Sinh Nguyen: Larval Bluefin Tuna Watch Continues! July 22, 2025
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Sinh Nguyen
Aboard NOAA Ship Pisces
July 7, 2025 – July 24, 2025
Mission: Larval Bluefin Tuna Slope Survey
Geographic Area of Cruise: North Atlantic Ocean, Slope Sea
Date: July 23, 2025
Weather Data:
9:14 AM Eastern Time
A view of this morning. The water and breeze are calm. NOAA Ship Pisces is sailing at a speed of 10 knot (just about 12 mph).
The current temperature is 23°C (°73F).
The wind speed is 11 knots (13 mph). Source: Windy app.
We’re close to Newport, where Pisces will dock! She’ll dock at Naval Station Newport.
A view of Rhode Island.
Science Log
Uplift Education, Mighty Primary scholars: There’s been a lot of science work lately! Last time, I wrote about the four tasks for our science mission.
Let’s recall: Can you think, share, and then act out these tasks with your parents?
I’ve just finished another sunset shift (3 PM – 3 AM watch) so I’m feeling more tired than usual. But it’s been exciting sampling bluefin tuna larvae and seeing lots of planktons! Here are some updates on each task:
Computers for CTD data
Fun: Watching the computer screens as the CTD instrument goes deep into the ocean felt like playing a video game.
Challenge: Staying focused while recording (writing down) numbers carefully. There’s a lot of data! This task was the most challenging for me. It requires understanding CTD data well so all crews know how to control it.
*Note to self: Don’t forget to hit “save” and “backup” buttons!
Learned: Have a sticky note or notepad handy! Just like taking notes in class, I was always recording numbers on paper and double-checking the numbers. They can be easy to forget with so much going on.
It was awesome seeing how conductivity, temperature, and data really can tell us the best conditions to sample larval bluefin tuna.
Have your notes handy!This task requires paying close to how temperature, conductivity, and depth interact.
Data is fun. For me, the CTD is still a but confusing but I’m a lot more confident using it now. I’m still learning more about it, but it was a great time learning from everyone.
The CTD, live in action! Can you try reading and analyzing (studying) these numbers?
Washing Bongo nets
Fun: Spraying the nets with the water hose was like a mini water fight. This is my favorite task. Once emptied out from the nets, seeing all the planktons caught is super interesting.
Challenge: The nets are heavy when they’re full of seawater and plankton. Plankton are also so small, so I was constantly worried about spraying the nets down too hard. I didn’t want to hurt them, especially when trying to spray down the corners.
Learned: We wash the nets carefully to make sure we collect every tiny creature for research.
The “spray” function was the best because water wasn’t projected too strongly.
It’s important to wear protective gear. I had to learn how to put it on and off quickly before this task.
Bongo nets being retrieved. This is a view from the bridge, where NOAA Corps Officers are supporting with ship controls during net pick up and drop off.
Inside the bridge while during this task. Red light is used so that it doesn’t distract your eyes and focus from seeing other lights. It is dark and very quiet inside during night time. NOAA Corps officers explained to me what’s happening inside the bridge during this task.After they’ve been washed down into trays, it felt great looking at different types of planktons!
We had to make sure the deck was clean and clear before the next station, or stop, for deploying the bongo nets,
Let’s see what we discovered!
When you’re back to school, we’ll identify them all together!
Some plankton samples.They were so small!
Drifter Traps
Scientist Kristen with the drifter traps before their deployment. Do you remember them from one of the earlier posts? Photo credit: Sarah Glancy
A few days into starting our missions, we began deploying them into the waters at night and then recovering them in morning. Photo Credit: Amanda Jacobsen
Some collected samples. Photo credit: Amanda Jacobsen
Preserving samples
Fun: Using science tools made me feel like a real marine scientist.
Challenge: It’s tricky to label each sample correctly and handle them gently.
Learned: Preserving the samples keeps them safe so scientists can study them later under microscopes.
Plankton samples were stored in bottles filled with ethanol, to help preserve (protect) DNA and genetic properties.
We had to be careful to use the right solution when preparing bottles for storage. We don’t want them preserved in seawater!
Did you know: Storing planktons in ethanol (a special kind of alcohol) keeps them from rotting. Ethanol acts like a superhero freeze so scientists can study them later. Without it, samples would break down and we’d lose all their important properties. Photo credit: Amanda Jacobson
Identification (ID)
Fun: Looking at different sea creatures under the microscope is like exploring a new world.
Challenge: It takes patience and practice to tell tiny fish and plankton apart. Even years of practice and studying!
Learned: Looking into the microscope lenses, it helped to take off my glasses for better focus.
Observing planktons under a microscope requires close attention to details.
Dave was excited to have identified bluefin tuna larvae!
Because the ship can get rocky, both my feet and my hands had to be as still as they can be.
Scientists Kristen and Sarah are trying to stay still while observing samples. Imagine trying to take a picture while you’re rocking back and forth!
Once identified, we made sure samples are ok to be stored.
Samples of larval bluefin tuna were stored in these vials, or small sample bottles!
Here are some planktons I saw under the microscope… We will describe and then identify them once we’re back to school!
Activity: Microscope Sample Fun! We will look at real microscope pictures and become scientists! Students, if you’d like: draw, label, and describe what you see in each photo. Zoom into each photo if possible. Use adjectives to describe color, shape, and texture when talking about each sample. Don’t forget the small details! We will discuss these samples once back to school.
