bongo nets – NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog

June 3, 2026June 3, 2026

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

two pairs of conical nets are suspended above the water at sunrise; the sun illuminates the nets as orange above the darker blue calm waters — Bongo set-up consisting of big and baby bongo sizes being deployed at sunrise

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

view up through the mast and rigging at a column of nautical flags strung vertically down a line

screenshot from Marine Traffic website showing all of the ship traffic southeast of Massachussetts; Pisces is selected, and a sidebar off to the right displays basic info

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.

close up view - through a microscope - of a larval fish in a gooey substrate. the fish has a striking light blue eye that stands out from the speckled tan surroundings of the plankton sample. — *A gadiform fish larva in a plankton sample*

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!

a black-and-white dolphin mid-leap above bright cerulean waters, followed by at least one other dolphin beneath the water's surface — View of *Short-Beaked Dolphins* off the bow of the ship from the flying deck

Methodology

a simple map of the northeastern United States showing proposed tracklines along the coast as far north as New Hampshire and as far south as Delaware. the x-axis ranges from 77 degrees West to 64 degrees West, while the y-axis ranges from about 35 degrees North to 45 degrees North. the track lines are dotted with occasional larger dots marking proposed sampling locations. — *Proposed cruise track for sampling*

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.

a man wearing a hard hat, life vest, and blue gloves stands on the deck of a ship near a railing, facing away from the camera. he reaches his hands up to hold a line extending out of the frame above his head. Two nets, metal rings a the top and long mesh socks extending down the length of the deck, lay on deck ready for deployment. — *AB (Able Seaman) Nick Granozio raises the bongo setup over the edge of the ship* during sunrise with moon still up

a view of two computer monitors, one mounted above the other, in a lab. the top monitor displays several video feeds, while the bottom monitor displays a nautical chart and baythmetry model — *Monitors with the track locations with parameters and video feed of the bongo deployments*

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.

Amber hoses down the bongo nets
Student plankton nets
Plankton in sieve
Emptying sieve
AB Todd Fatkin deploying the bongo nets

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

a woman in an orange life vests stands in the engine room of NOAA Ship Pisces, wearing a life vest. in front of her are a large cooler and a plastic bin with a fitted lid. she points to a hose attached to a large piece of equipment and watches another crewmember, the view of whom mostly obscured by the equipment. — *Watch Chief Amanda Jacobsen, a Biological Lab Technician with NOAA, troubleshoots a leak*

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

portrait photo of a young woman standing at the railing of the ship and smiling for the camera. the water is calm blue-gray and the sky is filled with clouds. — *Ava Cieplinski, recent marine biology*
*graduate from URI*

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.

selfie photo of Amber, wearing a green hard hat and orange life vest, standing at the railing of the ship at sunrise. the water is a beautiful aquamarine and the sunrise is orange-yellow, fading to blue. — Amber at sea

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.

August 4, 2025August 8, 2025

Dorothy Holley: Is it Important to Take Your Temperature? August 2, 2025

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Dorothy Holley

Aboard NOAA Ship Pisces

July 31 – August 15, 2025

Mission: Northeast Ecosystem Monitoring Survey (EcoMon)

Geographic Area of Cruise: Northwest Atlantic Ocean

Date: August 2, 2025

Weather Data from Bridge:
Latitude: N41^o30’0’’
Longitude: W67^o17’0’’
Sea Wave height: 8 feet waves
Wind speed: 13 kt
Wind Direction: 40^o SW
Visibility: overcast
Air Temperature: 20.^oC
Barometric Pressure: 30.22 inHg
Sky: gray to clear

view from across the cement dock of NOAA Ship Pisces in port. the sky is pale blue with a few fluffy clouds.

view looking up at a line of flags hanging vertically off an upper deck of NOAA Ship PIsces. Four of the flags spell the letters WTDL, the Pisces' call sign, in semaphore

Photos: NOAA Ship Pisces in port in Newport, Rhode Island; NOAA Ship Pisces’ call sign; Teacher at Sea Dorothy Holley and NOAA Ship Pisces.

