Last fall, I participated in Leg 2 of our Bottom Trawl Survey aboard the NOAA ship Henry B. Bigelow, marking the 60th anniversary of this survey. Leg 2 lasted 3 weeks and I looked forward to a break from the office to reconnect with the fieldwork, the fish, and the fabric of life at sea. As a biologist in the Population Dynamics Branch, I also wanted to refresh my memory and appreciation for the data collection that occurs on the survey, particularly as it relates to stock assessments.

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