Most of day one was spent loading, sorting, unpacking, and storing gear. Scientists do not travel light. There were more action packers on board than I have ever seen in once place. At midday, we had a safety training, which consisted of learning how to put on a survival suit and how to use the coffee machine without flooding the galley. For night work, I was assigned a mustang float coat, a water activated flash light, and satellite locator, so that they could find my body if I went overboard.
After dinner, work shifted to putting together various nets and the CTD which I will describe in more detail later. We got underway at about 8:00 PM, just as the sun was setting. I slept for an hour and was woken at 10:30 to begin my shift doing zooplankton tows.
The first tow uses a Methot net, which is a large square steel frame attached by d-rings to a heavy mesh net, ten meters long. The net ends in a plastic sieve tube called a “cod end” that keeps any jellies from escaping. The net is quite heavy, and it takes four of us to guide it as a crane raises it off of the deck and then lowers it over the side. The net is dragged at the surface for twenty minutes. In the darkness of night, it glows slightly green as ctenophores and other bioluminescent jellies smash into it.
Dave demonstrating the proper technique for putting on a survival suit
After the Methot net is retrieved and secured on deck, we leave the collected jellies for a few minutes to go deploy the next net, called a Multi-net. The Multi-net is a steel box about the size of a dishwasher with a funnel entrance and five separate fine-mesh nets hanging off of the back. The net also has a heavy “fish fin” that acts to drag it down and keep it moving straight. The four of us work the net to the edge of the boat, open the back gate, and use two winches to lower it overboard. Once in the water and if the bottom depth allows it, the Multi-net gets dropped to a depth of two hundred meters and the first net is opened. The Multi-net allows you to “carve up the water column.” Each net can be triggered remotely to open and collect a horizontal sample of zooplankton at a specific depth. The electronics also allow you to measure how much water volume flows through the net. Each net is about two meters long, made of a fine mesh that funnels plankton into a soft sieve or “cod end”. While the Multi-net is “fishing,” we sort, classify, and measure the jellies collected in the Methot net tow.
A Methot Net Tow
The Seward Line Transect is made up of fifteen stops or stations. Each one designated as GAK1, GAK2, etc. Once we finish sampling a station, the boat speeds up and drives us ten nautical miles to the next station. Last night we managed to sample four stations, finishing the last one just as the sun rose around 7:00 AM. When daylight comes, the Tiglax makes its way back to the place the night shift began. All of the day-time sampling has to be done at each of the stations we sampled the night before. The day-time sampling uses different tools, the main tool being the CTD Rosette Sampler. The Rosette is a steel cage with water collecting “Niskin Bottles” and lots of other instrumentation strapped into the cage. There are fifteen bottles and each is triggered by computer to close at a specific depth. This allows the scientists on board to measure a variety of physical and chemical properties of the water at depth.
Personal Log
The night shift was surprisingly dark. That may sound obvious, but after a long Alaskan summer, with campfires and hikes that often went past midnight in perfect daylight, dark is an adjustment. The night was beautiful and warm, but the work of deploying and retrieving nets was tedious and physical. By morning I was exhausted, but I was reminded repeatedly that there are no cutting corners. No matter how tired you get, each sample needs to be meticulously cared for.
After the sun came up, I forced myself to eat some breakfast and then I fell in bed for a hard sleep. I could only stay there for a couple hours before my well-trained, morning-self wanted to greet the day. The day was flawless, picture-perfect, sunny and calm, the kind of days you don’t often seen in the stormy Gulf of Alaska.
Animals Seen Today
Dall Porpoise
Lots of seabirds, including black-legged kittiwakes, pelagic cormorants, and sooty and flesh-footed shearwaters.