Science at Sea

When someone I care about tells me they don’t feel so good, the first thing I want to do is put the back of my hand to their forehead. Do you have a temperature? If so, your body is probably fighting off something. A thermometer can give a more quantitative answer. With more precise data, I can best treat the underlying cause.

view over the railing of the sunset; the nets are visible in the foreground, folded up inside the metal rings that serve as the opening

two crewmembers wearing life jackets and hard hats stand at the rail and reach out toward the bongo nets suspended above the water's surface; it is evening and the sun has only just set

two crewmembers wearing life jackets and hard hats guide the nets back onto deck; it is evening and the sun has only just set

Photos: Bongo nets on deck, awaiting deployment; Ed Williams and Alyssa Rauscher deploying the bongo nets; Pulling the nets back on board. Photos by LT Karina Urquhart

NOAA scientists help us take the temperature of our oceans by monitoring plankton – the base of the marine food web. I’m not talking about sticking tiny thermometers into copepods or krill, I’m talking about measuring plankton abundance and composition over time. NOAA collects plankton data four times each year – summer, fall, winter, and spring. With over four decades of plankton data, NOAA scientists are able to help fisheries make informed decisions to maximize production as well as protect vulnerable species.

Our team uses Bongo nets to collect plankton on this NOAA Summer Ecosystem Monitoring cruise. We will make over 100 (I think there are about 160 planned stations but we probably won’t have time to get to all of them) stops from Cape Hatteras to the Gulf of Maine, collecting samples that will later be sorted and catalogued. (For a more detailed description of Bongos, see Teacher at Sea Tonya Prentice’s blog here)

You do the math: If we are out at sea for two weeks, and deploy the Bongo nets at 100 different stops, how many times does each group need to collect plankton from the Bongo nets each day? Check in the next bog post for the answer.

view of tables in the mess. each of the chairs' legs is capped in a cut tennis ball. — *Mess hall or Cafeteria?*

Interesting Things: I am surprised by the ways I have been prepared for life on a NOAA ship by classroom life in a public school. The chairs all come with tennis balls on the bottom. In my classroom, we put tennis balls on the chairs so that they don’t make loud noises or create as many scuffs on the floor. Why do you think we have tennis balls on the chairs on a NOAA ship?

photo of the seal of NOAA Ship Pisces, displayed somewhere on the ship. It features an illustration of the ship against a simple map of the Gulf of America, above two swimming fish. on the land of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, there's a pale image of an old diving helmet and crossed tridents. The seal includes the words NOAA Ship Pisces; R-226; Pascagoula, Mississippi. The circle of the seal is bordered by the design of a rope. — NOAA Ship *Pisces* home port is Pascagoula, MS

*Amanda Jacobsen, Science FIeld Party Chief*, NOAA Ship *Pisces*

Career Spotlight

Amanda Jacobsen is our Science Field Party Chief. She works in the NOAA Fisheries lab in Rhode Island, and sails on NOAA cruises like this one. She grew up in Connecticut and attended a small, liberal arts school, Connecticut College. While there, Amanda took a broad spectrum of science courses including Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Environmental Science, and even Environmental Law. Her degree in Environmental Studies helps her understand the many impacts on Marine Ecosystems.

Amanda is now a full-time NOAA scientist and a part time graduate student, studying to earn a Master’s degree in Marine Biology from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Her thesis examines the energy of plankton in the food chain. (Alert: we will do bomb calorimetry labs next year with Amanda’s data!) Better understanding the bottom layer of the energy pyramid is important to harvesting all of the tropic levels above it. If you like eating fish or even fish sticks, you will benefit from Amanda’s work because plankton provides food for nearly every creature in the ocean either directly or indirectly!

One tool that Amanda can’t live without is the Katy Clip (shout out to NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow survey technician Katy McGinnis!). The Katy Clip helps us wash down the Bongo nets when collecting plankton.

Amanda is currently reading the Red Rising Series by Pierce Brown. She also recommends The Ocean’s Menagerie by Drew Harvell. Amanda enjoys doing just about anything as long as it is outside. I am glad she is helping take the temperature of our oceans so that we might enjoy fishing for many years to come!

group photo of two women and a man lined up on deck against an outer wall of the ship. Dorothy, on the left, and Miles, at right, wear life jackets; Miles also wears a green hard hat. Amanda, at the center, has an intercom radio receiver attached to the neck of her sweatshirt. — A part of our Science team: Dorothy, Amanda, and Miles

Personal Log

The ship is going 24/7, so the scientist are, too! Our team is divided into two groups – one that works 3 am – 3 pm and the other works 3 pm- 3 am. Amanda, Miles and I are in the second group. We get to see the sunset every day, but I probably won’t make it to breakfast!

