Summary of Cruise:

Days Lost to Weather 0

Days Lost to Equipment Failure 0

Recommendations:

Replace Markey Winch LQD Display (S.450) in DataPlot and the Quarterdeck with another display that can be seen from a distance and when viewed from the side.

Narrative:

After departure we steamed to the Middle Shelf Domain. CTD casts (nutrients, chlorophyll, primary productivity) and tows for zooplankton (bongo and CalVET) were taken at the first five stations (Stations 1 — 5; Figures 1 — 3). After completing these monitoring stations we spent approx. 10 additional hours at the mooring site to obtain samples for primary productivity measurements and copepod egg production experiments (Station 6; Ring Net; Figures 1 & 4). Next we proceeded northwestward along the 70 m isobath to sample nutrients and plankton. Progress was slow due to gale force winds. Upon arriving at the stations surrounding the former location of Mooring 4 we completed the same series of samples and measurements taken at our southeastern Middle Shelf Domain station cluster (Stations 11 — 15). The time originally allocated for working at the NW station cluster was shortened to make up for lost time due to weather. Of particular note was the occurrence of oceanic plankton. After completing those monitoring stations we occupied a series of stations between the Pribilof Islands and Pribilof Canyon (Stations 19 — 25). Pollock eggs were observed at Stations 21 and 22. From there we steamed to the shelf break of the southeast Bering Sea shelf and began the SEBSCC (Southeastern Bering Sea Carrying Capacity) cross-shelf monitoring transect. This included measurement of hydrography, nutrient chemistry, and chlorophyll concentration. Another box of 4 stations around the former site of Mooring 3 was sampled and time was spent at the site for primary productivity and copepod egg production experiments (Stations 33 — 40). After completing these stations we resumed the cross shelf transect working our way to the Middle Shelf. During the cruise, northerly winds blew sea ice down to Mooring 2 (at the center of the southeastern cluster of Middle Shelf stations) and pushed the mooring about 8 — 10 km to the south. PMEL asked us to visually inspect the mooring and determine if it was still moving. Upon arriving in the area we discovered that the ice cover was somewhat higher then estimated by PMEL (7/10 rather than 2/10), but that the ice was being blown to the west past the mooring. Visual inspection of the toroid buoy and tower via small boat was successful; no damage was observed. There was very little movement of the mooring while the Freeman was on site; the ice had pushed past the mooring, and we concluded that the mooring was still attached to its anchor. We then took calibration samples around the mooring and began primary productivity and egg production experiments (Stations 47 - 49). After leaving the mooring that evening we occupied a series of AFSC FOCI larval grid stations to find pollock larvae for otolith elemental analysis (Fig. 2; Stations 50 - 53). Large numbers of larvae were found at Stations 52 and 53 and operations ceased after fulfilling the sample request. We then steamed back in the direction of Mooring 2 for one last CTD cast to obtain water for primary productivity measurements (Station 54). Scientific operations ceased approx. 1130 hrs. 9 May and the return transit to Dutch Harbor began.

Acknowledgements:

The scientific party would like to acknowledge the hard work and support of the Officers and crew of the Miller Freeman. We recognize the extra-ordinary effort on their part to prepare the ship for this field season, especially after coming out of dry dock almost 2 weeks late. All scientific operations were successfully completed and the scientific party was not impacted by any of the unfinished repairs or modifications that remain after the yard work.

Attachments:

Table 1. MF99-06 Cruise Summary

Figure 1. CTD and Primary Productivity Stations

Figure 2. Bongo Net Sample Stations

Figure 3. CalVET Sample Stations

Figure 4. 0.8 m Ring Net Sample Stations