trawl – NOAA Teacher at Sea Blog

August 10, 2026August 14, 2026

Stacey Morris: Show me the Fish! August 7, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Stacey Morris

Aboard NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker

July 26 – August 10, 2026

Mission: Integrated West Coast Pelagics Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: West Coast Pacific Ocean

Date: August 7, 2026

Weather Data from the Bridge

Latitude: 45°00.923°’N

Longitude: 124°27.721’W

Wind Speed: 14 kts

Air Temperature: 17.5°C

Science and Technology Log

My mother just texted me, “So, what do you do with the fish that you catch?” Great question!

view of the metal door attached to the lines and the trawl net designed to keep the mouth of the net open as it is deployed into the water. it is nighttime, and the water is dark and foamy. — Door used to hold open net

We do three trawls every evening, based on what the acoustic data shows us from moving our ship along our transect lines during the day. We do a marine mammal watch for 15 minutes before we cast the net. If everything is clear, we drop the net into the water. We then put two large metal “doors” into the water, that support the mouth of the net opening. The net has been specifically designed for the fish survey, to catch even the smallest fish larva and krill. Towards the end of the net, called the “codend,” there is a metal grate that is sewn into the net with a slit above it. This grate not only keeps larger species out of the net, like sharks, dolphins, and sea lions, but it also allows them to escape if they do swim into the net. There are sensors at the top and bottom of the net that show its position so we know that it is in the right position. Here is a photo of the monitor that can “see” the net:

photo of a screen display showing readings about the net: measurements of door spread, footrope depth, port and starboard doors, vessel speed, depths over time — This image shows how wide the net is open and its depth

We fish for thirty minutes, and then we hear “haul back!” which signals the net is being reeled back in. They use a large industrial spool to wind the net and the deck crew makes sure that it doesn’t get tangled, plus they stop if they see anything caught in the lines, such as mola mola (ocean sunfish) that like to hitch a ride in the net.

Stacey, wearing orange rain gear, orange life vest, orange hard hat, and teal gloves, holds up a smaller mola mola in two hands for a photo. she is standing in the wet lab. — Stacey with a *mola mola*… this is a baby one!

When we reach the back of the net, this is where we focus for our survey. If there are any protected species, like salmon, we measure, weigh, and take a quick photo record before we toss them back into the water. We put hardy fish that are not part of our survey into a saltwater bucket and also toss them over the side once we collect data.

We focus mainly on our target species, Northern Anchovies, Pacific Sardines, Pacific Mackerel, and Jack Mackerel, and separate them out from the rest of the catch. From these, we take a random sample to measure and weigh, and then we remove their otoliths (ear bones) which can be used to determine their age. We document all the species we find, and if there are any sample requests (from universities or marine labs) that we can fulfill, those fish are put into the freezer.

Once we are done sorting, documenting, and data collecting, everything goes back to the sea and we clean up before the next trawl comes in. We always randomly sample five baskets from a catch, no matter how big or small it is. A “water catch” is if we don’t pull up any of our target species, but we’ve been lucky enough to have at least one in each of our trawls on this leg of the trip. I’ve been amazed at how different each of our trawls have been, and it’s changed quite a bit as we go north, with different species being more prevalent.

three science team members wearing orange overalls and latex gloves stand at the sorting table in the wet lab, which contains scales, measuring boards, and specimen trays. — Science team collecting data

a metal table spread with clear gelatinous animals. in the foreground, someone holds a white specimen tray over the sorting table, and with their left hand reaches to pick up one of the animals. we see two more sets of gloved hands farther down the table. — Science team collecting data

Here are the fish that we have seen between San Francisco and Florence, OR :

