Amber LaMonte: Learning to Play the Bongos, June 2, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Amber LaMonte

Aboard NOAA Ship Pisces

May 31 – June 10, 2026

Mission: Northeast Ecosystem Monitoring Survey (EcoMon)
Geographic Area of Cruise: Southern New England
Date: June 2, 2026

Data from the Bridge
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT): 9:23 AM
Latitude: 40° 18.872’ N
Longitude: 070° 30.000’ W
Doppler Wind Speed: 9.97 knots (kt)
True Wind Speed: 1.56 knots (kt)
Wave Height: 4’
Air Temperature: 11.11°C/52°F
Wet Bulb Temperature: 8.3°C/46.9°F
Bottom Depth: 98 m
Sky: Clear

NOAA Ship Pisces’ call sign
https://www.noaa.gov/organization/administration/nao-201-6-official-flags-of-noaa https://www.marinetraffic.com/

As we set sail, the NOAA Ship Pisces displays its unique combination of signal flags as the call sign. Remember, you can follow along in real time on the Marine Traffic site.

Science and Technology Log

Research

The data collected from the Ecosystem Monitoring (EcoMon) survey is used by numerous research facilities, as well as the scientists at NOAA. Since NOAA is a federal agency, the data they collect is publicly available. Additionally, many research facilities, such as Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI), University of Rhode Island (URI) and the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, work collaboratively and will utilize ship time on the vessel when space is available. On this expedition, URI is on board, utilizing the chem lab to run an Imaging Flow Cytobot (IFCB).

The focus for the NOAA science team is on collecting and processing samples to monitor the ecosystem health of the Northeast Atlantic Ocean and ground truth to the imaging provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).  The data includes plankton samples (both zooplankton and phytoplankton), inorganic carbon, nutrients, conductivity (salinity), temperature and depth (CTD).

The primary study organism for this survey, with set sampling goals, is the Atlantic Mackerel. Given the sampling equipment size & techniques, the goal is to collect Atlantic Mackerel larvae or eggs. Since this focus is on fish, the samples can be referred to as ichthyoplankton. These samples will be sent to Poland, where scientists with expertise in identifying fish larvae will process them and then share the data as part of an ongoing scientific collaboration.

Scientific Concepts

We use Bongo nets to monitor ecosystem health. By lowering them deep into the water column, we can sample organisms that migrate vertically, staying in the dark depths during the day and rising to feed at night. When we haul the nets up, we typically find zooplankton like krill, along with fish larvae and copepods. Analyzing these communities provides valuable insight into primary productivity at the base of the food web, helps identify spawning locations and estimate adult stock sizes, tracks the movement of larval fish to and from nursery habitats, and reveals patterns in ocean current transport.

Tracking the distribution and abundance of these tiny organisms gives us critical data on the base of the food web. This helps us gauge the overall health of the ecosystem and predict the survival of larger, dependent species like whales. Speaking of whales… I have been pulled away from writing this blog several times today to go running (ummm, I mean briskly walking) up four flights of stairs to catch glimpses! We spotted hundreds of Short-Beaked dolphins, Risso’s dolphins, a fin whale, and pilot whales. We have also seen numerous seabird species and several Mola Molas, aka Sunfish! I need a bumper sticker that says, “I break for marine wildlife”. Trying to take photos but with fast-moving organisms, slow-moving Mrs. LaMonte, and a large moving ship is a super challenge!

Methodology

Prior to the mission, the scientists propose a cruise track to stop at the optimal sampling locations, or stations, for their research focus. After setting up their experimental design, the science team submits the proposal to request ship time and resources to complete all planned sampling. Due to ship scheduling constraints, the team often needs to revise the plan to strategically collect data at sites where they can obtain the most valuable data. This survey track was adjusted to include key sites where Atlantic Mackerel are known to spawn. The blue dots represent standard bongo stations; the red dots are for water sampling only and red dots with a black circle indicate both water sampling and bongos. The green dots in Southern New England are bongo stations specifically within wind energy areas.

Looking at the map, you can see where NOAA scientists have divided the area by latitude, since this yields similarities in coastal temperatures. First, the region is divided into the subregions of the Gulf of Maine, Southern New England and Mid-Atlantic. Then those subregions are ordered by bathymetry (measurements of the seafloor). Upper, middle, and lower shelves have different zone characteristics, such as light and temperature. The shelf regions are then mathematically divided (thanks to geometry) to enable more uniform population calculations.

