Cruise Results: Fisheries Research Vessel DELAWARE II, Cruise No. DE 03-05 Ecosystems Monitoring Survey Cruise Results, Cruise no. DE 03-05, Ecosystems Monitoring Survey

The cruise period was from 24 to 30 May 2003. The research vessel DELAWARE II covered the Georges Bank and part of the Gulf of Maine regions (Figure 1) for the Late Spring dedicated Ecosystems Monitoring Survey. This cruise had three objectives. The primary objective was to assess the changing biological and physical properties of the Georges Bank portion of the Northeast Continental Shelf ecosystem, which influence the sustainable productivity of the living marine resources. A secondary objective was to determine the extent of the influx of Labrador Slope Water into the Gulf of Maine region through the Northeast Channel based on the presence of lower salinity, lower temperature and lower nutrient level water. 2003 NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) NEFSC (Northeast Fisheries Science Center) Submitted Public Domain 1861