Geographic Area of Cruise: Pacific Ocean from Newport, OR to Port Angeles, WA
Date: 8/21/2017
Latitude: 49.48 N
Longitude: 128.07 W
Wind Speed: 10 knots
Weather Observations: Sunny
Science and Technology Log
Today was our first chance to use the Methot net, and it was a lot of fun! The Methot net is smaller than the net that we usually use, and it is used to catch smaller organisms. Today we were targeting euphausiids. We thought we saw a pretty good aggregation of them on the 120 kHz acoustics data, where they appear the strongest of the three frequencies we monitor. We needed to validate that data by trawling the area to find the source of the backscatter and make sure they really were what we thought they were. There are many scientists who use data on euphausiids, so this was a good opportunity to provide them with some additional data. Because we’ve been working mostly on larger organisms, I was excited for the chance to see what a Methot net would pull up.
The Methot net coming up with its haul
It was very exciting that when the net came up, we had TONS of euphausiids! (“Tons” here is not used in a literal sense…we did not have thousands of pounds of euphausiids. That would have been crazy). Although we did not have thousands of pounds of them, we did have thousands of specimens. I’m sure thankful that we only had to take data on a subsample of thirty! I got to measure the lengths and widths of them, and using the magnifying lenses made me look very scientific.
Measuring euphausiids
Along with euphausiids, we also found other species as well. We found tiny squids, jellies, and even a baby octopus! It was adorable. I’ve never considered that an octopus could be cute, but it was.
Baby octopus
We also measured volumes and weights on samples of the other specimens we found, and I used graduated cylinders for the first time since college. We would put in a few milliliters of water, add our specimens, and then calculate the difference. Voila! Volume. Good thing I remembered to call the measurement at the bottom of the liquid’s meniscus… I could have messed up all the data! Just kidding… I’m sure my measurements weren’t that important. But still – good thing I paid attention in lab skills. It was definitely a successful first day with the Methot net.
Personal Log
The big buzz around the ship today was the solar eclipse! I was even getting excited at breakfast while I ate my pancakes and made them eclipse each other. We got lucky with weather – I was nervous when I heard the foghorn go off early in the morning. Fortunately, the fog lifted and we had a pretty good view. We all sported our cheesy eclipse shades, and the science team wore gray and black to dress in “eclipse theme.” Even though we couldn’t see the totality here, we got to see about 85%. We’re pretty far north, off the coast of Vancouver Island in Canada. The mountains are beautiful! Seeing land is always a special treat.
Here are some eclipse pics:
Rockin’ our cheesy eclipse shadesSome science team members enjoying the eclipseEclipse!
The eclipse would have made the day exciting enough, but the excitement didn’t stop there! While the scientists and I were working in the wet lab, we heard that a pod of orcas was swimming within eyesight of the ship. We dropped everything and hurried to take a look. It was so amazing; we could see five or six surface at once. They must have been hunting. We only see orcas when we’re close to land because their prey doesn’t live in deeper waters. Deeper into the ocean we are more likely to see gray or humpback whales.
It’s almost time for dinner…we sure have been spoiled for food! Last night we had pork loin and steak. I’m not sure that our chef will be able to top himself, but I’m excited to find out. I have heard rumors that he is very good at cooking the fish we’ve been catching, and that really makes me wish I liked seafood. Unfortunately, I don’t. At all. Not even enough to try Larry’s fried rockfish. Luckily, he makes lots of other food that I love.
Tonight after dinner I think Hilarie, Olivia, and I are going to watch Pirates of the Caribbean 2. Last night we watched the first movie while sitting on the flying bridge. It was a pretty cool experience to feel the spray of the sea while watching pirates battle!
Movie time!
That’s all for now; I’ll be back with more scientific fun soon!
Did you know?
Krill (the type of euphausiid we studied) is one of the most populous species on earth. It basically fuels the entire marine ecosystem.
Me next to chafing gear from AWT. Image by Meredith Emery.
Weather Data from the Bridge
Latitude: 56° 46.8 N
Longitude: 154° 13.7 W
Time: 0800
Sky:Clear
Visibility: 10 nautical miles
Wind Direction: 279
Wind Speed: 9 Knots
Sea Wave Height: 1-2 foot swell
Barometric Pressure: 1019.9 millibars
Sea Water Temperature: 11.1°C
Air Temperature: 12.0°C
Sunrise: 0531
Sunset: 2300
Science and Technology Log: Nothing But Net!