English Common Name	Spanish Common Name	Scientific Name
Northern anchovy	Anchoveta del Pacífico	Engraulis mordax
Animalia	Animales	Animalia
Jack mackerel	Jurel del Pacífico	Trachurus symmetricus
Whitebait smelt	Pez lápiz	Allosmerus elongatus
Pacific hake (whiting)	Merluza del Pacífico	Merluccius productus
Pacific herring	Arenque del Pacífico	Clupea pallasii
Coho salmon	Salmón coho	Oncorhynchus kisutch
Chinook (King) salmon	Salmón chinook/rey	Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Pacific sardine	Sardina del Pacífico	Sardinops sagax
Pacific (chub) Mackerel	Caballa del Pacífico	Scomber japonicus
Eulachon	Eulacón	Thaleichthys pacificus
Steelhead	Trucha arcoíris	Oncorhynchus mykiss
Whiptail ribbonfish	Pez listón	Desmodema lorum
American shad	Sábal americano	Alosa sapidissima
Abraliopsis felis	Calamar	Abraliopsis felis
Aequorea sp	Medusa cristal	Aequorea sp
Amphipods (order)	Anfípodos	Amphipoda
Wolf eel	Pez lobo moteado	Anarrhichthys ocellatus
Sablefish (blackcod)	Bacalao negro	Anoplopoma fimbria
Pacific argentine	Argentina plateada	Argentina sialis
Greater argonaut – paper nautilus	Argonauta	Argonauta argo
Shiny (shining) loosejaw	Pez dragón luminoso	Aristostomias scintillans
Moon jellies (genus)	Medusa luna	Aurelia sp
Deepsea smelts (family)	Peces de aguas profundas	Bathylagidae
Carinariid heteropod (shell)	Carinaria	Carinaria japonica
Heteropods (shell)	Carináridos	Carinariidae
Ocean Whitefish	Blanquillo	Caulolatilus princeps
Chiroteuthis calyx	Calamar de cristal	Chiroteuthis calyx
Pacific sanddab	Lenguado del Pacífico	Citharichthys sordidus
Speckled sanddab	Lenguado manchado	Citharichthys stigmaeus
Pacific saury	Paparda del Pacífico	Cololabis saira
Spectacular corolla (Sea butterfly)	Salpa	Corolla spectabilis
Sandpaper (tennis ball) squid	Calamar de cristal	Cranchia scabra
Comb jellies (phylum)	Ctenóforos	Ctenophora
Crabs – Shrimps (order)	Decápodos	Decapoda
California headlightfish	Pez linterna	Diaphus theta
Humboldt squid	Calamar gigante de Humboldt	Dosidicus gigas
Northern anchovy larvae	Larvas de anchoveta del Pacífico	Engraulis mordax larvae
Striped (luminous flying) squid	Calamar luminoso	Eucleoteuthis luminosa
Pacific Krill	Kril del Pacífico	Euphausia pacifica
Euphausiids (order)	Kril	Euphausiacea
Soupfin shark	Cazón	Galeorhinus galeus
Rex sole	Platija del Pacífico	Glyptocephalus zachirus
Hardtail (catalina) conger	Anguila serpiente	Gnathophis cinctus
North Pacific armhook squid	Calamar boreal	Gonatopsis borealis
Gonatus sp	Calamar Gonatus	Gonatus sp
Seven armed octopus	Pulpo siete brazos	Haliphron atlanticus
Hormiphora sp	Ctenóforo	Hormiphora sp
Diamond turbot	Platija diamante	Hypsopsetta guttulata
Medusafish	Pez medusa	Icichthys lockingtoni
Ragfish	Pez ragfish	Icosteus aenigmaticus
Pacific blackdragon	Pez dragón negro	Idiacanthus antrostomus
Cookie cutter shark	Tiburón cigarro	Isistius brasiliensis
Glass squid	Calamar Leachia	Leachia pacifica
Bay goby	Gobio escamoso	Lepidogobius lepidus
Pacific staghorn sculpin	Charrasco costero	Leptocottus armatus
Slender barracudina	Pez lagarto	Lestidiops ringens
California smoothtongue	Pez plateado	Leuroglossus stilbius
Eared (popeye) blacksmelt	Pez gelatinoso	Lipolagus ochotensis
California market squid	Calamar de California	Loligo (Doryteuthis) opalescens
Slender sole	Platija fina	Lyopsetta exilis
Dover sole	Solla dl Pacífico	Microstomus pacificus
Ocean sunfish	Pez luna	Mola mola
Robust clubhook squid	Calamar robusto	Moroteuthis (Onykia) robusta
Octopus squid	Calamar pulpo	Octopoteuthis deletron
Tuberculate pelagic octopus	Pulpo pelágico	Ocythoe tuberculata
Boreal clubhook squid	Calamar garfio	Onychoteuthis borealijaponicus
Ocean (pink) shrimp	Camarón rosado	Pandalus jordani
California Spiny lobster	Langosta de California	Panulirus interruptus
Barracudinas (family)	Peces lagarto	Paralepididae
Purple striped jelly	Medusa pelágica	Pelagia colorata
Pacific butterfish (Pompano)	Palometa del Pacífico	Peprilus simillimus
Egg-yolk jelly	Medusa huevo frito	Phacellophora camtschatica
Phronima sp	Phronima	Phronima sp
Pelagic red crab (tuna crab)	Langostilla roja	Pleuroncodes planipes
Plainfin midshipman	Pez sapo luminoso	Porichthys notatus
Praya sp	Sifonóforo	Praya sp
Blue shark	Tiburón azul	Prionace glauca
Pelagic stingray	Raya violeta	Pteroplatytrygon violacea
Heteropods (no shell)	Caracoles pelágicos	Pterotracheidae
Jewel fire squid	Calamar luciérnaga	Pterygioteuthis gemmata
Pyrosome	Pirosoma	Pyrosoma atlanticum
Salps (order)	Salpas	Salpida
Pacific bonito	Bonito del Pacífico	Sarda chiliensis
California scorpionfish	Pez escorpión manchado	Scorpaena guttata
Cabezon	Cabrilla marmoleada	Scorpaenichthys marmoratus
Brown rockfish	Róbalo orejón	Sebastes auriculatus
Rockfishes (genus)	Róbalo	Sebastes sp
Sergestid shrimps (family)	Camarones pelágicos	Sergestidae
Northern lampfish	Pez linterna norteño	Stenobrachius leucopsarus
Blackbelly dragonfish	Pez dragón	Stomias atriventer
California lanternfish	Pez linterna de California	Symbolophorus californiensis
Kelp pipefish	Pez pipa de California	Syngnathus californiensis
Blue lanternfish	Linternilla azul	Tarletonbeania crenularis
Smalleye Squaretail	Pez cuadrado	Tetragonurus cuvieri
Common salp	Salpa gigante	Thetys vagina
Pacific torpedo (electric) ray	Raya eléctrica de California	Torpedo californica
Jack mackerel larvae	Larvas de jurel del Pacífico	Tracharus symmetricus larvae
King-of-the-salmon	Pez cinta	Trachipterus altivelis
Mexican lampfish	Pez linterna mexicano	Triphoturus mexicanus
Panama lightfish	Pejecito punteado	Vinciguerria lucetia
Vinciguerria sp	Pez linterna	Vinciguerria sp
Longspine combfish	Pez peine	Zaniolepis latipinnis

