NOAA Teacher at Sea
Chris Imhof Onboard NOAA Ship Pisces November 7 – 19, 2009
Mission: Coral Survey Geographic Region: Southeast U.S. Date: November 18, 2009
Science Log
NOAA’s mission is to “protect, restore and manage the use of coastal and ocean resources.” The way NOAA does this is through science – a voyage like this may seem like moving from point to point and placing a really cool piece of technology in the water to see what’s on the bottom – but these are all tools that are being used to be able to carry out the tenets of protect, restore and manage.
We have visited half our sites now and have surveyed different environments in and out of Marine Protected Areas. Different environments, yet with commonalities – all the sites are near exposed “hard-bottom” or exposed limestone on the shelf bottom. There may be miles of sand waves and algae – but theses exposed, complex and bio-encrusted features are “oasis’s” for all sorts of ocean life – especially fish. As the ROV maneuvers across the sandy waves, it is usually the glint of a school of fish or reflection of a fish eye that provides a beacon to a feature. If these features are “oasis” habitats then they should be protected. Granted, these limestone blocks can do more damage to fishing line and gear, evident in the amount of line found in the high relief areas – but in the case of some of the North Florida MPA, we encountered the fragile deep water Occulina Coral which is vulnerable especially when nets are being dragged across these areas.
Another commonality noticed is the growing presence of the beautiful Lion Fish (Pterois volitans) – this native of Pacific waters was released intentionally or unintentionally in the early 1990’s around Florida and have since spread to areas above North Carolina and south to the Caribbean, especially along reefs and rocky outcrops. They join an infamous ranks of other invasive species including the European Green Crab, Asian Eel and Zebra Mussel. The Lion-Fish, besides having an array of venomous spines. has a keen strategy of “corralling” prey with their fins and eating them in one gulp. This will impact the small fish and crustaceans in these habitats as well as the added competition with indigenous or native predators such as snappers and grouper fish – which are currently commercially fished. This is where “manage” comes in – here is a “new” invasive species in that is growing in population and spreading geographically, impacting the habitat by out-competing, in some cases, the established predators – how can it be managed.
Especially when the Lion-fish has few natural enemies. The Lion Fish is a tricky one – as an invasive species, missions like this one help to understand the long-term impact the Lion-Fish is having on these habitats. Using technology like multi-beam mapping and ROV technology can provide data for scientists and in turn give councils, commissions and government the knowledge to manage these areas through smart-solution-based policy.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Chris Imhof Onboard NOAA Ship Pisces November 7 – 19, 2009
Mission: Coral Survey Geographic Region: Southeast U.S. Date: November 17, 2009
Science Log
We sailed last night to our first “station” – The North Florida Marine Protected Area – and by 7:00 am this morning the ROV pilots Lance Brown and Glenn Taylor were going through the “pre-flight” checklist on the ROV; Lance working the controls in the lab, Glenn outside taking care of the deployment and extraction of the vehicle on the starboard weather deck. Soon they were meeting with the Lead NOAA scientist Andy David to talk through the operations of the deployment and extraction and more specifically the methodology of what they were trying to accomplish at this site.
The North Florida MPA area has been protected since 2004 – meaning no sailing or fishing occurs in this area. Some of the area has been mapped by multi-beam sonar – so what scientist then do with ROV technology is “Ground-Truthing” in which after examining the multi-beam maps – choose features to explore and check visually how they compare with their maps. Since the ROV sends real time video feed to the lab, the scientist watch and note the features, the animals that are present or not present in the habitat. They also perform a down shot every 2 minutes, or stop the ROV – point the camera down and take a picture – later in the lab they quantify the habitat by gridding the photograph and counting the number of species. Todays North Florida site tested sites inside the Marine Protected Area as well as sites/features outside the MPA for comparison as well as to help make future decisions of extending possible areas into the protective zone or even species.
After the scientists met, the Pisces crew and captain Jeremy Adams met on the weather deck to talk through the operation – sync their communications and what if scenarios. In all, there were 3 ROV dives which went extremely smooth, mainly due to the organization and communication of everyone involved.