Once the scientists determine where and how deep they want to fish, based on analyzing the echogram, then the boat moves into position and the net is deployed. Safety is the top priority when working on the vessel. The deckhands all have to wear life jackets, hard hats, and good boots when working on deck because the conditions can be sunny one moment and stormy the next. There is some serious hardware at the back of boat. There are cranes, winches, and spools of wire ropes & chains. The Chief Boatswain is responsible for all deck operations and deploying any gear overboard. The following video illustrates the sampling process using an Aleutian Wing Trawl net.
There is a camera (aka camtrawl) attached to the net along with a small pocket net. The pocket net is designed to catch tiny animals that slip through the AWT meshes. The pocket mesh only catches a small amount of escaping animals which can then be used to determine what was in the water column with the bigger pollock. The camtrawl has a pair of cameras that shoot stereo images of what is entering the net. The camtrawl was developed by NOAA scientists and its goal is to estimate the size and identify the species that enter the net using visual recognition software from University of Washington. The ultimate goal of the camtrawl is to be able to identify everything entering the net without ever having to actually catch the fish.
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A limitation of the AWT is that it can’t go closer than a few meters from the sea floor. Pollock are semi-pelagic so they are sometimes down at the sea floor and a different net is used. The Poly Nor’Easter (PNE) is used to trawl along the bottom of the Gulf of Alaska because the bottom can be rocky. The PNE has roller gear along its bottom to keep it from getting stuck. The opening of the PNE is 6 meters tall and 15 meters wide and also funnels to a codend.
There is a third net on Oscar Dyson called the Methot and it is used to catch large plankton such as krill. The Methot is so small that it sits on the deck and is easily lifted and put into the water. The net you use is determined by what you are trying to catch and where they are located in the water column.
Interview with Ryan Harris
Chief Boatswain
Chief Boatswain Ryan Harris managing Oscar Dyson crane.
Official Title
Chief Boatswain
Normal Job Duties
I am in charge of the deck operations on board the ship from deploying gear over the side to up keep of the ship.
How long have you been working on Oscar Dyson?
15 months
What is your favorite thing about going to sea on Oscar Dyson?
I get to see things normal people do not.
When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in science or an ocean career?
11 years ago I fell in love with the excitement of travel.
What are some of the challenges with your job?
Trying to keep all the gear working to complete the mission.
What are some of the rewards with your job?
I get to serve my country and leave something behind that me and my family can be proud of.
Describe a memorable moment at sea.
Seeing killer Whales 5 feet away.
Interview with Tom Stucki
Lead Fishermen
Lead Fishermen Tom Stucki on the NOAA ship Oscar Dyson. Image by Matthew Phillips.
Official Title
Lead Fishermen
Normal Job Duties
I run the winches for trawls, Maintain and fix the nets, help with maintenance of our equipment. Paint and preserve the ship when time and weather allows, clean up inside of ship.
How long have you been working on Oscar Dyson?
2 months this time and a month long trip last year. I am a relief pool employee. I fill in where the fleet needs me.
Why the ocean? What made you choose a career at sea?
I grew up on the coast in a fishing community.
What is your favorite thing about going to sea on Oscar Dyson?
The crew and work we do.
Why is your work (or research) important?
Our work is translated back to the commercial fleets so we don’t end up overfishing.
When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in science or an ocean career?
Once I got out of the Army and went on my first successful Salmon fishing trip.
What part of your job with NOAA (or contracted to NOAA) did you least expect to be doing?
Traveling as a relief pool employee.
What are some of the challenges with your job?
Working 12 hour days for months at a time.
What are some of the rewards with your job?
Knowing that the work I am helping with actually matters and hopefully will have positive implications down the road.
Describe a memorable moment at sea.
There are lots but its always nice in the middle of a trawl when you look up the sun is setting the water is flat calm and you think to yourself “yeah, I get paid for doing this.
