NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog

June 20, 2010April 15, 2021

Tanya Scott, June 20, 2010

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Tanya Scott
Onboard NOAA Ship Miller Freeman
June 16 – 21, 2010

Mission: Ecology of Juvenile Fishes
Geographical Area: Central Oregon/Washington Coast
Current Location: 35 miles offshore, steaming to Seattle, WA
Date: Sunday, June 20, 2010

Today is my last full day aboard the Miller Freeman. It is currently 4:00 pm and I have just woken up! I find that being on a ship rocks me to sleep. Or, could it be that I was up until 6:00 am this morning? Either way, I am fully rested and ready to rinse and store all of the scientific equipment in preparation for our departure tomorrow morning. We are currently steaming towards Seattle, Washington where we will depart the ship.

Our work on Saturday turned out to be very interesting. While pulling the midwater trawl, a small pod of Pacific Whitesided dolphin became interested in our tow. They swam very close to the net for a time and had everyone worried that they may become entangled. Luckily, they lost interest and swam away. If they had become entangled in the net there are many protocols that would have been implemented. The marine mammal stranding unit in Washington would have been called, a representative would have been sent to meet the ship, and many photographs taken as documentation. It is always a concern that marine mammals may become entangled in nets but fortunately, this time was not one of those cases.

scott_log3 — Krill brought in from the midwater trawl.

The catches from our midwater trawl brought up the familiar species of krill, purple lanternfish, rockfish, and hake. Since the depth of this trawl does not target adult fish, we have been dealing almost exclusively with juvenile and larvae fish. Our last haul produced more larvae rockfish than usual, which is good for the scientists conducting this survey. They are, however, trying to determine where the largest concentrations of juvenile rockfish are during the season. Rockfish are an important species in the Pacific Northwest. It would be easy for you to think of how important flounder are in our area. Rockfish are harvested for sale in fish markets and therefore are threatened by over harvesting. It is important to monitor their movement and habitat in order to determine when and where Pacific Hake regulations should be put in place. Another commercially important species is the Pacific Hake. This fish is deboned and sold as fish sticks in the grocery store. I’m sure that most of you have eaten a Pacific Hake and didn’t even know. These fish are commonly caught by fisherman and, just as the rockfish, their populations are threatened by over harvesting. When Pacific Hake are caught in the midwater trawl, their length is measured, recorded, and the fish are returned to the ocean. All of the data collected by the scientist involved in this study will help to ensure the survival of these commercially viable species. More importantly, keeping their populations stable will mean that the food web remains intact. Just as we have discussed in class many times, everything on earth has its place. Something else always depends on it for food, shelter, survival, and well being.

Since today is the last full day on board we will be preparing the equipment for transport back to Newport, Oregon. It is important that everything is rinsed with freshwater to prevent corrosion. After being rinsed and dried, we will package everything in boxes. Our bunks will be stripped, our lockers emptied, and staterooms cleaned. Although my time on board is coming to an end, I know that I will have many memories and experiences to share with you when I return.

Tanya Scott

June 19, 2010March 12, 2021

Melinda Storey, June 19, 2010

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Melinda Storey
Onboard NOAA Ship Pisces
June 14 – July 2, 2010

NOAA Teacher at Sea: Melinda Storey
NOAA Ship Pisces
Mission: SEAMAP Reef Fish Survey
Geographical Area of Cruise: Gulf of Mexico
Date: June 19, 2010

Weather Data from the Bridge
Time: 1000 hours (10:00am)
Position: latitude = 27°34 N, longitude = 096°28 W
Present Weather: mostly clear
Visibility: > 10 nautical miles
Wind Direction: SSE Wind Speed: 13 knots
Wave Height: 2 feet
Sea Water Temp: 29.5°C
Air Temperature: dry bulb = 29.4°C, wet bulb = 27.8°C

Science and Technology Log

One of the goals of the SEAMAP Reef Fish survey is to monitor the health and abundance of reef fish to establish limits on how much fish the fishing industry can take out of Gulf waters. SEAMAP stands for Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program and is a State/Federal/University program for collection, management and dissemination of fishery-independent data and information in the southeastern United States.

