NOAA Teacher at Sea
Robert Markuske
Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II
August 13 – 29, 2025
Mission: Long Shark and Snapper Survey
Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of America
Date: August 26th, 2025
Greenwich mean Time: 5:52 PM
Data from the Bridge:
Latitude: 29 degrees 22.755’N
Longitude: 83 degrees 37.314’W
Relative Wind speed: 5.42 Knots
Wind Direction: Southeast
Air Temperature: 32.8 Celsius
Sea Surface Temperature: 30.3 Celsius
Ahoy from the Gulf!
This first paragraph was written in worse weather. Today the sun has come out and the calm waters are back. But previously, I was editing this blog as we floated around in storms in the Gulf. They finally dissipated and we had a chance to score stations with a snakefish, sandbar, and a tiger shark. Probably one of the higher-wave days on the Beaufort scale since we left the port of Miami. Today’s prediction from the bridge is west-southwest winds at 5–10 knots and wave heights of about 1 ft, with scattered showers. The Oregon II is rolling, and swaying to the beat of the Gulf.
What number do we fall on the Beaufort scale? Right now, we’re sitting at about a 2—depending on the moment. But it can change quickly.
Just like our environment speaks to us about what’s happening around us, the ship communicates with other seafarers. The Day Shapes on the Oregon II mean something. Different shapes, and combinations of shapes, signal the level of awareness and caution other vessels need to have when approaching.
Different shapes, and combinations of shapes, signal the level of awareness and caution other vessels need to have when approaching.
Our Day Shapes mean we’re restricted in our ability to maneuver – especially when we are deploying the CTD (conductivity, temperature, and depth) instrument. Since late in the evening on August 13th, we’ve been laying long lines and conducting CTD’s in 12-hour watches, usually 3-4 sets per watch.
So those shapes have been up for a while. Other than our current status, wading in the not so velvet Gulf, we’ve been consistently living those shapes.
I already blogged about how we fish using bottom longline gear—I’m going to dive a little deeper into why we do it, what happens after the fish are caught, and what happens after we release them.
I just want to preface this by saying: this is by far one of the most complicated topics I’ve ever tried to teach high school students. Part of my work out here is learning from the people who do this everyday, so I can simplify it and make a complex system of natural resource management engaging for my students—and make it make sense.
Everything I’m sharing below is based on my personal experience learning from the fisheries biologists aboard the Oregon II—whom I’ll introduce in another blog post—as well as digging through NOAA Fisheries and academic resources to add to my understanding. Some of those resources were created with input from the very fisheries biologists on this ship, using the science and data collected during surveys like the one I’m on.
Enjoy.
Fish Hauled – New additions are in red, since last blog post.
As of August 17th As of August 25th Silky Shark – Carcharhinus falciformis
Sandbar Shark – Carcharhinus plumbeus
Barracuda– Sphyraena barracuda
Speckled hind– Epinephelus drummondhayi
Yellowedge grouper – Hyporthodus flavolimbatus
Red Porgy – Pagrus pagrus
Tiger Shark– Galeocerdo cuvier
Sharpnose shark– Rhizoprionodon terraenovae
Gulf Smoothhound – Mustelus sinusmexicanus
Snakefish – Trachinocephalus myopsGreat Hammerhead shark – Sphyrna mokarran
BlackTip shark – Carcharhinus limbatus
Spotted eel –
Lemon Shark – Negaprion brevirostris
Nurse Shark – Ginglymostoma cirratum
Blacknose shark – Carcharhinus acronotus
Scallaoped Hammerhead – Sphyrna lewiniClick Common Name for for more info
Science and Technology Blog
Often overlooked, forgotten, Oceans and waterways are a massive source of “wild food,” a popular recreational playground, spiritual engagement, an epic research zone, and home to endless stakeholders. What I find most captivating about our ocean—and the complicated relationship humans have with it—is that you can’t see what’s below the surface without incredible precision, science, and a bit of luck and/ or chance.
The vast ocean covers 70% of Earth, and it’s deeply intertwined with our food, culture, oxygen, weather and climate, the water cycle, and life itself—the mystical, the economical, the spiritual, the recreational, and the scientific—right down to our land. How we manage and use it is vital to us all.