Sunset over the ocean; the sun has almost dipped beneath the horizon. the sky is mostly clear except a few wisps of low clouds. — Sunset over the Atlantic

January 10, 2025January 10, 2025

Kiersten Newtoff: It Takes Two to Bongo, January 10, 2025

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Kiersten Newtoff
Aboard NOAA Ship Pisces
January 6 – January 29, 2025

Mission: Atlantic Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (AMAPPS)
Geographic Area of Cruise: North Atlantic Coast
Date: January 10, 2025
Current Location: 37° 35.83 N, 73° 39.83 W (you can follow us at Windy in real time!)
Weather from the Bridge: Waves are 3-5ft, 42°F, wind speed of 15.8kn, and we are traveling 9.9knph.

What is Zooplankton?

If you ask someone what their favorite marine animal is, I guarantee it’s either dolphins, whales, turtles, or sharks. And honestly, you can’t really blame them. The term charismatic megafauna exists for a reason. Fortunately, these animals have used their charisma to inspire us to protect them and their habitat. While they have been great stewards for conservation, they don’t tell the whole story of what’s happening in the ecosystem.

a close-up view of the bottom of a sample jar filled with krill in water; the tiny crustaceans, resemble small white shrimps, have piled up at the bottom — One example of zooplankton is small krill, as seen in this sample container.

While some of the research groups on the Pisces are focused on marine mammals and seabirds, The Bongonauts focus on zooplankton. Plankton just refers to any organism in the water that can’t swim against a current and ‘floats’ in the water column. You can then further split plankton into animal-like (zooplankton) or plant-like (phytoplankton). The marine food chain starts with phytoplankton, which get consumed by zooplankton, which might get directly eaten by a baleen whale, like humpbacks. Zooplankton may also get eaten by small fishes then larger fish that eventually are consumed by toothed whales. Identifying and quantifying the abundance of zooplankton helps us to understand the health of the food chain. There really aren’t any “Save the Zooplankton” movements happening because let’s be honest, it’s hard to get people to like microscopic organisms. But their downfall due to changes in ocean temperature, salinity, and currents will permeate to the top of the food chain of whales, dolphins, and other megafauna. If we wish to protect the ‘cute’ species, we need to protect their food too!

Let’s Get Ready to Bongo!

Here enters the bongo. If you’ve played Donkey Kong, then you already know what a bongo is. A bongo is a set of two drums that are connected in the middle. In the marine world, what we do is beat on this drum set on the side of the boat and collect all the zooplankton that jump out of the water into collection buckets.

………………………..

Just kidding! But that would be cool.

Although we don’t have the musical bongo, we do have a plankton bongo! It was so named because there are two frames connected in the middle supporting the two plankton nets, kind of like a bongo drum. The nets are made of a mesh with openings that are 1/3 mm. As the nets travel in the water, the water can move through the mesh but larger organisms like zooplankton can’t. Part of the bongo apparatus is the CTD, which uses a series of sensors to measure conductivity, temperature, and depth. These oceanographic variables can help to explain the zooplankton communities we see.

a crewmember wearing an orange float coat and white hard hat looks over the rail of the ship as the paired bongo nets rise out of the water. It is nighttime, and we can only see a patch of the dark water illuminated by the ship's lights. A scientific probe is attached to the cable hoisting the paired nets. — (Left) A bongo net is coming out of the water. The device you see on the rope is the CTD, (Right) The zooplankton team gets lots of support in deploying the bongo nets from the deck crew. Pictured (left to right): Amanda, Tanya, Tasha, and Kiersten.

Four women in float coats or life vests, reflective gear, tall boots, and hard hats pose for a photo on the aft deck of the ship. The paired bongo nets lay spread out on the deck. It is nighttime. — (Left) A bongo net is coming out of the water. The device you see on the rope is the CTD, (Right) The zooplankton team gets lots of support in deploying the bongo nets from the deck crew. Pictured (left to right): Amanda, Tanya, Tasha, and Kiersten.