Due to the oil spill in the Gulf, the fish we capture will be weighed, measured, frozen, and delivered to the Seafood Inspection Laboratory (NSIL) in Mississippi to be tested for hydrocarbons (oil) or other contamination to ensure that the seafood is safe to eat. Since the oil spill is far to the east of where we are doing the survey, our data will serve as a baseline and be compared to future studies to see what the extent and future impact of the oil will be in these waters.

The fish are taken out of the Chevron Trap or off the Bandit Reel and brought into the wet lab.

The first measurement we take is the weight (or mass) of the fish in kilograms (kg) using a motion compensating scale. One scientist will take the measurements while another records the data in a data table.

Next, we take three different measurements of length by placing the fish on a board that has a metric measuring tape attached. All length measurements are measured in millimeters (mm). First, we take the Total Length (TL) measurement which is from the mouth of the fish to the longest point on the tail. Then we measure the Fork Length (FL) from the mouth of the fish to the indention of the tail. The last measurement is the Standard Length (SL) which is from the mouth of the fish to the base of the tail.

Personal Log

I’m loving the gross and slimy science that we are doing here. The other teacher on board likes logging the data onto the charts and all the numbers. That suits me fine because I like hands-on science! The messier the better.

You can see me holding the squid that we use to bait the Chevron fish trap. I even like picking up the fish and weighing them and measuring them too. Our Chief Scientist, Paul Felts, let me calibrate the scale. This scale compensates for the rolling of the ship so we get a very accurate weight. I think the scientists get a kick out this old woman doing some of the gooey, messy work like baiting the fish trap with the slimy squid and the Bandit Reel with pieces of mackerel, but what they don’t know is that I don’t mind at all!

I have been amazed at the number of oil rigs in the Gulf. Wherever we’ve been – 100 miles out or 40 miles out – we’ve seen oil and gas platforms (rigs). Rigs that are out 100 miles start drilling at 5,000 feet deep. At night the rigs are all lit up and are beautiful but the number just overwhelms me.

The CO showed me a chart they were using on the bridge and it looked like someone shook pepper on a white sheet of paper, only each pepper flake was an oil rig. He said that most of those rigs have been built since 1997. At first, ships from oil companies were sent out to map the ocean floor and that would help them decide WHERE to drill. On the nautical chart there were two levels of ocean depths – shallow water and deep water. I was looking at the deep water chart. When I commented on the number of oil rigs, the CO said there were even more rigs in the shallow part. He said that when he “steams” through the shallow water rigs it’s “like driving through traffic.”

There is a bird that has been catching a ride with us for the last 24 hours. We Googled ocean birds and found out it was a Brown Booby. They look like the blue footed Boobies that live in the Galapagos Islands. He is black with a white belly and white face with bright yellow beak. He also has yellow webbed feet. He just sits on top of a weather post in the bow and grooms himself. He poops too. Sometimes he flies off to catch a flying fish but always returns.

New Term/Vocabulary

Bridge – the top level of the ship where the Commanding Officer steers the ship

Steam ahead – to move forward

“Something to Think About”

Nicolle found a moth in her room last night. Now, how did a moth get way out here? I caught him and released him but who knows what will happen to him. It doesn’t look good for the little guy!

“Did You Know?”

Did you know that if you get “pooped on” by an ocean bird, it means you’ll have good luck? Fortunately I’m not lucky!!!
There is a bird that has been catching a ride with us for the last 24 hours. We Googled ocean birds and found out it was a Brown Booby. They look like the blue footed Boobies that live in the Galapagos Islands. He is black with a white belly and white face with bright yellow beak. He also has yellow webbed feet. He just sits on top of a weather post in the bow and grooms himself. He poops too. Sometimes he flies off to catch a flying fish but always returns.

June 19, 2010March 12, 2021

Nicolle von der Heyde, June 19, 2010

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Nicolle Vonderheyde
Onboard NOAA Ship Pisces
June 14 – July 2, 2010

Nicolle von der Heyde
NOAA Ship Pisces
Mission: SEAMAP Reef Fish Survey
Geographical Area of Cruise: Gulf of Mexico
Dates: Saturday, June 19

Weather Data from the Bridge

Time: 1000 hours (10:00am)
Position: latitude = 27°34 N, longitude = 096°28 W
Present Weather: mostly clear
Visibility: > 10 nautical miles
Wind Direction: SSE Wind Speed: 13 knots
Wave Height: 2 feet
Sea Water Temp: 29.5°C
Air Temperature: dry bulb = 29.4°C, wet bulb = 27.8°C

Science and Technology Log

The fish are taken out of the Chevron Trap or off the Bandit Reel and brought into the wet lab.