There are endless trenches I could dive into, but I’ll do my best to keep a steady progression in these blogs, cater to the students who will likely be reading this once school starts, and hopefully inspire some of them to explore deeper depths. I know I will—both during this trip and when I return to Brooklyn.
What is a “stock,” and how is it assessed?
First and foremost, a “stock” refers to the population demographics of a species of marine life. Stock assessments are conducted to check abundance and respond accordingly if needed with management strategies.
These assessments are built on the ABCs of a stock: Abundance, Biology, and Catch.
How do you collect data for the ABCs of fisheries science?
There are two types of data collected to assess a stock: fishery-dependent and fishery-independent.
| Fishery-independent | Fishery-dependent |
| Fishery-independent data are collected by biologists on at-sea surveys that keep sampling time, area and gear consistent to gather information on fish stock abundance, biology, and their ecosystem. | Fishery-dependent data are collected directly from recreational and commercial fisheries, and provides landings information (total numbers caught), bycatch (catch that is incidentally caught), and biological details about the fish. |
I am currently on a Fishery-Independent survey.
Where is Oregon II going?
Being on the open water can get you all spun around. Now add zig-zagging across the Gulf nonstop for 18 days, 24 hours a day—baiting, setting, hauling, and doing science in the blistering heat. It helps that we have charts all over the “dry lab” and around the ship to show us where we are and where we’re headed.
I’m currently on Leg 2 of the survey. This survey has four legs. A leg is a separate time at sea within the overall survey. On each leg, different stations are worked to meet the objectives. The survey runs down the Atlantic Coast from North Carolina to West Palm Beach, FL, then transits back around past the Florida Keys and into the Gulf to begin sampling again north of the Dry Tortugas. In the Gulf, data is collected at three different depth strata: the shallowest and closest to the coast (9–55 m), midway (55–183 m), and farther out on the continental shelf (183–366 m)—bouncing back and forth along the shelf as we move up the western coast of Florida.
On my leg, we fish at different stations throughout the eastern Gulf, moving between these depth strata. I wasn’t too far from the coast where some families live. These stations are selected at random, with some structure like the depth strata and geographic areas to help ensure adequate spatial coverage. .
What is collected and how is it collected?
Catch is identified, measured, weighed, sexed, and often a fin clip is taken. Not all sharks are tagged, but every single one is identified. This part is the hardest for me—accurate identification is critical for collecting data used to assess the stock.
Even though we’re sailing in the Gulf of America, we use meters and Celsius. Standardization across datasets—as well as consistency in methods and results—is essential in science. Accessibility and transferability of data are key for making accurate determinations and ensuring the longevity of the dataset. I often forget that the rest of the world uses the metric system!
See a list of Atlantic and Gulf Sharks NOAA Fisheries.
There are lots of shark species that are easy to tell apart—and others, not so much. For example, there isn’t just one type of hammerhead.
I find it so impressive when the fisheries biologists can identify them and then explain the differences to people who aren’t trained in fisheries biology. Major and subtle differences exist, and it takes a trained eye to spot them. The more you see it, the more you can’t unsee it.
Credit Shark Trust.
To figure out the sex of sharks you look for claspers—males have them, females don’t. Males use their claspers during the reproductive process. And that’s the story of the birds and the fish.
We weigh them using a scale, placed in the mouth.
Finally, we remove the hook and let them go. All of this has to be done quickly, and once all the data is collected, we gently return the shark to the water and watch it swim away.
Larger sharks are brought up in a cradle on the side of the vessel.
I got to see up close and personal what a hammerhead looks like—and had the privilege of participating in the tagging of this incredible animal. I have to say, I always knew they were real—a sort of mystical sea creature I thought I could only dream of seeing. Well, they’re real, and just as beautiful as I imagined.
Bringing a shark up in the cradle is always an exhilarating experience—being so close to these animals while contributing to both commercial and conservation efforts.
Genetic samples (fin clips) are taken to a lab back on shore, where Texas A&M geneticists catalog and store them for future use and species-specific research projects.
For other fish, we collect eye lenses, fin clips, and otoliths.
All of these methods—and the data collected—help inform the preservation, conservation, and management of these species for both commercial and recreational purposes.
