Bongo sample data and the associated zooplankton and ichthyoplankton data collected aboard R/V Point Sur cruise BCS01 in the northern Gulf of Mexico during the Bonnet Carré Spillway from 2016-02-10 to 2016-02-12

This dataset contains bongo sample collection data and the associated zooplankton and ichthyoplankton data obtained aboard the R/V Point Sur cruise BCS01 in the northern Gulf of Mexico during the Bonnet Carré Spillway (BCS) from 2016-02-10 to 2016-02-12. Sub-surface plankton samples were collected using a bongo net (0.5 m diameter) fitted with 202-µm and 333-µm mesh nets. The bongo was fished for 10-minutes just below the surface (0.5-1.5 m) at stations in the Chandeleur Sound, offshore of the Mississippi River delta, and along Alabama shelf to assess the horizontal distribution of plankton in response to the opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway and high freshwater discharge. In order to assess the horizontal distribution of plankton in response to the opening of the BCS and high freshwater discharge, zooplankton and ichthyoplankton were sorted from the bongo net samples, identified, and enumerated. The cruise BCS01 was led by chief scientist Dr. Christian Briseño-Avena. CTD profiles (temperature, salinity, depth) are available under GRIIDC Unique Dataset Identifier (UDI): R4.x260.000:0044 (DOI: 10.7266/N73B5XKG).