Plankton tow data from nearshore coastal Washington State 2019-2020

This dataset consists of plankton samples collected using a bongo-style net in northwest Washington state in summer and fall of 2019 and 2020. The objective of sampling was to document the availability and composition of prey species available to gray whales in the area. Sampling occurred monthly during the gray whale feeding season from June to November in 2019 and from June to September in 2020. There were seven sampling sites located in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and seven in the Pacific Ocean. Mysids collected in the samples were measured and the sex, length, species, maturity, and gravidity were recorded in the attached dataset. Non-mysids were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible in 2019, but only to the family level if possible in 2020. A manuscript of our results will be submitted to PeerJ in January 2023.