(this means only one trawl haul was necessary to characterize that unit). 

 These units were further subdivided into 10 units, 2 V2 ' of latitude by 2' of 

 longitude, and each of these smaller units in a stratum were numbered 

 consecutively. Random numbers were generated and the stations were 

 selected. Only one station in each of the 5' x 1U' squares was selected since 

 each of these sequences was homogeneous. This selection method also insures 

 both the dispersion of stations and that every possible trawling site within a 

 stratum had an equal chance of being selected. The smaller, narrower, inshore 

 and offshore strata could not be divided into the 5' x 10' rectangles; in this 

 case, the smaller 2 V2 by 2' rectangles were used. 



The number of stations occupied within a stratum is roughly proportional 

 to its area. Certain strata were allocated extra stations. Examples of this 

 would be priority areas like Georges Bank and coastal locales affected by 

 human activity or environmental extremes. Some of the very small inshore and 

 offshore strata also were sampled disproportionately because of the requisite 

 presence of at least two stations to permit variance computation. 



About d-UU-450 stations were conducted in a complete survey between Cape 

 Hatteras and Nova Scotia with approximately 190 between Cape Hatteras and Cape 

 Cod. This survey design gives about one station for every 200 sq. nautical 

 miles. 



Substantial efforts were made to conduct the surveys at approximately the 

 same time each year. Usually southern areas were completed first, then the 

 ship worked northerly and easterly completing the Mid-Atlantic, southern New 

 England, Georges Bank, and the Gulf of Maine areas in that order. An example 

 of a cruise tracK for a complete groundfish survey in the Middle Atlantic 

 Bignt is attached (Figure 3). 



