The PICES Advisory Panel on Micronekton inter-calibration
experiment (MIE-AP) was established to evaluate the efficacy
of a variety of sampling gears and the procedures employed by different
investigators to sample micronekton in the North Pacific and other
parts of the world ocean. An initial field effort will involve a
10-day (October 4-13, 2004) research cruise in Hawaiian waters just
prior to the PICES Thirteenth Annual Meeting in Honolulu. The Hawaii
cruise will serve two purposes: (1) to compare the performance of
different types of sampling gears in an oligotrophic subtropical
gyre to see how the choice of gear affects our perspective of the
micronekton community; and (2) to use the relatively benign sea
conditions of the subtropics to evaluate and refine protocols, logistics,
and sampling designs. The morning workshop will review preliminary
data and findings from the cruise, while the afternoon meeting of
the MIE-Advisory Panel will discuss the goals, objectives, and status
of the experiment and the future field program.