California Current Ecosystem Euphausiid data, Brinton and Townsend Euphausiid Database (BTEDB)

These euphausiid data are generated from samples taken by the CalCOFI (California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations) program, starting with the 1951 cruises. Data are obtained by enumeration of samples by trained microscopists with a high level of taxonomic expertise, beginning with the late Edward Brinton, including Annie Townsend’s assistance starting in the 1970’s, and then by Linsey Sala from 2011 to present. Only a limited subset of the CalCOFI samples have been enumerated taxonomically, primarily from springtime cruises. Since 2004, taxonomic analysis has been carried out as part of the CCE-LTER (California Current Ecosystem Long-Term Ecological Research) program, supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation. The primary geographic area analyzed is the Southern California region (CalCOFI lines 77 to 93, inclusive), supplemented by more limited springtime cruises from the Central California region (lines 60 to 73). Samples are all double oblique samples taken with a bongo net beginning in Dec. 1977 or a ring net prior to that time, nominally from 210-0 m, bottom depth permitting.