Tasks. The agreed work tasks were similar to those of the previous three surveys 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 the previous surveys 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. Due to less time available compared to the previous surveys, the acoustic sampling net were partly adjusted in accordance with the fish distribution previously found. The low density areas were thus given a more open grid than normally used. This especially applies to the western part of Panama. 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
Costa Rica: Carlos RODRIGUEZ, Hubert ARAYA
From FAO: Alvaro ABELLA.
The scientific staff of IMR was: Tore Strømme, Helge Ullebust, Terje Haugland and Erling Molvær.