Bongo time is during the evening and is deployed in the same general areas as the cetacean observations earlier in the day. This allows the scientists to make correlations between plankton communities and the cetaceans spotted earlier. We release the bongos in the evening as the speed needed for a successful deployment is around 3 knots, whereas the observation teams need to be at a minimum of 8 knots. Also, many zooplankton undergo a diel vertical migration (move upwards) in the evening, making it more likely to get a representative sample of zooplankton from the entire water column.

Bongos, a Haiku
gliding through water
collect plankton by bongo
hopefully, cool things

Meet the Bongonauts

a woman wearing an orange float coat and a white hard hat sits at a computer desk and looks at an array of monitors. — Amanda monitors the depth of the bongo so she can communicate with the boatswain when to start hauling it back to the boat.

On this cruise, Amanda and Lily make up the zooplankton team. Amanda is a Biological Science Technician and has been working with NOAA since 2018. During her undergraduate studies, she spent a semester abroad focused on marine science. As soon as she finished, she immediately began looking for marine jobs. Her first position was with NOAA focusing on commercial fisheries. A few years later in 2021, her contracting company had another position within NOAA that she switched to and started focusing on zooplankton. One of the coolest things she’s seen in a bongo net was a strawberry squid, but don’t worry, it was promptly returned to the seas. She enjoys working with other groups on the science team to see what they are finding, and every time the nets come up there is excitement over what they may contain.

a woman lifts one sample jar out of a divided cardboard box and gazes down at the contents. Other jars in the boxes are topped with black lids and printed, detailed labels. — Lily examines the plankton spoils. Some are preserved in ethanol and others in formalin.

Lily is currently a sophomore at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. The professor in one of her classes shared with her the opportunity to sail with the Pisces to volunteer on the zooplankton team and she took it up! Her future career goal is to understand the environmental impacts of cruise ships in port. Further along the line, she would like to get a Master’s in Library Science and be a children’s librarian. She chose Mass Maritime for their marine science program; other schools with similar programs were out of state or prohibitively expensive, but she feels like she’s made the right choice. Of all the things she’s told me, Mass Maritime seems really cool and gives lots of hands-on experience to their students.

Advice for Students

Amanda and Lily shared some of their insights for students who may want to work for NOAA some day.

Look for jobs on Indeed and LinkedIn. If you are already working with a company, see if they have other positions that you might like.
If you’re interested in marine science, go to a school that specializes in it. Avoid institutions that have it as a small program or just a minor, as you likely won’t be getting nearly as much hands-on experience as a school dedicated to it.
Keep your opportunities open – you might think you like Marine Science now but that may change as you do field work.
Even if an opportunity comes up that is not related to marine science, do things to give you any sort of field experience.
You can volunteer with NOAA! There are lots of programs to explore.

August 16, 2024August 19, 2024

Tonya Prentice: Time for Bongos, August 15, 2024

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Tonya Prentice

Aboard NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow

August 8 – August 24, 2024

Mission: Northeast Ecosystem Monitoring Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Northwest Atlantic Ocean

Date: August 15, 2024

Weather Data from the Bridge
Latitude: 42.26980º N
Longitude: 66.08756º W
Wind Speed: 11 mph due N
Air Temperature: 15.4° Celsius (59.7° F)
Sea Temperature: 18.2 Celsius (64.8° F)

Science and Technology Log

Behind the Scenes: Collecting Plankton Samples on Our Mission
During this mission, we will be collecting plankton samples from over 120 stations in the Gulf of Maine and further south along the East Coast (see the figure below; Summer ECOMON Track Lines).

a political map of the waters of the northeastern shelf, focused on Newport, RI, extending as far north as Southern Maine and as far south as eastern New Jersey. a bright green icon approximately the shape of a vessel sits on Newport, surrounded by radial lines marking every 30 degrees. large blue dots throughout the coastal waters mark sampling stations. They are connected by straight black line segments showing the track of the survey. there are also some smaller black dots connected by bright green line segments. extra labels mark Georges Bank (east of Cape Cod), Maine, and Mount Desert Island. — Summer EcoMon Track Lines

But why focus on plankton? Plankton are the foundation of all oceanic food webs, crucial for the survival of larger fish, marine mammals, and birds. Any changes in plankton biomass can have ripple effects throughout the entire ocean ecosystem, impacting a wide range of species.