Personal Log

I love having another Teacher at Sea with me to share this experience and discuss ideas for lessons based on the research we are conducting on board. What’s even better is Melinda’s enthusiasm about jumping right in and getting her hands dirty. She has no problem handling the slippery, stinky squid that is used to bait the Chevron trap (the Snapper in the top left photo didn’t get a chance to finish his last meal) or grabbing a slimy Red Snapper that has dorsal fin spikes and gill rakers as sharp as razor blades. For me, it’s taken a little getting used to. Just look at my facial expressions during my first attempt at measuring the fish.

Red Snapper did not get a chance to finish its last meal

What really gets me is the fish could just be lying there motionless one second, and then the next it begins to thrash and jump and flip itself right over…it startles me every time. After this first attempt at measurement, I began using thick gloves with grip to handle the fish – it helped.

Occasionally there is time at the end of the day for the crew on board to do some fishing. Just before sunset is prime time to catch fish, although so far, besides the jackpot reeled in the day we found the dead Sperm Whale, there have only been a few catches. One great phrase I’ve heard uttered by the crew more than once after over an hour of patiently waiting for the line to jerk is, “Well, that’s why they call it ‘fishing’, not ‘catching’.” I must admit it’s a peaceful way to end a long day of work.

Animals Seen

Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus)

Silky Shark (Carcharhinus falciformis) – Caught and released by a deckhand while fishing

Wire Coral (Cirrhipathes leutkeni) – Reeled up along with the Crinoid while fishing

Crinoid (species unidentified) – shown below

June 18, 2010March 12, 2021

Richard Chewning, June 18th, 2010

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Richard Chewning
Onboard NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson
June 4 – 24, 2010

NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson
Mission: Pollock Survey
Geographical area of cruise: Gulf of Alaska (Kodiak) to eastern Bering Sea (Dutch Harbor)
Date: June 18, 2010

Weather Data from the Bridge

Position: Bering Sea, north of Dutch Harbor
Time: 1600 hours
Latitude: N 55 06.120
Longitude: W 166 33.450
Cloud Cover: Mostly cloudy
Wind: 10 knots from the west
Temperature: 7.1 C
Barometric Pressure: 1010.8

Science and Technology Log

In order to manage a public resource such as pollock, fisheries managers must develop a stock assessment. A stock assessment is a big picture overview of a certain population of fish. Fisheries managers use stock assessments to determine opening and closing dates for fishing seasons, catch limits (the number of fish that can be caught by a particular fisherman or boat), and the total allowable catch for the season. Stock assessments are developed from a combination of fishery dependant and independent data. Fishery dependant data includes catch records from commercial fishing boats and reports from processors dockside that prepare and package the fish for market. Combined with this information is fishery independent data. This information is gathered from sources not involved with commercial fishing.

chewning_log8_img_1 — Cod end filled with pollock

chewning_log8_img_3 — Unsorted catch entering wet lab

The Dyson’s acoustic trawl survey is one of the primary sources of fishery independent data for the pollock stock assessment. The Dyson’s transducers provide a wealth of acoustic data from each transect. These acoustic returns must first be identified or deciphered before being used in the stock assessment. Just like you need a key to decode the symbols on a road map or need a scale to interpret the colors on a weather map, the acoustic returns also need to be referenced with actual pollock specimens collected by trawling. By matching up the characteristics of the fish caught in the trawl with their acoustic returns, researchers can interpret all the acoustic data from the entire survey area.

chewning_log8_img_4 — My what sharp teeth you have! Arrowtooth flounder

Pollock specimens are collected with Aleutian wing trawls, or AWTs for short. An Aleutian wing trawl is a single large net deployed off the stern of the Dyson. Large metal fishbuster doors are used to open the mouth of the net in the water. The catch is collected in a bag located at the end of the net called the cod end. The cod end’s mesh size prevents anything larger than 0.5 inches from escaping. Once the net is hauled back on deck, the cod end is emptied in the wet lab, and the entire catch is sorted. Fish are identified, counted, weighed, and measured. The gender and maturity of a subsample of pollock are also recorded. Stomachs are collected to determine what the pollock are eating. Finally, otoliths, the ear bones of fish, are collected. Just like counting the rings of a tree, researchers will count the number of rings in the otolith to determine the age of the pollock. Notable bycatch (fish that were not targeted) include eulachon, arrowtooth flounder, Pacific cod, sturgeon poacher, and yellowfin sole. Misha told me Russians used to dry out eulachon whole and use them as candles because of their high oil content. In fact I learned that one of common names in the US for eulachon is candlefish!

