Sometimes a stint on the bottom trawl survey would make a great round of specialty Jeopardy.   It’s a pretty quiet night, things are going smoothly, then it happens—a critter you can’t ID:
           
            (Aboard the FSV Bigelow, in the Fish Lab, somewhere near the shelf edge)

ALEX TREBEK (in Armani foul weather gear): Welcome back to this, our special Bottom Trawl Survey edition of Jeopardy.  We’re in the middle of the first round with our returning Jeopardy Champ, ClamMan, and challengers FishCutter and ScalePuller.  FishCutter, you’re on a roll, choose a category.

FISHCUTTER:  I’ll take “Continental Shelf Fringe” for $500 Alex.

ALEX:  In the category of “Continental Shelf Fringe” the clue is: a pinkish red fish with many small spines on the head, a heavily spinous dorsal fin and a black lining of the gut cavity.

FISHCUTTER: What is a black-bellied rosefish?

ALEX: That’s right! (Applause.) Often confused with the Acadian redfish.  Nicely done.  Select again.

FISHCUTTER: I’ll stick with “Continental Shelf Fringe” for $1000.

ALEX: And for the lead.  In the category of “Continental Shelf Fringe” the clue is: Oh!  It’s a visual Daily Double! (Applause.)  You can take the lead from ClamMan over there if you go for a true Daily Double, but what do you want to do, Cutter?

FISHCUTTER:  I’ll bet it all Alex--ClamMan needs a beating, and I need all the lead I can get.
(Clam Man smolders.)

ALEX:  More than enough said, FishCutter.  In the category “Continental Shelf Fringe,” let’s roll the video:

(Tape rolls on an older gentleman in a white powered wig, frock coat, and lacy neckerchief.  Behind him, a wooden storage cabinet.)

OLD GUY: “Hi.  I’m Johann Julius Walbaum, still dead but as controversial as ever.  You probably know me better as “Walbaum 1792” which is how my guide to fishes, Petri Artedi Sueci Genera Piscium, is most often cited.  Anywho, betcha mess this one up—I did at first.”

(The cabinet swings open to reveal numerous “natural objects” including a fresh flatfish specimen. Close up on specimen, camera pans body as valuable Daily Double seconds tick by.  Close up on flatfish eye, still glistening and slightly bloodshot.  Fade to closeup of Cutter’s eye—looks the same as fish’s.)

ALEX: Time’s up FishCutter, we need an answer.

CUTTER: (Hesitates, coughs, looks upward for answer in the stage lighting.  Looks at Alex.) What is Atlantic halibut?

ALEX: Oooooh, No, I’m sorry, it’s the Greenland halibut!

(Two-shot of ClamMan, smirking, and ScalePuller looking slightly ill, still in second place, but having won just $100.)

If only FishCutter had a quick reference that would help with an exact ID, preferably one that wouldn’t mean scrambling for Walbaum’s rare fish guide, or anyone else’s. 

Well, Peter Chase, John Galbraith, Paul Kostovick, and Edgar Kleindinst (DMS), as well as others in the Ecosystems Surveys Branch have a prototype of just that: a digital, interactive guide to the species found in our survey area that can be accessed by computer during a bottom trawl survey, right in the fish handling area. “We’re tailoring the project to focus specifically on what we see on our survey and in many cases we’ve used data that comes from our own database,” says Peter Chase.

Ideally, for each species the database will include an interactive fish key,  photos of specimens and their various maturity stages, taxonomic information, identification characteristics, commonly confused species, range maps, size information,.  It also has some stand-alone elements like movies on how to remove otoliths.   So far, the creators have a variety of information on about 65 species loaded up.   Eventually, all of the species in our database (over 900 and expanding) may be included.

According to the developers, there were two basic reasons for getting this all down in digital form.

First, it puts the collective knowledge of experienced sea-goers into a digital format and makes it accessible to workers on deck. “Having this information on deck is much more convenient than having to leave the deck to search through a book.  Also, you won’t find the information contained in the maturity photos and the otolith removal video in a book anyway,” said Chase.

The second main reason is data consistency. “It’s just a more modern way of documenting the knowledge of experienced sea-goers than, say, paper memos. By building on this for years to come, we can ensure that this information is retained and updated over the life of the survey,” said Chase.

Even when there are experienced people on deck, this system will be helpful for verifying a species ID or referencing pictures of various maturity stages. Certain features, like the range maps, will better flag something that is unusual for a particular area. People can then double-check the ID and save the fish for a positive identification later. “Because both experienced and inexperienced people can use this system, the project has great potential for improving the consistency of data collected at sea,” Chase said.

There’s no catchy name for the system yet, even among the developers.

Trebek, perhaps? 

Posted March 8, 2007