By studying plankton, we gain insights into the health of our oceans. The data collected from these samples will be invaluable in estimating the populations of certain fish species and identifying key spawning areas. Moreover, we can observe how fish populations are shifting or altering their habitats in response to environmental changes and other stressors. (NOAA Fisheries)

Collecting plankton samples during this mission is a collaborative effort, requiring the expertise of the NOAA Corp, engineers, deckhands, survey technicians, and scientists. Together, we work to deploy, retrieve, and prepare the plankton samples for research.

We use two types of Bongo nets for sampling: Baby Bongos, set in a 20 cm frame, and Big Bongos, set in a 60 cm frame. Each net has a specific purpose: one is labeled “I” for Ichthyoplankton and the other “Z” for Zooplankton. These nets, made from 333 µm mesh, are equipped with flow meters to measure the volume of water filtered during each tow.

Once the Bongo nets are lowered into the water, the Conductivity, Temperature, Depth (CTD) sensors immediately start gathering conductivity, temperature, and depth data. The nets are then lowered to about 10 meters above the sea floor and gradually pulled back to the surface. Care is taken to ensure the nets don’t touch the ocean floor, avoiding the need for a recast. Today, for instance, we collected samples from around 230 meters deep!

When the Bongo nets are retrieved, we promptly rinse down the nets to flush the plankton into the codends at the bottom of the nets. The nets are then untied, and the plankton are flushed into a sieve pan.

Next, we carefully rinse the plankton from the sieve into a glass jar, preserving the sample by adding 5% Formalin. The jar is then topped off with seawater, labeled with the station/event, and inverted several times to ensure the sample is well-mixed. On average, we collect about 32 jars of plankton per day.

Finally, the plankton are ready to be shipped off to a lab to be sorted and counted.

Steps for collecting plankton:

View from a side deck of NOAA Ship Bigelow as chain lowers nets into the water; the openings of the nets are two large round circles, and the fine mesh plankton nets extend down in cones from each ring. Two crewmembers wearing hard hats and life vests stand at the rail to guide the nets down. It is sunset, and the sun is almost at the horizon, creating a band of bright orange between the dark blue water and sky. — 1. Lowering the Bongo Nets into the water.

top down view of two pairs of bongo nets rising out of the ocean. The smaller pair are attached to the cable above the larger pair. Their fine-mesh nets extend in cones beneath circular openings. The sky and the water are gray. — 1. Lowering the Bongo Nets into the water.

Personal Log

Life Aboard the NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow: A 24/7 Operation

The NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow never sleeps, which means someone is always awake and hard at work. This is no cruise ship—everyone aboard the NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow has a vital role to play. Most crew members work 12-hour shifts, ensuring the ship’s operations continue smoothly around the clock. In addition, all the department crew are responsible for safety drills, and are trained in firefighting and lifesaving equipment.

As part of the science crew, I work from 3 am to 3 pm, while my roommate takes over from 3 pm to 3 am. Our team of scientists are constantly collecting and uploading data to support our mission. Engineers, deckhands, and survey technicians work shifts from 12 am to 12 pm or 12 pm to 12 am.

Engineers keeping everything running efficiently and addressing any technical issues that may arise. They are responsible for the safe and proper operation of a ship’s machinery and equipment and other mechanical and electronic equipment onboard.

Survey technicians assist in the operations, monitoring, handling, and maintenance of various scientific gear. This includes annotating records and recording data; assist in the staging and set-up during preparations for, and at the completion of oceanographic or fishery research. They also perform oceanographic or fisheries observations, measurements, and calculations, assisting in the preparations, installation, deployment and recovery of oceanographic or fishery research equipment. (NOAA Survey Department)

The Deck Department operates the cranes and winches to deploy scientific equipment, and maintain the material condition of the ship. Electronics Technicians maintain the ship’s computer network and vital emergency communication and navigation equipment.

The NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps (NOAA Corps) operate and navigate the ship, and monitor oceanographic and atmospheric conditions, ensuring our safety and guiding us through each phase of the mission.

And let’s not forget some of my favorite crew members—the stewards, who keep us well-fed with amazing meals and plenty of delicious snacks.