Why gather so much information on a single species of fish like pollock? Fisheries managers are responsible for the sustainable use of public resources. Without careful monitoring, fishing pressure, natural predation, and disease might remove pollock from the population faster than they can replace themselves. There is great demand for pollock both commercially and in the Bering Sea ecosystem. Walleye pollock is the largest US fishery by volume and third largest by value. Annual US catches can average 2.5 billion pounds. Pollock is also an important food source for Stellar sea lion, other marine mammals, birds, and other fish.

chewning_log8_img_8 — The Dyson in Dutch Harbor

Personal Log

On Thursday, I had the pleasure of joining two members of the deck crew, Joel Kellogg and Glen Whitney, to pick up a new addition of the science party in Dutch Harbor. Mike Sigler, a fish biologist with NOAA, is a project leader and principal investigator with the North Pacific Research Board’s Bering Sea Integrated Ecosystem Research Program (BSIERP). He is joining the Dyson for the last week of our survey. BSIERP is a six year long collaborative study with the National Science Foundation’s Bering Ecosystem Study (BEST). More than a hundred scientists from these two groups are investigating the organisms and physical forces that make up and influence life in the Bering Sea ecosystem.

chewning_log8_img_9 — Recovering the Peggy D.

To pick up Mike, the Dyson launched the Peggy D. Named for wife of Oscar Dyson, the Peggy D. is a small power boat used to ferry people to and from shore. Peggy Dyson is a famous Alaskan in her own right, serving as a National Weather Service ship to shore weather broadcaster. Her voice brought vital information and reassurance to Alaskan fisherman. She diligently performed these duties twice a day, seven days a week for 25 years. I really enjoyed having the opportunity to see the Dyson from the water as my only vantage point for the last two weeks has been from the Dyson looking out. I was surprised how quickly the Dyson shrunk on the horizon as we sped away and traveled into Dutch Harbor. Dutch Harbor felt like a true frontier town. The vehicles seemed to reflect the character of the town. While looking rough and weathered on the outside, the beat-up cars and trucks of Dutch Harbor revealed a resilience and gritty determination to keep moving forward and press on against an unforgiving environment. I loved hearing the cry of the bald eagles that were spotted everywhere you looked. While I enjoyed having solid ground under my feet for a few short minutes, I appreciated the sense of familiarity and belonging I felt upon returning to the Dyson.

chewning_log8_img_7 — Scute visits the Bering Sea

Scute, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center Mascot, was spotted visiting the Bering Sea today! Scute, a loggerhead sea turtle, travels the world promoting awareness of sea turtles. We know Scute was only visiting the Bering Sea as these waters are too cold for loggerhead sea turtles. Loggerhead sea turtles are the most abundant sea turtles in US coastal waters. Scute’s home is the Georgia Sea Turtle Center (GSTC) located on Jekyll Island, Georgia. The GSTC is a research, rehabilitation, and education center dedicated to helping sea turtles along the GA coast and around the world. Sea turtles released from the GSTC will often have a satellite transmitter attached to their shell just like Scute. The transmitters allow researchers to track their movements at sea. Only one of the seven species of sea turtles found worldwide can survive this far north – the leatherback sea turtle. The leatherback sea turtle is the largest species of sea turtle reaching six and a half feet in length and weighing as much as 2000 pounds! Leatherbacks have several adaptations such as high oil content in their large bodies that help them tolerate the cold waters of the southern Bering Sea. Leatherback sea turtles feed on jellyfish and can dive to great depths because the protection provided by their leathery shell (a hard shell would crack under the high pressure of the water). For more information about Scute and sea turtles, check out the GSTC website at http://www.georgiaseaturtlecenter.org !