Interview with Jay Michelsen
Skilled Fisherman
Official Title
Skilled Fisherman
Normal Job Duties
Operations of equipment to facilitate the needs of the science party.
How long have you been working on Oscar Dyson?
two years
Why the ocean? What made you choose a career at sea?
I love the challenge of creating something stable from something so uncertain and ever changing as the ocean.
What is your favorite thing about going to sea on Oscar Dyson?
Seeing some of the creatures that the ocean has living in its depth.
Why is your work (or research) important?
My work is important more for personal reasons, I am able to support my family and make their lives more comfortable. My work on the ship is nothing special besides understanding the rigging and being able to trouble shoot issues that arise just as quickly as they show up.
When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in science or an ocean career?
I have wanted to pursue a career on the water for as long as I can remember, however it was my mother five years ago who pushed me to follow that desire.
What are some of the rewards with your job?
I enjoy seeing the creatures that we pull up from the ocean. The pay isn’t bad. If you are able to stay in for a long period of time, you can get a stable retirement.
Describe a memorable moment at sea.
There was a time that we brought up a salmon shark in the net and I was able to get it back into the water by cutting a hole in the net and pulling it out with the help of another deckhand. It was exhilarating!
Personal Log
Me in the survival suit.
I will admit that my biggest concern with going to sea was the thought of falling overboard. Now that I have been on Oscar Dyson I have learned that safety is a top priority and there are a lot of procedures for keeping everyone productive yet safe. Every week there are safety drills such as fire, abandon ship, and person overboard. The one I like the most is the abandon ship because I get to try on the survival suit. The waters here are so cold that survival overboard is unlikely without the survival suit.
It is comforting to know that the crew of Oscar Dyson work hard to keep themselves and everyone on board safe. I am no longer afraid of falling overboard because I’ve learned to be safe when navigating around the vessel and I have finally developed my sea legs – well sort of! The weather has been amazing with smooth sailing almost everyday. We did have a few days with some rolling seas and I had to put a seasickness patch behind my ear.
NOAA Teacher at Sea Andrea Schmuttermair Aboard NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson July 6 – 25, 2015
Mission: Walleye Pollock Survey Geographical area of cruise: Gulf of Alaska Date: July 15, 2015
Weather Data from the Bridge: Latitude: 56 42.2N
Longitude: 153 46.5W
Sky:Overcast; foggy
Visibility: 6nm
Wind Direction: 173 degrees
Wind Speed: 14 knots
Sea wave height: 2ft
Swell wave: 4-5ft
Sea water temp: 12.3C
Dry temperature: 11.5C
Science and Technology Log
In my last post we talked about the Aleutian Wing Trawl (AWT), the mid-water trawling net we use to take samples of pollock. There are two other types of nets we may use during our cruise, although not as frequently as the AWT. Sometimes the echogram shows a large concentration of fish closer to the ocean floor. In this instance, we might use a bottom trawl net, known as the Poly Nor’easter (PNE), to “go fishing”. The process for putting out the net is similar to putting out the AWT, except that it is extended to just above the ocean floor in order to catch fish that are congregated towards the bottom. In our recent bottom trawl, we caught a lot of Pacific Ocean perch, or rockfish, and very few pollock.
The image we use for the bottom trawl
Our net full of rockfish
Rockfish were a little easier to sex than the pollock.
Looks like he got hungry!
These rockfish look cute but have some sharp spines.
3 out of the 4 different types of rockfish we pulled up: POP, yelloweye, and dusky.
Flatfish found in our bottom trawl
An arrowtooth flounder- check out those teeth!
Look! Cod!