Given the non-stop nature of our work, it’s important to remember that someone is always sleeping. This means being mindful of your noise level: avoid slamming doors, walk quietly down the halls, and always use your “inside voice” when moving about the ship. When living and working in such close quarters, professionalism, civility, and respect are essential to maintaining a happy and welcoming work environment.

a bulletin board labeled Meet the Crew! Tacked to the board with colored push pins are printed photos of 26 people, grouped by department: NOAA Corps (8 people), Engineering Department (7 people), Electronic Tech Department (2), Survey Department (3), Deck Department (4), Steward Department (2)

Did You Know?
There are currently 42 species of dolphins and seven species of porpoises. (Whale and Dolphin Conservation). Check out these videos captured this week of both Bottlenose and Common Dolphins riding alongside the NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow! Can you spot the difference between Bottlenose and Common Dolphins?

Bottlenose Dolphins

Common Dolphins

September 10, 2019September 11, 2019

Phil Moorhouse: It’s Bongo Time! September 7, 2019

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Phil Moorhouse

Aboard NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson

August 27 – September 15, 2019

Mission: Fisheries-Oceanography Coordinated Investigations.

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of Alaska (Kodiak – Aleutian Islands)

Date: September 7, 2019

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 56 15.09 N
Longitude: 157 55.74 W
Sea wave height: 8 ft
Wind Speed: 1.9 knots
Wind Direction: 179 degrees
Visibility: 10 nautical miles
Air Temperature: 12.8 C
Barometric Pressure: 1010.45 mBar
Sky: Clear

Science and Technology Log:

One of the more technologically interesting pieces of equipment we are using is the Bongo net. One of the main aspects of this cruise is the zooplankton survey. As I have stated before, this survey is important to studying the prey for the juvenile pollock and is done at the same stations where we trawl for juvenile pollock so that scientists looking at the data can compare the ecology of the pollock with the ecology of their prey. The Bongo net is used to collect the zooplankton. This contraption is a series of two large and two smaller nets attached to metal rings. It gets its name because the frame resembles bongo drums.

20 cm bongo nets
Bongo we are currently using

The diagram on the left shows a 20 cm bongo net set-up. (Photo credit: NOAA – Alaska Fisheries Science Center). The picture on the right shows the Bongo we are currently using on the Oscar Dyson with two 60 cm nets and two 20 cm nets.

lowered bongo — *The Bongo has just been lowered into the water and following its descent.*

The bongo net design we are using includes two large nets on 60 cm frames with 500 micrometer nets and two small nets on a 20 cm frames with 153 micrometer nets. The 500 micrometer nets catch larger zooplankton and the 153 micrometer nets catch smaller zooplankton. The diagram above has just two nets, but our Bongo has 4 total nets. At the top of the bongo net setup is a device called the Fastcat. This records information from the tow including the depth that bongo reaches and the temperature, salinity, and conductivity of the water.

This whole process involves a lot of working together and communication among the scientists and crew. It usually involves three scientists, one survey tech, a winch operator, and the officer on the bridge. All members involved remain in radio contact to ensure that the operations run smoothly. Two scientists and the survey tech work on the “hero deck”. They oversee getting the nets overboard safely and back on the deck at the end of the evolution. The unit is picked up and lowered over the side of the ship by a large hydraulic wench attached to the side A-frame. Another scientist works in the data room at a computer monitoring the depth and angle of the Bongo as it is lowered into the water. As the Bongo net is lowered, the ship moves forward at approximately 2 knots (2.3 mph). This is done to keep the cable holding the Bongo at a 45-degree angle. A 45-degree angle of the wire that tows the Bongo is important to make sure that water flows directly into the mouth opening of the net. One of the scientists on the hero deck will constantly monitor the wire angle using a device called an inclinometer or clinometer and report it to the officer on the bridge. The bridge officer will then adjust the speed if necessary, to maintain the proper wire angle.

monitoring the bongo tow — *Here, I am monitoring the angle of the Bongo wire using the inclinometer.*

*The flat side of the inclinometer gets lined up with the wire and an arrow dangles down on the plate and marks the angle.*

The depth the Bongo is sent down depends on how deep the water is in that area (you wouldn’t want an expensive piece of equipment dragging on the ocean floor). The Bongo is deployed to a depth of up to 200 meters or to a depth of no less than 10 meters from the bottom. When the Bongo is at the designated depth, the survey tech will radio the winch operator to bring the Bongo back up slowly. It is brought back up slowly at 20 meters per minute and the 45-degree angle needs to continue to be maintained all the way back up. When the Bongo reaches the surface and is lifted back into the air, the survey tech and two scientists grab it and guide it back onto the deck. This operation can be difficult when the conditions are windy, and the seas are rough.

