Pollock – NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog

July 27, 2026July 27, 2026

Guy Sturdevant: The Wet Lab, July 18, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Guy Sturdevant

Aboard NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson

June 21 – July 15, 2026

Mission: Summer Pollock Acoustic Survey, Leg 2

Geographic Area of Cruise: Bering Sea, Alaska

Date: July 14, 2026

Weather Data from the Bridge

N 58.16° W 172.21 °, 0 AMSL

Conditions: Overcast, Seas at < 1’

Visibility: >3 NM

Wind: 4°/ 6 kt

Barometric Pressure 1010.3 mBar

Dry Bulb Temp: 46 ° F

Science Log

Last time we left off with a bin full of fish waiting to be processed. Today we’ll dive into the wet lab where we sort, measure, and process the fish.

a large bin full of hundreds of pollock (fish) — *A full bin of pollock awaiting immediate processing. A full haul can take between 1.5 and 3 hours to process.*

Trigger Warning: In order to provide you with the most accurate understanding of the important science aboard Oscar Dyson, I will describe laboratory procedures and handling processes that require dissection of select fish.

While no one involved enjoys this, it helps scientists understand and protect this natural resource. Fish caught are handled ethically, bycatch (catching species other than the intended target) is extremely minimal, and any sensitive species are immediately released back into the ocean.

The wet lab is just that, wet! Seawater is used to process and clean fish, so every device and surface in the lab must be waterproofed and corrosion-resistant. Before we hop into the lab, we need to don cold-weather rain gear to keep us warm and dry. Once suited up, the science team uses a conveyor belt to sort the haul.

Each haul is unique; the wet lab supervisor decides which sorting method to use. To ensure we have gathered a statistically representative sample of what we are seeing on the echosounder, we aim to process approximately 350 pollock per haul, as well as sample any other species captured. This sample lets scientists divide the acoustic backscatter they recorded on the transect into categories by fish species and size classes- without the catch, there’s no way to know exactly how to assign this backscatter. A skilled acoustic lead scientist aims to land the perfect amount of fish; no more, no less.

view of the sorting table in the wet lab. three people stand - one on each side and one at the end - each wearing orange overalls and large yellow gloves. a pile of pollock (fish) is visible extending down the right side of the sorting table. — A nice, clean haul of juvenile pollock. Night lab lead David Bryan weighs and counts the fish into baskets for further processing. It is important that no bias is introduced in which pollock to include in the sample (no keeping just the big ones, etc.). *Kevin McCarty* *and Julia Clemons are ensuring that only pollock make it to David. Anything else is diverted into other bins and handled separately.*

top down view of a sorting table covered mostly in pollock (fish). yellow gloved hands reach into the frame from both sides of the table and image. one gloved hand lifts a jellyfish out of the pile. — *Day lead Mike Levine removes a Chrysaora jellyfish from the sorting table. Jellyfish are far and away the most common bycatch. Luckily, Chrysaora jellies are unlikely to cause a reaction in humans.*

top-down view of a salmon on an electronic fish measuring board set up on a metal table. a yellow gloved hand places a red magnet at the base of the fish's tail to electronically record its length. — *A rare bycatch, Chum Salmon (Oncorhynchus keta), is* quickly measured, weighed, and returned to the ocean. The icthystick measuring board was developed in the MACE fish lab and is now a commercial product that uses a magnet placed behind the fish’s tail to automatically record its length in CLAMS. A skilled user can process about 400 fish in about 20 minutes. The icthystick is a great example of the innovations being made by the *Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering team*.

The Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering (MACE) group of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center is responsible for running acoustic pollock surveys representing over 2.5 million square kilometers. To achieve this herculean task, the team has designed and continues to develop novel tools, processes, and methods. This spirit of innovation makes MACE unique.

screenshot displaying output from the computer program used to track fish data inputs; currently, it displays an image of an adult pollock, the name of the scientist doing the measurement, the weight and count — *The CLAMS software suite, developed by MACE, allows them to quickly gather, organize, and analyze large data streams from both the wet lab and the cave.*

In my next (and last!) post, we will look at some of these innovations and how they will empower scientists in MACE and across NOAA to produce the best possible data and science.

