Monitoring the energy density of forage fishes from the NEFSC bottom trawl surveys : Sampling, processing, and data protocols

This reference document describes methodology for estimating forage fish energy density from Northeast Fisheries Science Center spring and fall bottom trawl surveys. We provide rationale for monitoring forage fish energy, explain our approach, and detail the complete workflow including sample collection and processing, data acquisition, quality assurance, and data access protocols. The aim is to standardize these procedures and provide analysts with necessary detail to understand, access, and use these data.