It has been fascinating to see how scientists “do science” out here. Patterns and observations are important skills for scientists, and analyzing patterns and behaviors of fish help scientists to make informed decisions about whether they are seeing pollock, krill, rockfish, or something else entirely on the echogram. For example, acoustically, pollock and rockfish have the same reflectivity (and therefore are difficult to differentiate based solely on acoustics), but their behaviors are different. When we recently put out a bottom trawl net, we anticipated catching mostly rockfish because of the location we were at, and their schooling behavior close to the ocean floor. Rockfish are also usually found lower in the water column than pollock. Our first bottom trawl yielded quite a few rockfish, some jellies, several flatfish, and a few other types of fish. Just as we did with the pollock, we weighed, sexed and measured a sample of rockfish. These fish were a little more difficult to handle as they have sharp spines in several places.
Robert and Derek looking at krill flatfish larvae under the microscope
Counting out a few hundred krill
They’re so tiny!
Bucket-o-krill
Counting krill
There is a third type of net we deploy on this survey is called a Methot net. It’s named after Dr. Rick Methot, a famous fisheries modeler. This net has an opening of 5 square meters, and has a finer mesh than the AWT or the PNE at 2x3mm. At the end of the net is a small codend where the sample is taken from. This net is typically used to catch krill and macrozooplankton that would normally escape the larger nets. From the acoustic display, we would anticipate about 100-200 times more than what is actually caught in the net. Back scatter could be one reason for this. Scientists have worked to try and decrease this discrepancy by using strobe lights mounted on the net. The abundance tends to agree better with strobes on the net, with the hypothesis being that the organisms are blinded and don’t realize they’re going into the net.
Meet the Scientists
Kresimir smelling a capelin (smelt)- they smell like cucumbers!Chris, one of the scientists on board
During one of our shifts, I had the opportunity to interview 2 of the scientists on our night watch team, Kresimir Williams and Chris Bassett. Their enthusiasm and passion for their work is evident in the discussions we have had and the work they are doing. It is great to work with scientists who are so knowledgeable and also patient enough to explain what we are doing here. Let’s meet them!
What is your educational background?
Kresimir: I received my undergraduate degree in marine science from Samford in Birmingham, Alabama. During this time, I spent summers at Dauphin Island. I received my Master’s Degree in fisheries and aquaculture from Auburn (also in Alabama), and finally received my PhD in fisheries from the University of Washington.
Chris: I went to the University of Minnesota for my undergraduate degrees in mechanical engineering and Spanish. I then went on to receive both my Master’s & PhD in mechanical engineering at the University of Washington.
How long have you been working at the AFSC lab in Seattle?
Kresimir: I have been working at the lab for 13 years as a research fisheries biologist.
Chris: I am currently working with both AFSC and the Applied Physics Lab at the University of Washington as a post-doctoral research associate.
What do you most enjoy about your work as a scientist?
Kresimir: I enjoy doing the research, discovering new things, and conducting field experiments.
Chris: The work that I do allows me to learn by playing with big kid toys in beautiful places; for example, the EK80, one of the broadband acoustic scattering systems brought on this ship
What has been a career highlight for you?
Kresimir: The development of the CamTrawl (what we are currently using on our nets here on the Dyson). I have seen this project from development to operationalization.
Chris: Using broadband acoustics systems in a 4 month long lab experiment to detect crude oil spills under sea ice.
What does it mean to you to “do science”?
Kresimir: It means following a set of rules, and discovering things that can be repeated by other people. Remembering that data leads you to the answers rather than using it for something you want to prove. Research generally generates more questions. Finally, it means learning how the little piece of the world you are interested in works.
Chris: It means looking around and seeing what knowledge exists and where we can advance knowledge in that field and how we can do so. It’s understanding that often identifies more new questions than it answers.
What message would you give students who want to pursue a career in (marine) science?
Kresimir: Do your math homework! There are very few biologists out there discovering new things, so you need to bring something else to the table such as coding or geosciences. There is a lot of quantitative modeling and interplay between other sciences such as physics and chemistry.
Chris: Do your math homework! Having skills in a little bit of everything – all of the sciences come into play. You also need good writing skills.
What is your favorite ocean creature?
Kresimir: I love all kinds of fish because I can find something unique about each one of them.
Chris: Bluefin tuna
Thanks for the interview gentlemen!