Retrieving samples from Red Grouper 
inside the eye lies a lenses 
close up of red grouper eye lenses 
Preserving eye lenses from red grouper 
Sample of Fin Clip 
Otolith is the ear bone from fish 
Ear bone from fish can help age it 
Close up of Otolith 
Preserving Otoliths 
Red Grouper; eye lenses, fin clip, and otolith.
But why is this collected?
A colleague and mentor from New York Harbor School—a Teacher at Sea alum on NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson years ago— told me he was confused about what I was doing; what is the research question he asked?
The research questions can change depending on the needs of a particular species and or direction of particular research bodies. This data is collected to help manage the stocks of shark species and red snapper. The fisheries data collected on the Oregon II is included in regional stock assessments. After the stock assessment team reviews all the available data for a given species, scientific models can be developed which can then contribute to federal stock management in the region.
This survey has been happening year after year—for more than 25 years.
So, what’s going on with sharks today?
The famous summer blockbuster based on the book the Peter Benchley, Jaws Novel, instilled fear among people about sharks and was a catalyst to increased fishing for sharks – specifically white sharks – contributing to overfishing. For two decades following the release, lack of knowledge and fear, led to effects on the shark fishery.
“Jaws spearheaded a “collective testosterone rush” among fishers in the East Coast of the United States, leading thousands to hunt sharks for sport, as George Burgess, former director of the Florida Program for Shark Research, told the BBC in 2015. In the years following the film’s release, the number of large sharks in the waters east of North America declined by about 50 percent. “
Sharks are fished for several reasons: sport, commercial products, food, and scientific research.
Over the course of this immersion with scientists aboard the Oregon II, I’ve grown to love these animals and feel far less fear around them. Now, does that mean I’m going to go swimming with sharks off Long Island or in NYC? Not without a trained biologist like the ones I’m working with on the Oregon II!
A long time fear of these apex predators, has been sort of a commercial enterprise. Go to any water park and you will see a shark necklace. I think I even swam with sharks at Disney World Blizzard Beach, now that I think about it, sort of a weird thing. Baby shark is all over the airwaves and streaming services. I think we underestimate how cultural influences affect our view of our environment and its inhabitants. Sometimes, culture seeps into our consciousness.
I’ve stayed humbled and fascinated by these animals every single day of this experience.
Keep in mind, I’m just talking about federally managed fish in federal waters. To further complicate the matter there are also, States and/ or international law involved too. Sharks are managed federally under the Highly Migratory Species (HMS) classification.
Fishing and other human activities have influenced the species started in these fisheries, and the data has helped show these shifts over time. Hence the complicated, but necessary interconnections of science, policy, conservation, economics and stewardship. What adds to more a complicated scenario, generally sharks (relative to say many bony fish) are longer lived, take longer to mature and reproduce fewer young so that overfishing can have larger deleterious effects on their populations.
The primary law that manages fisheries is the Magnuson Stevenson Act. The main purpose of the act was to establish sustainable and economically viable U.S. fisheries. Major components to establish this directive are as follows; Preventing overfishing, Rebuilding overfished stocks, Increasing long-term economic and social benefits, Ensuring a safe and sustainable supply of seafood, Protecting habitat that fish need to spawn, breed, feed, and grow to maturity.
Much of the management of sharks in the Gulf are in line with the Magnuson Stevenson Act. There are a variety of methods that contribute to managing a species.
Due to surveys such as the one I am sailing on, and a science-based management approach, some shark stocks have even experienced population growth including:
- Atlantic sharpnose
- Atlantic blacktip
- Sandbar
- Spiny dogfish
- Tiger
- White
However, there are some species that aren’t as positive a story and need protection. Below is a list of sharks that are Prohibited from being caught in the U.S Atlantic, the Gulf, and Caribbean. Moreover, there are tools to help mitigate harm to these animals if an unintended catch (bycatch) occurs.
Below is a list of Prohibited Sharks in U.S Atlantic, the Gulf, and Caribbean. Moreover, there are tools to help mitigate harm if bycatch occurs. Bycatch occurs when you catch something that wasn’t what you are targeting.
It’s important to note that regulations exist for both commercial and recreational fisheries. However, in all fisheries that harvest sharks, no fins can be harvested at sea. Animals must come intact (fins naturally attached) to shore then can be harvested along with the entire animal. Finning has been illegal in US waters since 1993, with further protection enacted in 2000 and 2010.