The highlights of the dive were the spectacular features of the exposed limestone near the drop offs and the amazing habitats – for all my preparation the diversity of fish was overwhelming – I could identify a few featured fish like the Lionfish, barracudas and Moray Eels – I was unprepared to see a real sea turtle hanging out by some rocks or a Goliath Grouper which came out of nowhere. I learned many new fish which I hope to be able to call out from the monitor tomorrow like the Reef Butterfly, Squirrel Fish, Amberjack, Scamp, Soldier fish, Purple and Yellow Tail Reef Fish. I was helpful in identifying some of the Occulina deep coral species, the sponges (which you couldn’t miss) as well as pick out old fish line, a bottle and and an old anchor jammed into the rocks near the edge.
I’ll let the pictures and video slices tell most of the story. We are cruising all night again to our most northern site Edisto – off South Carolina and then work back from there.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Lynette Swiger
Onboard NASA Ship Liberty Star July 16 – August 23, 2008
Mission: Coral Survey Geographical Area: Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Florida Date: July 20, 2008
Crewmembers on the LIBTERY STAR ready the camera cage for a deep sea drop.
Weather Data from the Bridge
Wind: SW 10 knots
Seas: 1-3 feet
Temperature: 86 F
Barometer: 29.94
Cloud Cover: 10%
Visibility: 8 miles
Science and Technology Log
The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) plans to establish eight Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) between North Carolina and the Florida Keys in late 2008. The goal of establishing these MPAs is to prevent over fishing of grouper and tilefish in these areas as well as to protect other fish and invertebrate species and the coral reef ecosystems. NOAA has been documenting these areas yearly since 2004 in order to identify populations and assess habitat both before and after closure to fishing. This long range project will improve understanding of the impact of fishing activities and compare coral reef and habitat in these areas. Our cruise is continuing this documentation, and the information collected will be compared to previous years’ data.
Knowing the plan, it is interesting to have the opportunity to assist with this cruise. This is our second day of diving, and we have so far completed a total of 8 dives, 4 camera drops, and 1 fish trap drop. We are especially looking for grouper and tilefish, but have so far seen no tilefish. This is not uncommon for tilefish as they are found further offshore in a deeper, muddy environment. Grouper, however, prefer a reef habitat such as the ones we have been exploring. Reefs provide nooks, crannies, and crevices for hiding as well as bait fish for grouper prey. It will be interesting so see if grouper populations increase after closure of the MPAs.
The presence of lionfish is another fact that’s interesting and provides some concern. We have seen numerous lionfish in both days of diving. Lionfish are native to the Indo-Pacific Ocean – not the Atlantic – and have no natural predators in the Atlantic Ocean. They may have been introduced to the Atlantic Ocean by people whose aquariums could no longer contain the eighteen inch long fish. Some may also have been introduced from destruction of commercial aquariums during Hurricane Andrew. However they were introduced, they live in the same habitat as grouper and eat the same prey. It is feared that they will affect grouper populations at a time when attempts are being made to protect the grouper.
NOAA Teacher at Sea, Lynn Swiger, takes the controls of the ROV aboard the LIBERTY STAR
Animals Seen Today
We saw an abundance of fish species today, but I would like to take the time to talk about two in particular. The short big-eye is a cute little fish that stations itself near individual hidey-holes. When a predator, or ROV, approaches, the big-eye quickly scampers into its hole. It’s sort of like the ocean version of prairie dogs!
Polychaete worms were another animal that I found particularly interesting. To me, these resemble coral, but Stacey and Michelle explained that they are worms which secrete a substance that surrounds them and creates a personal burrow. They build and colonize together and form clump-like structures. To feed, they extend their tentacles outside the burrow and collect ocean particles.
Career Connection
Andy, Stacey, and Michelle are what we would call marine scientists. They all have a four year college and graduate degrees. Stacey and Michelle began their careers at NOAA doing summer internships. An internship means you work for someone for little or no money, but are rewarded with a great experience and new knowledge that can later help you find a job. It’s difficult to precisely define the job of a marine scientist, but one aspect involves designing and implementing projects that involve research in the ocean with follow-up laboratory analysis of the collected data.