Personal Log

As my time at sea draws to a close, I am so grateful for this amazing opportunity and the very special crew of people that make this research happen. In my next and final post, we will look at the career pathways across the different departments and meet some of the new friends I’ve made aboard Oscar Dyson.

four NOAA Corps officers stand in a line at the controls on the bridge of NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson. they each face out the windows, away from the camera. through the bridge windows, we can see green land and other docked vessels. — The junior officers on the bridge during docking at Dutch Harbor. Left to right: LT Jesse Pierce, LTJG Robert Sobelsohn, ENS Miles Litzmann, and ENS Alex Banh. Each operates a single control as ENS Banh practices what might be the toughest parallel parking job in the world.

Emergencies At Sea

During safety drills, we practice mustering to life rafts and donning survival dry suits. As we wait on the back deck, the lead for each lifeboat practices recording key information, such as our current location and the bearing and distance to the nearest land. As I sat on the back deck, flopping like a fish while I squeezed into my survival suit, it struck me that the nearest hospital could well be over 500 kilometers away.

Aboard NOAA vessels, medical emergencies are the responsibility of the medical person in charge (MPIC). MPICs are typically junior officers trained in basic life support who have access to a small medical bay, basic life support equipment, and a limited cabinet of medications. A fair comparison might be to think of the medical bay like the back of an ambulance. Unlike an ambulance, however, the medical bay could be tasked with keeping a person alive for days awaiting evacuation. The MPIC is not alone; they are supported by a team of medical professionals ashore, with access to live feeds of patients’ vitals, who will help guide the MPIC in providing care.

Aboard Oscar Dyson, we were incredibly lucky to have LCDR LeeAnn Keener, a nurse practitioner serving in the US Public Health Service. Were we to have an emergency, LCDR Keener’s training and practice as a licensed medical professional would be a great asset. Currently, only a handful of vessels sail with a licensed medical professional.

orange, white, and navy rescue helicopter in flight over water; the door is open, and one person leans out to help lower another person — *A USCG MH-60 rescue helicopter prepares to lower a rescue swimmer to respond to an emergency. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons*

Were an emergency to occur, the US Coast Guard would respond from their base in Kodiak, the largest USCG base in the world. First, an MH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter would scramble and begin moving towards the vessel in distress; this could take as long as 8 hours to arrive on scene. While underway, the flight surgeon aboard would contact the MPIC and begin preparing to receive the patient or patients. If necessary, Kodiak would begin marshaling additional resources to aid in the evacuation. In some cases, aircraft such as an HC-130 will be dispatched to a remote airfield to serve as the second leg of the emergency relay. Even with this incredible effort, it may take well over a day for a patient to reach the nearest level II trauma center in Anchorage. The total cost of such a remote rescue may well exceed $100,000.

a U.S. Coast Guard rescue plane in flight past large icebergs in an ocean — The USCG operates the HC-130H, sister to the famous AC-130, a highly specialized aircraft designed to respond to nautical emergencies. The C-130 class of aircraft has astonishing range and endurance and can be equipped with specialized electronics, including radar and radio systems, that allow it to serve as a mobile command center at sea. NOAA Hurricane Hunters operate a similar airframe in their mission to predict and study the tropical systems that produce hurricanes. (photo credit: U.S. Coast Guard Visual Information Gallery)

Stay tuned for my final post where we put all the pieces together and profile career opportunities at NOAA!

July 11, 2026July 11, 2026

Jo Slavitz: And So the Adventure Begins, July 11, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Jo Slavitz

Preparing to board NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson

July 19th – August 10th

Mission: Summer Pollock Acoustic Survey, Leg 3

Geographic Area of Cruise: Bering Sea, Alaska

Date: July 11, 2026

Weather Data from Dover Middle School – Dover, NH

Latitude: 43° 10′ 42″ N

Longitude: 70° 52′ 59” W

Winds: NW at 7-10 mph

Air Temperature: 82° F (28° C)

“The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” — Jon Krakauer

Introduction

As I cram the last pair of socks, one more sweater and my field guide into my pack in preparation for my voyage on NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson next week, I think about how I got here and where I hope my journey helps to lead my students.

I was born a scientist, we all are; filled with questions and curiosity. As a child, I could often be found barefoot, traipsing about armed with a fishing net, a pair of binoculars, matches, a magnifying glass and the Little Golden Nature Guides. I grew up on an island and loved being out on the ocean and everything living within it. I took every biology class my high school offered because it meant weekly trips to the beach.

As a middle school teacher for over 30 years, my goal is to recreate not just that excitement of discovery, but the deep dive into problems when the answers don’t come easy. I encourage leaning into adventures and opportunities even when you feel out of your element or unsure of yourself. NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program has given me just such an enterprise to lead by example, so come follow me on my great adventure.