Over time, if stocks replenish, species can be removed from the “no-fish” list. Conversely, if stocks dwindle, actions will be taken. Data is critical for making these decisions. It’s common for people to think that “overfished” means extinct. There are actually different classifications for fish populations. There’s a difference between extinction and being threatened, based on definitions in the Endangered Species Act.
An important concept for fisheries management and stock assessment is maximum sustainable yield—the maximum catch a species can sustain over time. It’s the amount of fish that can be harvested from a source, which will allow adequate reproduction and replacement. This is why research is done like the stuff down on the Oregon II and other ships in the NOAA fisheries fleet, the data helps make that decision. Fishermen need fish to make money, folks want fish to eat, and the environment needs to have the fish. Complicated.
Although complicated, data driven management has been proved to support growth of some shark species. Check out the cool story of the white shark slowly making a comeback after years of overfishing: White Shark Recovery.
In addition look at the timeline of shark fisheries; fishing, science, conservation, and policy.
What’s even more delicate and fascinating, the white shark nursery is in waters not far from NYC. Several researchers are tracking white sharks and their nursery habitats and juvenile behavior. They tagged and tracked 8 sharks and tracked their movement. You can see from their data where they are most frequent; red being the highest concentration, and light blue being the least during the months of August to October. This really shows the interconnection between the Hudson canyon, Long Island and our coastal harbors of NYC. All happening under the nose of the big city. The sharks are making it to the Hudson Canyon, which is approximately over 100 miles from NYC and filled with biological diversity.
Personal Log
We started talking today about when we’ll head back to port, and honestly, it made me a little sad that this trip is almost over. I had one day where I got really homesick—started missing Clara and the cat. A quick FaceTime fixed that and reminded me to stay present. Lately, school emails have started coming in too, so I guess I finally get what people mean by the “dog days of summer.”
The past few days have been a mix. Some hauls were pretty boring, and the weather’s been rough. But I don’t mind rough seas—kind of makes me feel salty, like a real mariner. Plus, the clouds have been a blessing, giving us some relief from the heat. And then came the set that changed everything: we brought up a tiger shark and a big sandbar in the cradle. That got my energy back in a hurry.
Even on slow days, there’s a silver lining—it gives you time to really talk to people. Lately, we’ve been making our own fun with games like “find the rubber sharks” and a ship-wide murder mystery. I’ve already been “killed” and found 3 out of 20 sharks. When I’m not blogging or doing science, we’re in the lab playing Overcooked or Mario Kart. I wish I could say I’m crushing it, but that’d be a lie—at least for now. Maybe my luck will turn around. Out here, you need fun built in. Otherwise, the downtime will drive you nuts.
I’ve been working on listening more. It’s been cool. Folks here are curious about the Teacher-at-Sea guy from Brooklyn, and I’m just as curious about people from Mississippi doing shark stuff. The deck crew and engineering crew seem to be from all over, its awesome how all these people are on this ship to participate in this work. Clara would be proud—I’ve been asking more questions than talking about myself.
We’ve been sharing music too, and jamming during sets/ hauls. These folks are definitely not Phish fans, so I’ve had to dig into my youth and other playlists. I got one Phish studio track played—just one. Our watch leader Kristin was taking requests, and when I said Five Years, she laughed and asked, “Is it five years long?” It’s been fun shaking up my musical listening. New Orleans came up in convo, I forgot the geography of the Gulf area to NOLA—and that I actually lived and taught there in a season of my life. I have found memories of the food and culture of this area, it’s nice to relate to folks that enjoy it more frequently. One of these days, I’ll be back. Moe. is playing Halloween, Clara—what do you think?
I’ve also started talking to folks outside my watch crew. Turns out, it’s a small world out here. Some of these people are just a few degrees away from me in the environmental education world. We even know some of the same people. A couple of us have been in the same place at the same time before and didn’t even know it. One guy almost went to Harbor School but chose another path—still ended up working on ships like he wanted. Wild how that happens. The more I think about it, the more I realize: there are a lot of people out there doing wild things, and somehow, you bump into each other.
This blog was tough to write. There are so many directions to go. But at its core, it’s simple: people do science, and policymakers use that science to make decisions—especially about natural resources. Moreover, fingers crossed . For me, these blogs and this whole experience are filling in gaps in my own learning. They’re helping me figure out how to teach this stuff to my Harbor students in a real, meaningful way. Honestly, every paragraph here could be a lesson. Some could even turn into a whole unit. Maybe even a year-long course. The gears are turning.
