statistics

Rockfish catch and effort data collected by observers in the United States commercial groundfish fisheries of Alaska (Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska, 1993-2017.
Subset of the Alaska observer groundfish data, aggregating by 400km square cells and eliminating cells with less than three vessels to create a public version of the Alaska groundfish observer data.
Purpose: Allows visitors use of the aggregated observer data to create maps. These maps are designed to provide a better understanding of where groundfish are caught in the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska.
Supplemental_Information: http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/FMA/fma_database.htm
Number 1 of a set of 5 files:
1. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Rockfish Catch
2. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Flatfish Catch
3. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Most fishes (excluding flatfishes and rockfishes) Catch
4. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Invertebrates Catch
5. AFSC/FMA: North Pacific Groundfish and Halibut Observer Program Fishery Statistics - Effort Statistics