Science and Technology Log

All great adventures involve a quest, so who are we searching for? Check out this legendary beast, this is the Alaskan pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) aka the walleye pollock. That scientific name is like his code name: Gadus means “cod” and chalcogrammus “brass mark.” Check out his ID photo, see that golden brown line of spots, that’s our guy!

Pollock are a close relative of the cod fish we see here on the east coast. They typically grow to be between 12” – 20” in length and weigh from 1-3 lbs. It’s a fish eat fish world out there where, depending on their size and life stage, pollock eat everything from zooplankton to small fishes. In turn, pollock are a favorite meal for others including ocean mammals, such as sea lions, larger fish, sea birds and those of us who love a good Filet-O-Fish. Pollock, like middle schoolers, hang out with their buddies and family in large schools, spending their days on both the ocean bottom and the column of water above it. Although they live throughout the waters of the Pacific Ocean, the largest concentration of Alaskan pollock is in the Bering Sea, so that’s where we are headed. Up to the Alaskan coast starting out in the Aleutian Islands at Dutch Harbor.

Did You Know?

Alaskan pollock may seem new or unfamiliar to you but it has been hiding in plain sight all around you. Go on your own pollock hunt and see how many Bingo squares you can find in your home, school or community.

Alaskan Pollock Download

July 1, 2026July 1, 2026

Guy Sturdevant: The Cave pt. 1, June 29, 2026

Unexpected sea ice south of St Lawrence island on 6/25

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Guy Sturdevant

Aboard Oscar Dyson

June 21 – July 15, 2026

Mission: Summer Pollock Acoustic Survey, Leg 2

Geographic Area of Cruise: Bering Sea, Alaska

Date: June 29, 2026

Weather Data from the Bridge

N 58.6° W 170.4 °, 0 AMSL

Conditions: Fog, Seas at 4’

Visibility: < 3 NM

Wind: 70°/ 9 kt

Barometric Pressure 29.9 inHg

Dry Bulb Temp: 43 ° F

Science Log

So, we’ve taken a chilly dive into the why behind the focus on the pollock. Today, I will take you into “The Cave,” where we can learn how scientists use sound to locate and count pollock. On the port side of the main deck sits a dark, windowless room lit only by the dozen or so monitors adorning its aft wall. A gentle, constant humming fills the room from racks and racks of electronics, servers, and support equipment that dominate the center of this space. While the OOD on the bridge steers this vessel, “The Cave” calls the scientific shots by determining the ship’s course as well as the timing and location of all science operations.

a man and a woman sit in computer chairs at a desk beneath an array of 8 computer monitors; the large computer stack is visible to the right. the two scientists lean far back in their chairs to look up at the screens above. — Abigail McCarthy and Mike Levine discuss plans for the day shift. Time at sea is precious; this vessel operates 24/7 in all conditions. For the past two days, a very quiet, fishless northern extension has limited opportunities. But remember, even a null result is a result!

Acoustics 101

Since the early 20th century, scientists have used the unique ability of sound waves to transmit very efficiently through water for remote sensing. “Pings” of acoustic energy are generated by a transmitter, and then the backscatter (or reflected sound) is detected by a receiver. Early pioneers used sonar to better understand the physical geography of ocean basins in a process called bathymetry.

a graphic showing a cut-out photo of a ship (USS Stewart, DD-13) at the surface of the ocean (depicted as a blue rectangle) above the seafloor (a brown rectangle.) in the animation, upside-down orange parabolas extend from the bottom of the ship toward the seafloor; then right-side up dotted parabolas, like rainbows, extend back from the seafloor up to the ship's bottom. there is a cutout image of the antique echosounder off to the right. There is a speech bubble containing the equation for seafloor depth. The graphic is titled The North Atlantic, 1922: Acoustic Bathymetry — *USS Stewart first tested an early form of echosounder in 1922 as part of preparations for the installation of the Transatlantic cable.*

Not long after the first echosounders made their way aboard ships, scientists realized that as the quality of the instrument increased, they could measure the backscatter (or reflected sound) off of other objects besides the seafloor. Large backscattering layers far above the seafloor were targeted by fishing vessels using the new technology, demonstrating the effectiveness of echosounders at locating marine organisms throughout the water column.

a static graphic showing a cut-out photo of a ship at the surface of the ocean (depicted as a blue rectangle) above the seafloor (a brown rectangle.) 3 upside-down orange parabolas, representing the wave front, extend from the bottom of the ship toward the seafloor; 3 right-side up dotted parabolas, like rainbows, extend back from the seafloor up toward the ship's bottom, representing seafloor backscatter. cutout images of individual pollock fish are pasted in a "school" in the middle of the blue ocean water, and 3 blue rainbow-oriented parabolas extended up from the fish school, representing fish backscatter. this slide is titled: Acoustic Trawling. — *Early innovators in Norway and England reported success in using echosounders to detect large schools of fish and began actively monitoring their behavior (Balls, 1948)*.

