Tasks. The agreed work tasks were similar to those of the previous two surveys run from 4 to 20 February and from 23 April to 20 May and included the following; To conduct an acoustic fishing survey for small pelagic fish on the shelf; to conduct bottom trawling experiments for demersal fish, deep water shrimp and langostinos; and to test the availability of squid off the shelf with light and jigging. The hydrographic profiles run during the previous surveys were to be repeated.
Survey plan. As in Survey II the plan was to start near the southern border of Colombia and proceed northwards and after coverage of the Gulf of Panama counterclockwise, then westward along the coasts of Panama and Costa Rica. The time available allowed the acoustic transects to be spaced abt. 10 nm, but the survey effort was to be adjusted to the fish distribution with a denser coverage in areas of higher abundance. Fishing stations were intended both for identification and sampling, but also during daylight hours at prelocated positions as part of a swept area survey. Trawling for crystal- and fidel shrimp was made during night hours, for langostino and cabezon shrimp both day and night.
Scientific staff: The following participated from the region:
Colombia: Carlos BARRETO, Hermes MOJICA
Panama: Elvis NIETO, Edwin MEDINA
Costa Rica: Hubert ARAYA, Mario QUIROS
From FAO: Luis Villegas.
The scientific staff of IMR was: G. Sætersdal, O. Alvheim, I. Svellingen and M. Dahl.
