Site 10 Profile Country: Canada Depth: 86-90 m Level of bottom fishing disturbance: Light to moderate Sampling dates: April 1994 and November 1994
Site 11 Profile Country: Canada Depth: 85 m Level of bottom fishing disturbance: Undisturbed Sampling dates: November 1994
Site 13 Profile Country: Canada Depth: 77-86 m Level of bottom fishing disturbance: Heavy Sampling dates: April 1994, November 1994, July 1997, June 1998, June 1999, and August 2002 Click on photographs to see a larger version.
- Photo taken at station 73 in 1997. Compared to most deep, undisturbed sites, Site 13 has less emergent epifauna, as can be seen in this photograph. Several burrowing anemones and a Northern sea star (Asterias vulgaris) are visible in the photo.
- Photo taken at station 74 in 1997. Rock crabs (Cancer irroratus), like the one seen just left of the center of this picture, frequently congregate around recently dredged areas.1 Also, apparent in this photograph are burrowing anemones and shells belonging to the bivalves Astarte spp. and Placopecten magellanicus.
Site 17 Profile Country: United States Depth: 44-50 m Level of bottom fishing disturbance: In 1994, Site 17 was heavily disturbed by bottom fishing. However, since 1995 this site has been closed to all fishing gear capable of retaining ground fish species. Sampling dates: April 1994, November 1994, July 1995, May 1996, July 1997, June 1998, June 1999, November 2000, August 2002, and November 2003Click on photographs to see a larger version.
- Photo taken at station 21 in 1996. During the time period before and shortly after the bottom fishing closure, Site 17 exhibited a relatively low percent cover of emergent epifauna (i.e., hydroids, bushy bryozoans, sponges). In this picture taken about a year and a half after the closure, the first signs of epifaunal recolonization are apparent. Two patches of bushy bryozoa and one hydroid colony can be seen. Also present are three, brightly-colored nudibranchs.
- Photo taken at station 100 in 1999. The sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) and sponges seen in this picture represent two types of organisms whose abundance has recently increased at Site 17. Other organisms present include a green sea urchin, a burrowing anemone (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis), a Northern sea star (Asterias vulgaris), a barncle (Balanus spp.), and hydroids.
- Photo taken at station 105 in 1999. In addition to sea scallops and sponges, this photograph contains two colonies of the tube-dwelling polychaete Filograna implexa. A barely visible daisy brittle star (Ophiopholis aculeata ) is located on top of the sponge positioned just right of the center of the photograph.
Site 17S Profile Country: United States Depth: 43-63 m Level of bottom fishing disturbance: Undisturbed Sampling dates: July 1997 and June 1999
Site 18 Profile Country: United States Depth: 41-49 m Level of bottom fishing disturbance: In 1994, this site was initially classified as "undisturbed". Following the establishment of closed areas on other parts of Georges Bank, fishing effort was increasingly displaced into Site 18. Consequently, this site has been categorized as "disturbed" since 1995. Sampling dates: April 1994, November 1994, July 1995, May 1996, July 1997, June 1998, June 1999, November 2000, August 2002, and November 2003Click on photographs to see a larger version.
- Photo taken at station 15 in 1996. Before fishing effort increased at Site 18 during the mid-1990s, the calcareous tubeworm Filograna implexa and other types of emergent epifauna were observed more frequently. In addition to the large patches of F. implexa in this photo, a bright-orange blood star (Henricia sanguinolenta) can also be seen.
- Photo taken at station 16 in 1996. Although hydroids are abundant in this photograph, they are less commonly spotted at this site today due to the increase in bottom fishing. In the bottom left-hand corner of this picture, a pink nudibranch can be seen crawling across a rock.
- Photo taken at station 127 in 1999. In recent years, the sea floor at Site 18 has largely been colonized by light pink encrusting bryozoa. Due to their encrusting morphology, these bryozoa seem to be less vulnerable to bottom fishing than other types of sessile epifauna. Other organisms included this picture are the Northern sea star (Asterias vulgaris) and the Northern cardita (Cyclocardia borealis).
Site GSC - 0 Profile Country: United States Depth: 74-79 m Level of bottom fishing disturbance: Disturbed Sampling dates: May 1996 and August 2002
Site GSC - I Profile Country: United States Depth: 64-86 m Level of bottom fishing disturbance: Undisturbed Sampling dates: May 1996, June 1999, and August 2002 Click on photographs to see a larger version.
- Photo taken at station 65 in 1996. A longhorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus) swims away from the camera. Relatively few bottom photographs have been taken of adult fish, because they are often frightened by the lights and large size of the SEABOSS.
- Photo taken at station 70 in 1996. Hidden in this picture are two small shrimp, a green sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis), a frilled anemone (Metridium senile), and patches of bushy bryozoans and hydroids.
- Photo taken at station 70 in 1996. A cluster of burrowing anemones seen at Site 16.
- Photo taken at station 70 in 1996. A meadow of hydroids and bushy bryozoans populate the seafloor in this photograph. In the bottom right-hand corner, a small pandalid shrimp can be observed.
Mussel Bed Site Profile Country: Canada Depth: 70 m Level of bottom fishing disturbance: Undisturbed Sampling dates: August 2002