The following decades of acoustic research relied on analog, single-beam systems, which were often towed behind or below a vessel and recorded a narrow swath directly below the ship onto a paper echogram.

composite photo of a porcelain wall showing an echogram. arrows and text have been superimposed on the photo to point out the seafloor backscatter and the school of pollock backscatter. in the lower right are the words NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION. — A 3d porcelain rendering of this now-famous echogram (the recorded chart of an echosounder) from the Shelikof Straight adorns the entry to the NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle. The strong red and yellow reflections that sweep gently across the bottom represent the strong backscatter from the seafloor, and the large red cloud represents a large school of pollock.

The 1990’s welcomed a new era in echosounder technology with the release of the SIMRAD EK-500. This landmark digital echosounder combined multi-frequency operation with improved data processing and integration tools, enabling much better estimates of fish population density and biomass.

a graph of target strength (low, medium, high) v. frequency (kHz, log scale). three lines graph this relationship for fish (swim bladders) at 50-600 mm length; krill at 10-60 mm length; and copepods 0.2-20 mm length. — Larger acoustic targets, such as the swim bladder of a large fish, produce strong backscatter at relatively low frequencies, whereas smaller organisms, such as krill and copepods, reflect sound only at much higher frequencies. Multi-frequency echo sounder measurements allow scientists to discriminate between acoustic targets of different sizes and target strengths and more accurately estimate the biomass of individual organisms as they scroll across the screen.

Next time, we will look at the echograms produced aboard Oscar Dyson and receive a crash course in interpretation from the Cave!

Personal Log

Work hard, play hard is an unofficial motto aboard Oscar Dyson. The officers, crew, and science team are keeping a fierce eye on the World Cup when off duty (Colombia’s goal call-back was a travesty!!).

a 16-competitor bracket drawn on an old hydrographic chart. beneath the chart is the title: The Inaugural Collin McMillan Memorial Biannual Oscar Dyson Amateur Cribbage Tournament. — *The “Inaugural Collin McMillan Memorial Biannual Oscar Dyson Amateur Cribbage Tournament” is underway; stay tuned for updates and potential video coverage of the championship match!*

Guy, wearing overalls and long yellow gloves, holds up a flatfish pointing toward his face, and makes a kissy face at a safe distance. — The future gyotaku model, Northern rock sole (*Lepidopsetta polyxystra*)*, posing for a picture before her big debut.*

fish print, in black ink, of a flatfish — Gyotaku is the traditional Japanese art of collecting fish prints. Engineer Victoria Southwick, ENS Josh Bennett, and Lt. Jesse Pierce captured the print of a Northern rock sole (Lepidopsetta polyxystra) brought up on haul 71, 06/28/26.

Wildlife sightings

highly detailed photo of an albatross floating at the ocean's surface — A Short-tailed albatross (Phoebastria albatrus) follows us during trawling operations, hoping for a fishy treat. This threatened marine bird is a tale of cautious conservation success. Their population in the 1950s dwindled to as low as 25 individuals. Today, roughly 4,200 individuals are known to exist.

Fun Fact

In the Cave, it is not uncommon for the shallow layer to be filled with a mix of non-fish backscatter. Everyone has their pet theories as to what may be the source of these shallow acoustic targets (we know they aren’t fish), but they have all agreed to call it by one name… munge. Below is my artist’s interpretation of Munge as a heavy metal album.