Marine scientists find careers with the federal government (such as NOAA), state governments, colleges and universities, and private companies. Marine scientists need to be proficient in math, science, and writing, Biology and chemistry classes provide a good science foundation, while calculus and statistics are important math skills. Marine scientists routinely write grant proposals, so a good writing ability with an emphasis on correct spelling and grammar is crucial. In addition to academic qualifications, employers want to hire marine scientists who exhibit a good work ethic, are self-motivated, show intellectual curiosity, and get along well with others. Could this be you?
Question of the Day
MPA means “marine protected area”. This is an area where fishing is restricted in order to protect and preserve fish and their habitat. Why is it important to have protected areas? What could happen if there were no MPAs?
Educational Link
Educators are often frustrated with the many requirements on our teaching day – the need to use more technology in the classroom being one of those requirements. However, the use of technology on this cruise is of critical importance, and has allowed me to see the increasingly vital part it will play in education, careers, and everyday life. As educators, we need to incorporate more technology into the classroom experience. This means not specific pieces of technology in isolation, but technology that is incorporated into a project and becomes an integral part of completing that project.
Personal Log
NOAA Teacher at Sea, Lynn Swiger, takes the controls of the ROV aboard the LIBERTY STAR.
The weather has been beautiful, the crew is so helpful, friendly, and interested in my part on this cruise as a teacher, and we’ve “dived” into some beautiful places in the Atlantic Ocean. I had my first experience at deep-sea fishing and found that it’s difficult to reel those fish up to the ship! I also had the opportunity to drive the ROV. It was quite an experience that required me to think in two or three directions at one time and actually reminded me of a sort of video game. I’ve learned about otiliths (which I will talk about tomorrow) and pestered Stacey and Michelle with an overabundance of questions which they very graciously answer. I have learned so much already. Of course, one person that keeps everyone energized and able to work is the Dragon, the cook. I must say that the food onboard ship is wonderful. I must constantly remind myself that I have a wedding to attend three weeks after I arrive home, and I’ve already purchased the “skinny” dress. So I need carefully monitor my intake. Dragon seems to potter carelessly about the galley, but come mealtime there’s a fabulous menu and I want to try it all! There are six kinds of fresh fruit each morning and fresh salads for every lunch and dinner. Omelets, eggs to order, sausage and bacon, beef stroganoff, creamed salmon, schnitzel and lasagna, desserts….the list goes on and so does my appetite.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Lynette Swiger
Onboard NASA Ship Liberty Star July 16 – August 23, 2008
Mission: Coral Survey Geographical Area: Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Florida Date: July 18, 2008
Weather Data from the Bridge
Wind SW at 9 knots
Seas SW at 2-3 feet
Air Temperature 83 F
Barometer 29.98
Cloud Cover 60%
Helping to load equipment
Science and Technology Log
Today was our first day of operations. We had planned to sail to the northernmost point of our cruise yesterday and then work our way south. However, due to a tropical depression occurring off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina, we turned around and stayed near Jacksonville for our first day of operations and will then move to our most northern point to work backwards. After experiencing choppy seas of 7-8 feet during the late afternoon and evening yesterday, I heartily agree with the decision. I have learned that there is quite a difference between three foot waves and seven foot waves.
Today I will talk about the equipment that we will be using to conduct our survey. This is fascinating stuff and helps me to better understand the enormous impact that technology has on our lives now as well as the increasing impact that it will have in the future. One of the most important pieces of equipment that we are using is the Remote Operated Vehicle, or ROV. This is an unmanned vehicle that is tethered to the ship and remotely controlled to perform various tasks. On this cruise, the ROV takes video and still pictures of deep coral reefs and fish found in the Atlantic Ocean from North Carolina to Florida. The video and pictures are seen in bright color on a large screen television as well as two different monitors in the operations room. The ROV is operated through the use of two joysticks. One commands the ROV to move forward and back or right and left. The other joystick commands it to move up and down or crab to the right or left. Other switches will change cameras, pan and tilt, adjust light intensity, or change thruster speed. The operator is using all of the this apparatus at one time while watching two computer areas – one tracking our movement through GPS and compass, and one showing real-time and camera shots. The scientists are using the videos taken through the ROV to find fish and other underwater creatures in the area of our cruise, and the still pictures it takes are used to assess habitat.