Personal Log
The Oscar Dyson runs for 10 months out of the year, more than most of the other ships in the NOAA fleet. Many of the people on this ship are here almost year-round, and call the Dyson their home. Having places where they can relax and feel at home is important. Besides up on the bridge or out on the deck, another place to spend some free time is in the lounge. Equipped with beanbag chairs, a large couch, and some comfy chairs, the lounge encourages people to hang out, watch a movie, play video games, or just relax after their shift. We have a large selection of movies, and have access to some of the most recent movies as well. We recently watched Mockingjay, the third movie in the Hunger Games series. It was a good movie, but not as good as the book.
I am really enjoying my time so far on the Oscar Dyson, mostly because I am being challenged to learn new things. We’ve had a bit of downtime the last couple nights, and it has been a good opportunity for me to learn the game of the ship, cribbage. This is a popular game amongst the scientists, and you can typically find some of them playing a quick round in between shifts or as a break from work. I’m by no means great at it yet, but I expect by the end of this trip I’ll be a lot better.
Filleting some rockfishFileting Rockfish
When I first got on board the Dyson, I remember talking to one of the scientists about filleting fish. I’m not too sure how we got on that subject, but it occurred to me that I had never actually filleted a fish myself. I used to fish as a kid, but we left the cleaning and filleting to my dad (thanks, dad). What could be a better time to learn this skill than on a boat full of experienced fishermen? We ate a rockfish ceviche that Robert, one of the scientists, had made the first night I was on the ship, and it was delicious. When we pulled in our bottom trawl of rockfish, it was the perfect time to learn how to fillet a fish. Rockfish are a bit tricky, as they have several sharp spines covering them. We had to be careful so as not to get stabbed by one of them- it wouldn’t feel very good! I had a busy evening helping to fillet about 14lbs of rockfish. I was by no means quick (our lead fisherman filleted 3 rockfish to my 1), but I had lots of time to practice.
Did you know? Pacific Ocean Perch (POP), or rockfish, were overfished in the 1970’s. Today, Pacific Ocean perch have recovered to the extent that they support a sustainable fishery in Alaska. Read more about the POP.
This POP bears a striking resemblance to the scorpionfish, one of the species we brought up in the SEAMAP Summer Groundfish Survey in the Gulf of Mexico in my TAS trip in 2012. Guess what? These two fish, while living thousands of miles apart, are actually related! They both belong to the family Scorpaenidae.
Pacific Ocean Perch (rockfish)Scorpionfish we pulled up in a bottom trawl from the Gulf of Mexico (TAS2012)
Besides the mid-water trawling, information about the pollock population is gathered in other ways on the Oscar Dyson research vessel. One of these ways is direct, monitoring the pollock by trawling in other parts of the water column; the other way is indirect, evaluating the prey that the pollock feeds on.
Bottom Trawling
Scientists use acoustics to locate the signal for the fish. Sometimes this signal is noticed near the ocean floor. In this case, the PolyNor’eastern (PNE) Bottom Trawl Net is used to trawl for fish. This net is a large net equipped with rubber bobbins that allow it to get close to the benthic region of the ocean without dragging.
Poly Nor’Eastern Bottom Trawling Net
During this research expedition, we used the PNE net six times to survey pollock. Often times these trawls brought up other interesting sea life, that were quickly assessed (identified, measured, and recorded) and returned to the ocean. The majority of invertebrate sea animals such as poriferans (sponges), cnidarians (sea anemones), annelids (segmented worms), mollusks (barnacles), arthropods (hermit crabs hiding in mollusk shells), and echinoderms (sea urchins and starfish) were brought up in these hauls. In addition, some interesting species of fish (see this blog’s Trawling Zoology segment below) were gathered in bottom trawls.
Miscellaneous Invertebrates from Bottom TrawlLarge Lingcod Caught in Bottom Trawl
Using the Methot Trawl
We use the Methot trawling net to sample krill, a type of zooplankton that pollock feeds on. On this voyage, the Methot was used 6 times as well. The Methot is a single net with a large square opening or mouth. The net is deployed from the stern and towed behind the vessel. Inside the Methot is a small removable codend where much of the catch is deposited.