MUNGE album cover

Sources

Balls, R. 1948. Herring fishing with the echometer. Journal du Conseil International pour l’Exploration de la Mer, 15: 193–206.
Korneliussen, R. J. (2018). Acoustic target classification.
Benoit-Bird, K. J., & Lawson, G. L. (2016). Ecological insights from pelagic habitats acquired using active acoustic techniques. Annual review of marine science, 8, 463-490.
Mordy, C. W., Bond, N. A., Cokelet, E. D., Deary, A., Lemagie, E., Proctor, P., … & Wisegarver, E. (2023). Progress of fisheries-oceanography coordinated investigations in the Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Passes. Oceanography, 36(2/3), 94-100.
De Robertis, A., McKelvey, D. R., & Ressler, P. H. (2010). Development and application of an empirical multifrequency method for backscatter classification. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 67(9), 1459-1474.
Simmonds, J., & MacLennan, D. N. (2008). Fisheries acoustics: theory and practice. John Wiley & Sons.
Holliday, D. V., & Pieper, R. E. (1995). Bioacoustical oceanography at high frequencies. ICES Journal of marine Science, 52(3-4), 279-296.
Echoview. (2019). Acoustics Unpacked. https://acousticsunpacked.echoview.com/acoustics/AcousticsUnpacked.asp

June 26, 2026June 29, 2026

Guy Sturdevant: Why Pollock? June 25, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Guy Sturdevant

NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson

June 21 – July 15, 2026

Mission: Summer Pollock Acoustic Survey, Leg 2

Geographic Area of Cruise: Bering Sea, Alaska

Date: June 25, 2026

Weather Data from the Bridge

N 58.00° W 169.68 °, 0 AMSL

Conditions: Heavy Fog, Seas at 8’

Visibility: < 1 NM

Wind: 130°/23 kt

Barometric Pressure 29.66 inHg

Dry Bulb Temp: 43 ° F

A tufted puffin sails above the Bering Sea. — *A Tufted Puffin sails above the Bering Sea*

Science Log

If you’re anything like me, you’ve never given the pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) a second thought. However, the humble pollock, which occurs throughout the North Pacific Ocean and is especially common in Alaska, plays a linchpin role in the US seafood industry.

In 2024, pollock accounted for 43% of all seafood caught in the US by weight. That’s bigger than salmon, lobster, and tuna put together!

Clearly, pollock must be providing something of value; why is pollock such a large part of the harvest? Several factors contribute to pollock’s popularity with the fishing fleet.

1. Pollock are relatively easy to catch as they school densely in mid-water. Mid-water trawling can sometimes be much quicker and easier than other types of commercial fishing.

2. Pollock is a lean, lightly-flavored whitefish that can be used as whole cuts or processed into products such as surimi (artificial crab meat) and has been shown to be a good source of lean protein and Omega-3 fatty acids.

A chart comparing the nutritional facts of Alaskan Pollock to beef, chicken, pork, almonds, and plant-based meat alternative. — *A comparison of the nutritional value of pollock to other dietary protein sources.* – *USDA*

3. Pollock has a much smaller lifecycle carbon footprint than other protein sources. Due to the efficiency of mid-water trawling and industry innovations, you can hit your macros while leaving the carbon where it belongs, cycling through the ecosystem.

A comparison of the carbon impact of pollock vs other common animal protein sources.

Pollock sure sounds like a great, sustainable protein source, but let’s take a step back and meet the fish behind the stick!

illustration of a single Alaskan adult pollock against a white background; notably, the pollock has three dorsal fins and two anal fins — An Adult Alaskan pollock (*Gadus chalcogrammus*)

Pollock are a member of the same genus as Atlantic and Pacific cod, and grow to around 20 inches on average over their 15-year lifespan. Their Latin name, chalcogrammus, is derived from the beautiful copper patterns that adorn their dorsal sides.

In winter, pollock move closer to shore, gathering in large schools to spawn. In summer, they migrate farther onto the continental shelf, forming more dispersed schools.

The Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering (MACE) Summer Pollock Acoustic Survey helps NOAA track and manage this vital economic and cultural resource by monitoring the location, size, and well-being of the eastern Bering Sea pollock population. This summer, the scientists have extended some of the acoustic transect lines northward to ensure the survey captures a more holistic picture of the population distribution in the eastern Bering Sea.

an animation comparing maps over time of the distribution of pollock abundances in the Eastern Bering Sea — In this animation, lighter colors indicate a higher abundance of pollock at a given location. In 2010, AFSC bottom trawl data showed that the pollock population was concentrated at the far western edge of the study area. Conversely, in 2017, the population was much more evenly dispersed across the region. Observations like these help MACE scientists plan future work to better understand the extent and variability of pollock population distributions across the eastern Bering Sea. data source: FFSC eastern Bering sea bottom trawl survey from https://apps-st.fisheries.noaa.gov/dismap/index.html

Personal Log

As a guest of this crew, it has been great to get to know the science team, the NOAA Corps, and the crew that make Oscar Dyson run like a well-oiled machine. From Frankie in the mess (sooooo good), to the officers on the Bridge, it is evident that everyone WANTS to be here.