Who knew I’d get this into sharks? It’s crazy how much we know—and how much we don’t—at the same time. A teacher at school is always saying playing science vs. real science, I wonder what he classifies this as. This experience makes me feel special, it’s been nice to see all the comments and folks have been reaching out to see how it’s going. It’s a good feeling when people are interested in what you are doing. I am glad to be tagging along with the crew on this ship, and it’s nice to highlight what they do is important and special. Waiting on the students to be interested, maybe I will let them have the dog days of summer. I see some of my students doing things like this in their future.
Animal Sighting:
Brown Booby ( Sula leucogaster)
Brown Booby flying over the deck
Brown Booby ( Sula leucogaster)
Seabirds that don’t nest in the U.S. but are seen flying in the gulf and visiting Caribbean and Florida.
Natty Brown, with yellow-bill, white underneath its wings. This one is a juvenile, as it hasn’t developed its color yet.
I thought this was a frigatebird at first, they are very different. Especially, the wings on the Booby are smooth, where is the wings on the frigatebird are sharp and lines.
Did you know?
Prior to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) there was the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is part of the Department of Commerce and was created in 1970.
Early on the director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had a contest of what the logo should be. Below are the candidates from 1970.
Dr. Robert White, NOAA’s first administrator, gave employees a choice. A year after they all were introduced, number one was chosen to show the interconnections between Earth, ocean, atmosphere, and ecosystems.
Dr. White stated: “A white, gull-like form links the atmosphere to the sea or Earth. The Earth and atmosphere and the interrelationships between the two are, of course, major concerns of NOAA. The line defining the top of the gull’s wings also resembles the trough of a foaming ocean wave against the blue sky. A creature of sea, land, and air, the gull adds an ecological touch to the Earth-sky motif.”
References
Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (2025). Brown Booby overview. All About Birds. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown_Booby/overview
Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (2025). All about birds. Cornell Lab. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Magnificent_Frigatebird/overview
Curtis, T. H., Metzger, G., Fischer, C., et al. (2018). First insights into the movements of young-of-the-year white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) in the western North Atlantic Ocean. Scientific Reports, 8(10794). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-29180-5
Germain, J. (2022, December 20). Steven Spielberg regrets how Jaws impacted real-world sharks. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/steven-spielberg-regrets-how-jaws-impacted-real-world-sharks-180981335/
JetStream Max: Wind and sea scales. (2023, September 22). National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.
National Weather Service & National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. (n.d.). Estimating wind speed and sea state: Beaufort scale.
NOAA Fisheries. (n.d.-a). Atlantic highly migratory species. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/shark-identification-cooperative-shark-1
NOAA Fisheries. (n.d.-b). Atlantic shark fisheries management highlights: A timeline. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable-fisheries/atlantic-shark-fisheries-management-highlights-timeline
NOAA Fisheries. (n.d.-c). Endangered species conservation. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/endangered-species-conservation
NOAA Fisheries. (n.d.-d). Population assessments and fish stocks. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/population-assessments/fish-stocks
NOAA Fisheries. (n.d.-e). Shark management laws. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/laws-policies/shark-management-laws
NOAA Fisheries. (n.d.-f). Understanding Atlantic shark fishing. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/insight/understanding-atlantic-shark-fishing
NOAA Fisheries. (n.d.-g). Understanding population assessments. Population assessments. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/insight/understanding-population-assessments
NOAA Fisheries. (2014, September 7). White shark recovery [Podcast]. In On the Line. NOAA Fisheries. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/podcast/white-shark-recovery#!
NOAA Fisheries. (2020, August 7). Are all U.S. sharks overfished? NOAA Fisheries. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/are-all-us-sharks-overfished
NOAA Fisheries Outreach and Education & Northeast Fisheries Science Center. (2025, August 11). Fun facts about shocking sharks. NOAA Fisheries. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/outreach-and-education/fun-facts-about-shocking-sharksNOAA Office of Communications. (n.d.). About the NOAA emblem and logo. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. https://www.noaa.gov/office-of-communication/about-noaa-emblem-and-logo