Bluefin fish larvae! Photo credit: Autumn MoyaMore bluefin fish larvae samples. Photo credit: Autumn Moya
Crew members aboard NOAA Ship Pisces.
It really does take a team to make the “science” work.
Even though crew members on NOAA Ship Pisces are in different teams, everything on the ship and throughout this mission requires collaboration, understanding, and patience.
Can you tell your parents a time when you had to work in a group with different classmates? What was it like? Did you get along with everyone? What happened when you didn’t? How did everyone work together to get the task done?
These four tasks wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work of these crews: Steward, NOAA Corps, engineer, electronics, survey, and deck.
Personal Log
My days at sea are long, just like a school day might be for you. Once I finish my shifts at 3 AM, I’ve been going to straight to my stateroom for a shower and then bedtime. Because my roommate wakes up at 4 AM for his ship work, I must stay quiet, just like you would at home sharing a room with a brother or sister.
I’ve been waking up at 11 AM, just in time to get ready and then eat lunch. Until 3 PM, I have time to take care of my personal needs.
Staying active while sailing is important! There’s fitness equipment for exercising. Rooms are available throughout the day and night for crew members to use. Because they’re small spaces, we try to keep them clean, tidy, and to a small number of people.
Running on the treadmill feels like doing the wobble line dance! You have to remain balanced with the shop rocking back and forth.
Fishery work can get messy. I’ve been able to do laundry during free time every few days.
Pictured: Survey Technician Ian and Ensign Cheney,. There were times when I ran out of clean shirts to wear after a watch. But, no problem! There’s a store in the lounge area with shirts, sweaters, and hats that can be purchased. They have awesome NOAA Ship Pisces designs on them. Buying them supports crew members through awesome events and activities.
It’s also important to take care of our overall health, just like we do throughout the school day with brain breaks or with visits to the nurse. There’s a medical room I’ve been going to for medicine, including pills for seasickness or body pain. I’ve also been reminded of ways to keep both my body and mind healthy. These reminders are posted all over NOAA Ship Pisces because when you’re away from family and friends, it can feel difficult.
To learn more about crew members and what they do, there was time to tour different parts of NOAA Ship Pisces.
Autumn and I were taking photos outside when we decided to go into the bridge and learn more about its operations.
The bridge of a NOAA ship is like the ship’s control center. It’s where NOAA Corps Officers take turns on watch all day and night to make sure the ship is sailing safely. The bridge has been supporting our science mission by making sure NOAA Ship Pisces is in the right spot for sampling.You can see navigation, communication, and engine controls! This means that the ship’s location and route is always known for all crew members. They control the ship while we survey throughout all four tasks. With some of the NOAA Corps Officers who’ve been showing and explaining all operations of the Pisces. Pictured: Ensign Howsman and Lieutenant Urquhart.Lieutenant Musick has been a big support as well throughout this mission!
We also learned that the engines of a ship are equally as important.
This is Chief Engineer, Adam Butters. He’s the leader who takes care of all the machines on the ship. He and his crew make sure everything works properly, like the engine, power, and water. They help fix things when they break and keep the ship running smoothly so the crew can do their jobs safely! Chief Engineer Adam Butters giving us a tour and explanation of all the engine system we saw.
The engineer crew.
Below was a tour of important engines needed for the ship to sail safely. The machines were incredible! It was amazing to see how hard the engineering team works to make sure the mission was possible for us.
It got loud and hot in the engine room! We had to wear earplugs to protect our ears.
It was fascinating to learn so much about ship engines. These engines help the ship move through the ocean, just like your legs help you walk. They burn fuel to make power, turning giant propellers under the water to push the ship forward.
Next up was a tour of the Acoustic Room. Inside, scientists and technicians use sound waves (through special computers and instruments) to hear all sorts of sounds underwater. These sounds help them find the ocean floor, see how deep the water is, and spot sea animals.
In our mission, we collaborated with an awesome survey technician, Ian!
Ian makes sure our machines, especially CTD, works correctly and safely. He can help fix them if goes wrong.
With Ian, I also learned about special tools used to map the ocean floor. This is called hydrography. It’s like making a giant map of what’s under the sea! Here’s a tour the Acoustic Lab.
There’s even a disco ball there!
Of course, we can’t forget our electronics technician, Alex!
Without him, we wouldn’t have had internet on the ship. Alex helps fix and take care of all the ship’s important electronics, like computers, radios, and screens. Thanks to Alex, the science and the fun can keep going!
Now, it’s your turn to be scientists…
Uplift Education, Mighty K-12 students: My time on sea’s coming to an end. I’m returning soon to Texas, so this isn’t goodbye…
It’s a “SEA” you later!
However… I now pass this adventure to you:
Reflection questions for you:
What do you think would happen if we didn’t collect ocean data using tools like the CTD?
Why do you think it’s important to study larval bluefin tuna?
Even if scientists complete this mission, what do you think you could discover or protect when you become a scientist one day?
The amazing science crew! They look forward to seeing you at sea and working with you, future Mighty scientists!
As I’m about to sail back… I can’t help but wonder… could one of you be the next ocean explorer?
To family, friends, community, NOAA Ship Pisces crew members, readers, and supporters of NOAA’s work & cause: Once back in Texas, I look forward to sharing my experiences with you in an upcoming conclusion post. Please stay tuned!