Wildlife sightings

🚨Charismatic Megafauna Alert🚨

A humpback whale, just visible at the surface, spouts water off the coast of Dutch Harbor, AK. — *A humpback whale stopped by on our way north from Dutch Harbor, AK.*

Did You Know?

“For the 26th consecutive year, Dutch Harbor, Alaska, led the nation in seafood landed volume (780.1 million pounds, valued at $224.5 million).” (Fisheries of the United States 2023).

From the library

“The war between water and land is never-ending. Waves shatter themselves in spent fury against the rocky bulwarks of the coast; giant tides eat away the sand beaches and alter the entire contour of an island overnight…”

– Corey Ford, Where the Sea Breaks Its Back: The Epic Story of the Early Naturalist Georg Steller and the Russian Exploration of Alaska

Sources

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2026, March 10). Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands; 2026 and 2027 Harvest Specifications for Groundfish. Federal Register, 91(46), 11750-11799. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/03/10/2026-04684/fisheries-of-the-exclusive-economic-zone-off-alaska-bering-sea-and-aleutian-islands-2026-and-2027

“Frequent Questions: Annual Catch Limit Monitoring | NOAA Fisheries.” Frequent Questions: Annual Catch Limit Monitoring, NOAA, 22 Sept. 2025, www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/sustainable-fisheries/frequent-questions-annual-catch-limit-monitoring.

National Marine Fisheries Service. Fisheries of the United States, 2023. U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA Current Fishery Statistics No. 2023, Feb. 2026, https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.fisheries.noaa.gov/2026-02/FUS-2023-web.pdf.

Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers. “Sustainability.” Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers, https://www.alaskapollock.org/about-the-fish/sustainability

June 18, 2026June 18, 2026

Guy Sturdevant: Heading North, June 17, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Guy Sturdevant

Preparing to board NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson

June 20 – July 15, 2026

Mission: Summer Pollock Acoustic Survey, Leg 2

Geographic Area of Cruise: Bering Sea, Alaska

Date: June 17, 2026

Weather Data from the Flint Hills of Kansas

Latitude: 37°34’00” N

Longitude: 96°30’40” W

Winds S at 20-30 mph

Air Temperature: 79° F (26° C)

Introduction

Hello and welcome! My name is Guy (Clark) Sturdevant from Northwest High School in Wichita, KS. You join me as I make final preparations for my two-day journey to Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Once there, I will board the Oscar Dyson and join an amazing science team and crew for a month-long leg of the biennial Eastern Bering Sea Pollock Survey.

As I prepare for this incredible opportunity, I find myself reflecting on the amazing science educators and communicators that helped define my relationship with science. From Mr. Patton’s sixth grade life science class through graduate studies in the department of Geology at the University of Kansas, the passion, character, and enthusiasm of my mentors and teachers was infectious. In my seven years in the classroom, I have worked to immerse my students in the hands-on practice of science. NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program will be another amazing opportunity for me to learn from world-class scientists and technicians in hopes of bringing the exciting world of marine science into my high school classroom.

Check in here for regular updates from the Bering Sea!

Science and Technology Log

Next Monday, I will board NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The Oscar Dyson is a 208 ft. purpose-built research vessel which hosts the Midwater Assessment & Conservation Engineering (MACE) team for the Summer Pollock Survey. The full survey spans nearly three months and hundreds of nautical miles of the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska.

NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson as seen from the port side, in port. The sky is bright blue and the blue water in front of the ship has a faint ripple from a wake. we can see a bridge in the background. — NOAA Ship *Oscar Dyson*. *Photo credit: Ensign Haley Glos*
(Photo from @NOAAShipOscarDyson Facebook account)

Did You Know?

The Oscar Dyson is named in honor of a fisherman and sustainable fisheries advocate, Oscar Dyson.

a black and white portrait photo of a man — A photo of Oscar can be found hanging in the galley aboard his namesake.

Oscar’s fame, however, is eclipsed by his wife, Peggy. Peggy Dyson acted as the “Voice of the North Pacific”, broadcasting out marine weather forecasts as WBH-29 twice daily for over 30 years. Her voice served fishing communities in the North Pacific, providing valuable information and a familiar voice across the vast span of the open ocean.