Figure 2.4.1. Hook-and-line fishing for fish tissue sampling aboard the NOAA ship 
mcarthur ii. 
2.4.3 FRAM Groundfish Survey 
At the FRAM sites, bottom trawl operations were conducted by commercial 
fishing vessels chartered by NOAA. GPS and net-mounted sensors recorded time 
series of position, depth, temperature, and net dimension readings during trawling and 
other environmental observations were collected manually. At the conclusion of each 
trawl operation, species composition, fish sex, length, weight and other observations 
were gathered either manually or by various electronic equipment. Fish were frozen on 
board and transferred to EPA or state partners for analysis offish-tissue contaminants. 
2.5 Quality Assurance 
2.5.1 Quality Assurance/ Quality Control of Chemical Analyses 
The quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program for the NCA-West 
program is defined by the “Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program 
(EMAP): National Coastal Assessment Quality Assurance Project Plan 2001-2004" 
(U.S. EPA 2001). A performance-based approach is used which, depending upon the 
compound, includes: 1) continuous laboratory evaluation through the use of Certified 
Reference Materials (CRMs), Laboratory Control Materials (LCMs), or Standard 
Reference Material (SRM); 2) laboratory spiked sample matrices; 3) laboratory reagent 
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