Another important piece of equipment that we will use is the camera cage. It is a round cage with openings to insert four waterproof video cameras that are spaced 90 degrees apart. This means that when the cage is lowered into the water, the cameras, working together, will take pictures in a complete circle around one area for twenty minutes. This is different from the ROV because these cameras are stationary. The cage is not commercially available, but was made by Steve, the Fisheries Methods and Equipment Specialist, from simple drawings and descriptions that the scientists gave him. The cage securely holds and protects the cameras while they are underwater and is quite an impressive piece of equipment. One other piece of equipment slated for use on our cruise is the fish cage. This will be used to trap fish in particular areas. The fish will be analyzed for type, size, age, etc. All of this equipment combined will help the NOAA scientists understand the fish life and habitat that are in this area of the Atlantic Ocean. My next log will talk about the purpose and importance of this cruise.
Journal writing on deck
Some Animals Seen Today from ROV
Vermillion Snapper, Tom Tate Fish, Spot Fin Hogfish, Tattler Fish, Hermit Crab, Pencil Urchin, and Arrow Crab. We also saw several lionfish. This fish is not native to the Atlantic Ocean and is becoming an overpopulated problem.
Coral, Etc. Seen Today from ROV
Sea Whips, Gorgonian Soft Coral, Bushy Black Coral, Sponge, Sea Fan, and Sea Anemone. We also saw Oculina Coral which is coral found only in very deep areas of the ocean.
New Vocabulary
Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV), Marine Water (not referring to a member of the armed services), Freshwater (hint – the opposite of marine), and Marine Protected Area (MPA).
Crew/Career Interview
I would like to take a few minutes in each log to talk about some of the different careers that combine to make a success of a cruise such as this. Since I am in a part of the world that is completely different from West Virginia, I thought that a discussion of ocean-related careers might be of special interest to those students interested in the ocean and its surroundings. I spoke earlier about the ROV and how we are using it to successfully complete our mission, so today I will talk about Lance and his career as an ROV operator.
An ROV is an unmanned vehicle that is tethered to the ship by an umbilical, and remotely controlled to perform various tasks. ROVs are used in many ways, both in freshwater and marine environments. ROVs are used for video documentation; for fisheries studies; by geologists to investigate underwater ridges, canyons, and pits; and by oil companies to maintain rigs, install equipment, and clean structures. Lance attended the Florida Institute of Technology for two years and specialized in underwater technology. ROV operators are in high demand and must have a good technical aptitude, possess the ability to troubleshoot, have some electronic skills, and be good at visual spacialization. Video games can provide good practice for some areas of this career. This career provides the opportunity to travel to many parts of the world, learn about a variety of subjects, be near the water, and meet and work with different people.
Question of the Day
How can pollution in the Tygart River in Marion County, West Virginia affect fish habitat and populations in the Atlantic Ocean?
Personal Log
I am learning to maneuver on a moving ship, and it’s quite an interesting process. I have learned that I should move slowly rather than quickly and purposefully as I am used to doing. I have also learned to know where hand rails are located and to use them often. When we went to bed on Thursday evening, the ship was still docked but was scheduled to leave at midnight. This means that I awoke on Friday morning to a gently rocking ship and I could not move in the same manner as when I went to bed the night before. I learned this quickly when I hopped out of bed and subsequently staggered across my stateroom. Before I could regain my balance, the ship changed motion and I staggered backward to my original starting point. As I reached the bathroom, hoping to remain quiet for the person sleeping in the adjoining stateroom, I let go of my hold on the door and reached for the bathroom handrail. The door slammed open and before I could grab for it, it changed direction and slammed closed. So much for being quiet! My wet soap bar shot off of the soap dish and across the room three times before I learned to nestle it in a paper towel, and all of my toiletries fell over in the cabinet before I learned to lay them on their sides.