June 18, 2010April 15, 2021

Tanya Scott, June 18, 2010

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Tanya Scott
Onboard NOAA Ship Miller Freeman
June 16 – 21, 2010

Mission: Ecology of Juvenile Fishes
Geographical Area: Central Oregon/Washington Coast
Date: Friday, June 18, 2010

Science and Technology Log
Before telling you about my experiences in the last day or so, I’d like to give a little more information about the experiments being conducted by Oregon State University (OSU). The title of this study is: The Stock Assessment Improvement Program (SAIP) Ecology of Juvenile Fishes off Oregon/Washington. The primary purpose of this study is to assess the ecology and population of juvenile fishes between Willapa Bay, WA and Heceta Head, OR as part of a NOAA Fisheries Stock Assessment. Scientists are trying to gain a better understanding of the direct and indirect linkages between oceanographic conditions and fish survival in the marine environment. This is becoming more important as the need to manage fish stocks increases. Scientists collect data concerning biotic and abiotic conditions and assess the relationship between these factors and fish populations.

As many of you already know, there is a very similar need in NC for such studies. If you recall, our scallop season was closed for two years and only opened briefly last year for harvest. Such closures and limitations are put on species such as scallop in order to give populations time to recover from over harvesting. Similar problems are also encountered on the west coast with many species that fisherman harvest for sale to the public. One important thing to remember is that the food you order in a restaurant had to be harvested from someone, somewhere. Another good example is shrimp, which many of you love to eat! Fisherman harvest shrimp to sell in markets which in turn, are sold to restaurants and grocery stores. If fisherman take shrimp without regard for their population then problems eventually arise. It is the goal of scientists to monitor issues such as population and species health before they become a problem. Monitoring is the goal of the SAIP project being conducted by OSU and NOAA.

One of the challenges of this trip has been adjusting to the work/sleep schedule. Most of the samples collected by OSU scientists are done during the night. There are 4 stations a night that must be sampled and there is about an hour of transit time between each station. After catching up on a bit of sleep yesterday, I awoke around 2 am this morning to assist with the last two stations.

When a station is reached, three instruments are deployed and data is recorded. Below is a description of each:

1. CTD: I discussed this in the previous log. This instrument is used to collect data including salinity, temperature, density, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and florescence. It is important to know what abiotic factors affect the population of juvenile fish. Bknowing what factors affect their movement, scientists are better able to determine where and wpopulations can be found. For example, the average water temperature is 12.9 Celsius where our samples are taken.

2. Bongo Tow: This interesting piece of equipment is deployed when the ship slows to about 1-2 knots. We usually travel at a speed of about 12 knots on average. When the Bongo goes over, everyone knows because we all slow down! The Bongo Tow consists of two nets that are lowered into the water at a depth of 100 meters. The Bongo Tow collects a small sample of the water column at this depth and is then brought back to the surface. My job has been to rinse the Bongo tow once it is onboard, collect any organisms that were caught in the nets, and preserve them. These samples are then taken back to the OSU lab where scientists examine the contents under a microscope. They are looking for tiny organisms called zooplankton and phytoplankton. These organisms are an important food source for juvenile fish and scientists want to know what food is available where fish are found. In addition to zoo and phytoplankton we have captured krill and Dungeness crab larvae.

scott_log2 — Here I am before deploying the CTD. We are required to wear a life jacket, hard hat, and foul weather gear when working.

3. Midwater trawl: This is the most exciting part of each station rotation. This net is towed from the aft (back) of the ship for 15 minutes at a depth of around 30 meters. The purpose of this trawl is to capture juvenile fish to be counted and measured. Once onboard, scientist work to separate all species found in the net. Below is a list of the species caught this morning as we sorted:

scott_log2-1 — I am holding a juvenile squid that I’ve sorted from the trawl.

Flatfish larvae (very similar to our flounder), Pacific Hake, Squid, Rockfish larvae, Whitebait Smelt, Juvenile King-of-the-Salmon, Popeye blacksmelt, Slender barracudina, and blue lanternfish.

Today, we are steaming ahead to our first station about 11 miles off the coast of southern Washington. We will begin sampling tonight at 7:00 pm once we reach the station and continue to sample the remaining 3 stations. The work is usually completed around 5:00 am so I am off to catch up on sleep again as I will be up into the wee hours of the morning! One thing that I do enjoy about being up at these odd hours is watching the sunrise on the open ocean. What a beautiful way to greet each day!
Until tomorrow…
Tanya Scott