NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-AFSC-140 Characteristics of Benthic Sediments From Areas Open and Closed to Bottom Trawling in the Gulf of Alaska by R. P. Stone and M. M. Masuda U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service Alaska Fisheries Science Center October 2003 NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS The National Marine Fisheries Service's Alaska Fisheries Science Center uses the NOAA Technical Memorandum series to issue informal scientific and technical publications when complete formal review and editorial processing are not appropriate or feasible. Documents within this series reflect sound professional work and may be referenced in the formal scientific and technical literature. The NMFS-AFSC Technical Memorandum series of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center continues the NMFS-F/N WC series established in 1970 by the Northwest Fisheries Center. The NMFS-NWFSC series is currently used by the Northwest Fisheries Science Center. This document should be cited as follows: Stone, R. P., and M. M. Masuda. 2003. Characteristics of benthic sediments from ar eas open and closed to bottom trawling in the Gulf of Alaska. U.S. Dep. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-AFSC-140, 40 p. The appendices should be cited as follows: Stone, R. P., and A. Baldwin. 2003. Appendices to Characteristics of benthic sediments from areas open and closed to bottom trawling in the Gulf of Alaska. U.S. Dep. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-AFSC- 140, 111 p. Reference in this document to trade names does not imply endorsement by the National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-AFSC-140 Characteristics of Benthic Sediments From Areas Open and Closed to Bottom Trawling in the Gulf of Alaska by R. P. Stone and M. M. Masuda Appendices by R. P. Stone and A. Baldwin* Auke Bay Laboratory Alaska Fisheries Science Center 11305 Glacier Highway Juneau AK 99801-8626 www.afsc.noaa.gov *Juneau Center School of Fisheries and Ocean Science University of Alaska Fairbanks 11120 Glacier Highway Juneau AK 99801 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Donald L. Evans, Secretary National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., U.S. Navy (ret.), Under Secretary and Administrator National Marine Fisheries Service William T. Hogarth, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries October 2003 This document is available to the public through: National Technical Information Service U.S. Department of Commerce 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 www.ntis.gov Notice to Users of this Document In the process of converting the original printed document into Adobe Acrobat .PDF format, slight differences in formatting can occur; page numbers in the .PDF may not match the original printed document , and some characters or symbols may not translate. This document is being made available in .PDF format for the convenience of users; however, the accuracy and correctness of the document can only be certified as was presented in the original hard copy format.