Methot Net Lying on Trawl DeckRaising the Methot NetCodend of Methot Overflowing with Krill
The krill is measured and counted as well. First, the water is drained out, then it is weighed, and a small sample is weighed and counted.
Lining Up and Counting Krill
Bottom trawls and Methot trawls are both important aspects of the pollock survey.
Personal Log
Accomplishment
Continuing with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, I will discuss the top part of the pyramid, how self-actualization, or being involved in creative endeavors to expand one’s full potential, are met on the Oscar Dyson.
A Version of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Since I am an honorary member of the am science team, I am privy to many discussions between the scientists on the team regarding a variety of topics. For example, one side project on the mission is to gather information regarding the abundance and distribution of euphausiids (krill) in the Gulf of Alaska. This research project involves the use of a smaller “critter camera,” engineered and built by two of the MACE (Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering) group members, to take pictures of krill at various ocean depths and (ideally) reconcile its distribution with acoustic and Methot trawl data. The goal of the project is to provide insight into the feeding conditions of pollock. The discussions between group members involve postulating, speculating, testing, theorizing, analyzing, teaching, and questioning; clearly this meaty dialog indicates that the process of science is an intellectually stimulating and creative endeavor.
Scientist Team Members— Abigail, Patrick, and Kirsten—Engaged in a Stimulating Discussion
Did You Know?
One of the people who views my blogs before they are posted is the Executive Officer (2nd in Charge) of the crew on the Oscar Dyson. His name is Chris and on this mission he is “augmenting” or filling in for another employee. Chris administers the day-to-day operations of the crew including logistics, payroll, and travel. Chris is a member of the NOAA Corps; he has both a BS in Marine Biology and an MS in Management Information Systems from Auburn University located in Auburn, Alabama. He grew up in various places in the Midwest (his dad was in the U.S. Airforce) and has worked in several fields including information technology and zookeeping. He applied to the NOAA Corps because he wanted to live and work near the ocean.
Chris, the Executive Officer of the Oscar Dyson
Something to Think About:
In previous posts, we have explored invertebrates encountered on this mission. Today we will look at a group of vertebrates from the class Osteichthyes, a word that comes from the Greek osteon meaning “bone” and ichthus meaning “fish.” We will focus on some of the other fish besides pollock found in bottom trawls. These bottom-dwellers are quite interesting creatures.
One of the most frequently found fish, other than pollock, is a type of rockfish called the Pacific Ocean Perch (POP); the species name is Sebastes alutus (Greek: Sebastes “August, venerable”, alutus “grow, nourish”). This fish actually was seen in many trawls, both mid-water and bottom. As the picture below indicates, the body and fins of the POP are light red; however, there are dark olivaceous areas on back under soft dorsal fin and on the caudal peducle. The maximum length of the fish is 55 cm and it is commonly found at a depth between 100-350 m.
Pacific Ocean Perch (a type of Rockfish)
A fish that belongs to the same genus as the POP is the Tiger Rockfish, Sebastes nigrocinctus ( Latin: niger, “black” and cinctus, “belt”). We found this fish once in a bottom trawl. The bottom of the tiger rockfish is light red to orange with several broad, vertical black-red bands on body. It grows to a maximum length of 61 cm and is commonly found at a depth between 55 to 274 m. Notice how similar it looks to the POP.
Tiger Rockfish, notice the similarities to the Pacific Ocean Perch
One of the most colorful fish that was found in a bottom trawl was the kelp greenling, Hexagrammos decagrammus (Greek: hexa, “six”; grammus, “letter, signal”, deca, “ten”), a fish that generally hangs out in rocky reefs and kelp beds in relatively shallow waters (up to 46 m). The fish is olive brown to bluish grey, speckled with irregular blue spots if male and reddish brown to gold spots if female (those we caught were most likely female). The fish reach a maximum length of 53 cm.
