d13C and d15N of Pacific halibut skeletal muscle tissue from the Gulf of Alaska, 2018

In 2018, white muscle samples were collected from the lateral musculature
of a random sample of up to 4 fish from each survey station of the
International Pacific Halibut Commission's Fishery Independent
Setline Survey (total n = 1653). Muscle samples were stored at -20°C,
thawed, oven-dried to a constant mass at 42°C, and ground to a fine
powder. Approximately 0.5 to 1.0 mg of each powdered sample was loaded
into a tin capsule for stable isotope analysis. d13C and d15N values were
determined using a Carlo Erba 1110 Elemental Analyzer (Carlo Erba
Reagents, CE Instruments, ThermoQuest Italia S.p.A. Milan, Italy) coupled
to a Thermo Delta Plus XP IRMS (Thermo Finnigan, Bremen, German) at the
University of Wyoming’s Stable Isotope Facility (Laramie, Wyoming, USA).
Long-term analyses of quality control standards have yielded precisions of
0.3‰ for d13C and 0.4‰ for d15N. Stable isotope data are presented in ‰
relative to Pee Dee Belemnite for 13C and atmospheric nitrogen for 15N.