Friday evening was interesting because we were sailing into a tropical depression, and the waves rose to seven feet. This was not pleasant and the 24-hour meclazine tablet I had taken at 9:00 am felt like its effectiveness had expired. I subsequently took another one at 5:00 pm and fell into a deep trancelike state from which I couldn’t awaken until 10:00 pm. I later found that most people on the ship also spent their time lying prone on their bunk beds as this was the safest place to be at that time, so I didn’t feel quite so guilty.
It is now 6:00 pm on Saturday. I have not taken motion sickness meds for more than 24 hours, and it seems that the crew’s prediction that my body would acclimate itself to the motion has come true. I hope this is true and that the six different motion sickness remedies I brought can be taken home and put on my medicine shelf.
NOAA Teacher at Sea
Tara Treichel
Onboard NOAA Ship Nancy Foster April 15-27, 2008
Mission: Lionfish Survey Geographical Area: Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of North Carolina Date: April 27, 2008
Weather data from the bridge
Visibility: 10 n.m.
Wind: 11 knots
Waves: 1-2 feet
Ocean swells: 3-4 feet
Sea temperature: 23.0
Air temperature: 23.0
At 120 feet, the water has absorbed red, yellow and green wavelengths of light, muting the brilliant colors of these Lionfish and other reef organisms (the Lionfish in the foreground is partially illuminated by the video camera)
Science and Technology Log
I wanted to explain a little more about the purpose of the Lionfish study. The technical name of the study is Assessment of Lionfish Ecosystem and Fisheries Impacts. The Principal Investigator/Chief Scientist is Paula Whitfield, who works out of the NOAA Lab in Beaufort, North Carolina. Several years ago, Paula had heard reports of Lionfish seen off the coast of North Carolina. A recreational diver, Paula visited these sites to see for herself; what began as a casual observation turned into the guiding question for a complex Lionfish ecosystem study that is now in its seventh year. As I understand, the guiding questions framing the study are:
Initially the scientists needed to understand, to what extent Lionfish have invaded the coastal waters of the eastern US. Under this broad question fall many sub-questions: Are they successfully reproducing? How large is their population? Are they expanding their geographic range, and is their population growing? Finally, what biological and physical factors may limit their survival (i.e. what environmental conditions do they need to survive)?
After the initial research results revealed a widespread and well-established presence of Lionfish, researchers refined their objectives to better understand the fisheries and ecosystem impact of Lionfish. This is a very broad question and includes many sub-questions such as: What species are they eating? Is the number of “conspicuous fish” species (large and easy to see and count) decreasing in areas where Lionfish are present? Are the number of “cryptic fish” species (small typically prey species that hide within the habitat) decreasing in areas where Lionfish are present?
The scientists also seek to better understand how Lionfish impacts may be further complicated by other variables such as overfishing and climate change. Examining this question requires looking at many other aspects of the marine ecosystem as indicators of ecological health. Sub-questions are: How are the physical and chemical ocean parameters changing over time (e.g. sea temperature, ocean currents, chemical composition)? How are algal populations changing over time? How are invertebrate and soft-bottom communities changing over time?
Initial results of the study were eye-opening. Everywhere the research team went, they found Lionfish. From 20042007, the data across the sampling sites showed an increase in population of well over 300%. Considering that these fish have no known predators, and females release 30,000 eggs at a time, it is not hard to imagine the severe impact that these fish could potentially have on the marine food web and ecosystem. In addition, Lionfish are tropical reef fish, which require warm water to survive and reproduce. As climate change occurs, it is conceivable that Lionfish could expand their range in response to rising sea temperatures or a shift in Gulf Stream currents.
Paula Whitfield (right), Chief Scientist of the study, and I enjoy the sunshine.