Once the Bongo has been returned to the deck, the scientist that was in the data room will record the time of the net deployment, how long it took to go down and back up, how much wire was let out, and the total depth of the station. They will also come back out to read the flowmeters in order to see how much water has flowed through the net during the deployment. If anything goes wrong, this is also noted on the data sheet.

Next the nets are washed down with sea water, rinsing all material inside the net towards the codend. The codend is the little container at the end of the net where all the plankton and sometimes other organisms are collected. The codends can then be removed and taken into the Wet Lab to be processed with all the collected material placed in glass jars and preserved with formalin for future study.

Zooplankton sample from the Bongo
Specimen being preserved with formalin
Specimen sample from the Bongo.
Plankton specimen samples ready for shipment

These samples are then shipped to Seattle and then on to Poland where they are sorted, the zooplankton identified to species, and the catch is expressed at number per unit area. This gives a quantitative estimate of the density of the plankton in the water column and can provide good information on the overall health of the ocean as they indicate health of the bottom of the food chain. After all, a high density of pollock prey means there is a good feeding spot for juvenile walleye pollock, which in turn means more Filet-O-Fish sandwiches down the line.

Species caught during the last Shift:

Common Name Scientific Name

Capelin M. villosus
Northern Smoothtongue L. schmidti
Walleye Pollock G. chalcogrammus
Eulachon or Candlefish T. pacificus
Arrowtooth Flounder A. stomas
Rockfish S. aurora
Smooth lumpsucker A. ventricosus
Prowfish Z. silenus
Sunrise Jellyfish C. melanaster
Lion’s Main Jellyfish C. capillata
Moon Jellyfish A. labiata
Bubble Jellyfish Aequorea sp.
Fried Egg Jellyfish P. camtschatica
Shrimp
Isopods

Personal Log:

As I have said, I am working with some interesting people with some very interesting stories. I am going to start sharing a little of their stories here.

*LT Laura Dwyer is the Field Operations Officer on the Oscar Dyson.*

How long have you been working with NOAA? What did you do before joining NOAA?

Laura has been a commissioned officer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Corps for almost seven years. Before joining NOAA, Laura attended James Madison University, earning her degree in International Business. She went to Bali, working as a dive instructor before moving on to Australia to do the same. While in Australia, she decided she wanted to study Marine Biology and came back to the states to study at George Mason University.

Where do you do most of your work?

Most of the time, she can be found on the bridge navigating the ship.

What do you enjoy about your work?

Laura said the most fun thing about the job is driving a 209-foot ship.

Why is your work important?

She gets to safely navigate the ship safely while working with scientists to help them get their work done.

How do you help wider audiences understand and appreciate NOAA science?

Laura had the opportunity to be the second NOAA officer who completed a cross-agency assignment with the Navy. While there, she said she was able to show the Navy personnel that they were using NOAA products such as navigational charts and weather data. Most of them did not realize that these products were made by NOAA.

When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in science an ocean career?

Laura said that while she was in Australia, she was working with another diver who was going out counting fish species for his PhD. She said that experience made her realize her father was right all along and she should have studied science.

What tool do you use in your work that you could not live without?

Radar

What part of your job with NOAA did you least expect to be doing?

Driving ships. She also stated that she never expected to be part of a Navy Command and shooting small arms weapons.

What classes would you recommend for a student interested in a career in Marine Science?

A lot of your regular classes, but definitely any conservation classes.

What’s at the top of your recommended reading list for a student exploring ocean or science as a career option?

“Unnatural History of the Sea” – about overfishing throughout history
“The Old Man and the Sea” by Ernest Hemmingway

What do you think you would be doing if you were not working for NOAA?

Laura said she would probably be going back to school to work on her Masters in Marine Biology, particularly coral conservation, or going to Fiji to be a dive instructor.

Do you have any outside hobbies?

Diving, reading, working on puzzles, and just being outside exploring (I also understand that she is a pretty good water polo player.)

Did You Know?

For each minute of the day, 1 billion tons of rain falls on the Earth.

Every second around 100 lightning bolts strike the Earth.

Question of the Day:

The fastest speed of a falling raindrop is __________.

a. 10 mph

b. 18 mph

c. 32 mph

d. 55 mph

Answer: b