Within the site divisions, some locations are designated sites that each science team consistently samples for ecosystem health as ongoing reference points. Additionally, there are 3-5 sites within that strata that are then randomly sampled during each cruise. Samples at Station 23-SNE-5, with 23 representing the strata, SNE representing the geographic region and 5 representing the random sample site, are the ones being collected at this station.

The plankton samples are collected using bongos, a pulley system equipped with a cable that deploys the nets into the water column. Typically, at the codend (narrow end), a detachable collection bucket captures and retains the zooplankton sample, enabling efficient transport to the laboratory for further analysis.

For missions in the open waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, a modification has been made: folding the cod end and tightly securing it with nylon rope. This way prevents cracked sample bottles or striking hazards from rough seas and strong ocean currents.

Once the bongo has been raised back up by the AB (Able Body) deck crew, we then hose them down thoroughly with seawater, rinsing down any plankton stuck to the top of the net into the codend. Untie the rope, rinse through a sieve, and then store in either formalin or ethanol, depending on the study purpose. In addition to the main big bongos, a set of baby bongos are sent down. The nets for both the big and baby plankton tows come in various sizes and are changed out depending on the specifications for each sampling station.

1. Playing (hosing) the big bongos. 2. A look back at our student-designed plankton tows last year. (Photo courtesy of York High School.) Little did I know that I needed to teach you all how to play the bongos! 3. & 4. Preserving plankton in formalin. 5. AB-F Deck Crew Todd Fatkin deploying bongos.

Careers

Amanda Jacobsen serves as a Watch Chief for this mission. Displaying excellent teamwork skills to repair a seawater hose leak that occurred as we initially set sail, she recognized there was no time to waste and located the leak and an alternate flow route prior to the ship’s engineering team arriving.

Based at the NOAA Fisheries laboratory in Rhode Island, Amanda regularly participates in NOAA research cruises like this one. She developed a strong interdisciplinary foundation with coursework spanning biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science and environmental law. 

She is also currently pursuing her master’s degree in marine biology at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Her graduate research focuses on the energy content of plankton and its role within the marine food web. Understanding energy flow at the base of the food pyramid is essential for managing and sustaining all higher trophic levels. This background now informs a comprehensive understanding of marine ecosystems and the many factors that influence them.

Personal Log

My shipmate Ava, a Rhode Island local, gave me a narrated tour of Narragansett Bay as the ship began its underway operations. She recently graduated with a B.S. in marine biology and has worked in various field study roles with the state in and around local waterways.

Narragansett Bay, situated along the northern edge of Rhode Island Sound, spans approximately 147 miles. It is the largest estuary in New England, serving as a vast natural harbor that supports both environmental diversity and maritime activity. The bay also encompasses a small archipelago formed by the melting of glaciers after the last ice age. As the ice sheet stalled and retreated, the region became ice-free about 14,000 years ago. A shifting mix of sea-level rise and land rebound alternately flooded and exposed the landscape. Rising seas eventually inundated the valley, permanently transforming it into an estuary.

I think being at sea is absolutely magnificent! I am assigned to the 3 AM to 3 PM shift and getting up at 2 AM is not even suitable for early sea birds, but my commute to work is 60 seconds and I wouldn’t want to miss a single sunrise out on the North Atlantic Ocean! I boarded the ship with my sea legs all ready to go and we have had great weather with fair winds. The entire team has been so welcoming, both science and ship crew and I feel like a special guest. Look for the next post when I share about boat life and safety.

Did You Know?

The ichthyoplankton samples that are sent to Poland are part of a legacy project collaboration that has been ongoing for over 50 years. The project began when, after World War II, there were government funds remaining in Poland that held more value being used in Poland than converting back to U.S. dollars. Polish scientists had developed expertise in fish larval taxonomy as part of monitoring commercial and local fish populations. These scientists began training and collaborating with scientists in American waters, and the partnership between our governments remains to this day.

Read more: https://mir.gdynia.pl/pliki/osrodek/biuletyn/biulet3-00a.pdf