NOAA Teacher at Sea
Charlotte Sutton
Aboard NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker
June 7 – June 18, 2024
Mission: Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey (RREAS)
Geographic Area of Cruise: Pacific Ocean; U.S. West Coast
Date: June 11th, 2024
Weather Data from the Bridge
Date: Tuesday, June 11, 2024
Latitude: 35.42 °N
Longitude: 121.22 °W
Sea Wave Height: 4-5 ft
Wind Speed: 4 knots
Air Temperature: 57 ° F
Sky: Foggy / light rain
Science Log
Arriving on the Lasker
We’re off! After landing in San Francisco and driving down to Santa Cruz, I arrived on the NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker by way of small boat transfer. The Lasker was anchored in Monterey Bay, and sent a small boat to pick up myself and some of the science team and crew to be taken aboard. We boarded the small boat, the “RL-2 Shark,” then traveled to the side of the Lasker where we were hoisted up via a winch. I then got a full tour around the ship, and the opportunity to meet many people who work on the Lasker, including members of the science team, NOAA Corps, and Lasker crew.
The Night Shift
Running a ship like the Lasker is a 24-hour-a-day operation. At all times there are some groups of people sleeping and others who are working. The majority of the science crew works at night, so my day typically begins with dinner at 5:00 pm and then working with the science team from approximately 9:30 pm until 6:30 am. As a morning person this was very difficult at first! But after two nights working, I’m finally adjusting to our new schedule.
What is the Goal of the Survey?
The main scientific focus of the upcoming mission is the Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey (RREAS). This survey has been conducted since 1983, and collects data on rockfish and other organisms in their ecosystem.
Rockfish are a very important fish commercially and recreationally in California and on the West Coast. One of the primary purposes of the survey is to use the data collected to help provide additional information about the management of commercial and recreational fisheries off the west coast.
CTD Operations
I began my first night shift by observing a CTD deployment. CTDs are instruments that measure Conductivity, Temperature and Depth (CTD). CTD measurements are conducted approximately 5-6 times a day, and twice at night. The CTD descends down into the ocean to a depth of up to 500 m . There are other instruments and sensors attached to the CTD that measure things like chlorophyll levels and oxygen levels. The data taken from the water column serves as a foundation for scientists to understand the ocean environment.
All of the CTD data, and all the data that the Lasker collects, is free and available to the public.
Trawling
When do we trawl?
The reason the science team trawls at night because there is net avoidance during the daytime, meaning the fish will see the net coming during the day and swim away from it. Other creatures migrate towards the surface at night. In a pattern called vertical migration, these mesopelagic species migrate to shallow waters to feed during the night, while spending day hours at depth.
Having more diverse species to study is useful for the Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey (RREAS). The more data that is collected on rockfish and other species helps scientists to better understand the heath of different fish species, and make predictions and assessments of ocean trends.
How does trawling work?
Each night, the Lasker crew, NOAA corps officers, and science team work together to trawl for different fish species.
“Trawls, which are nets towed behind a boat to collect organisms, have been used by fishers for centuries. Trawls can be divided into three categories based on where they sample the water column: surface, midwater, and bottom.” (NOAA Ocean Exploration)
In our Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey, the science team conducts midwater trawls, at approximately 30m depth to target the fish and other ocean organisms that are targeted for the study.
The last few days we’ve averaged 5 trawls per night. The process begins by deploying the trawling net behind the ship into the midwater section of the water column, and trawling for fish for either 5 or 15 min. After the net is brought in, the contents of the trawl are sorted, measured, and recorded by the science team. This data will be later analyzed to help better understand the ocean ecosystem.
Personal Log
NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker: My New Home at Sea
My new home for my time at sea is the NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker. The Lasker is a NOAA fisheries vessel, with a home port located in San Diego, CA.
“The ship’s primary objective is to support fish, marine mammal, seabird and turtle surveys off the U.S. West Coast and in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean” (NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations).
During my time at sea, the Lasker will be sailing off the coast of California, sailing out of Santa Cruz and back into port in San Diego.
Living on the ship reminds me a lot of my college dorm room. On the ship most people have roommates, and we all have shared spaces like the mess (cafeteria), science labs, outside decks and places to relax. Everyone aboard the ship has been extremely welcoming and kind, always answering any questions I might have and teaching me about life aboard a ship. I am happy to call the Lasker home over my trip at sea!
Did you know?
Adjusting to working the night shift (approximately 9:00 pm – 7:00 am) as a typical morning person has meant sleep is often on my mind. Chatting before our second night shift, scientist Ily Iglesias shared with me how dolphins sleep. Both dolphins and whales sleep much differently than most mammals. Known as unihemispheric sleep, dolphins