While northern anchovy, Pacific and jack mackerel, whitebait smelt, and Pacific herring make up most of the fish we catch during our survey, California smooth tongue fish are our most common non-target species. Most of our target species are included in federal fisheries management plans, which means scientists regularly monitor their populations to help ensure they are harvested sustainably.

Understanding how fish populations change from year to year is essential for assessing the health of fish stocks and managing fisheries responsibly. Some species are especially important to the West Coast ecosystem and economy. Pacific sardines, for example, once supported a major fishery, but their population has declined dramatically in recent decades. Northern anchovies may not have the same economic value, but they play a critical role in the marine food web by serving as prey for many larger fish, seabirds, and marine mammals. Jack mackerel are also ecologically important and support commercial and bait fisheries that extend from state waters into federally managed waters.

Whitebait smelt and Pacific herring are unique to our survey because they are detected not only in our net catches but also in our acoustic data. Comparing the two datasets helps scientists validate survey results and improve estimates of fish abundance.

Did You Know?

FishBase is a website where you can look up 36500 different fish species, their common names, and pictures to help you identify something that you see or catch. You can even find out what they are called in other countries where they are found, which is tremendously helpful when you are working with fisheries that expand beyond U.S. waters or with migrating fish.

screenshot of the heading of the FishBase website with totals listed across the top: 36500 species, 333000 common names, 65800 pictures, 68300 references, 2570 collaborators, 700000 visits/month

Personal Log

We are now located off of Newport, and I realize we are getting to the end of our trawling survey. I’m excited to get back home and see my family and friends, but I know I’ll miss the adventure of being on a scientific expedition with experts in the field. I love asking questions about the fish we are seeing, the nautical gauges on the bridge, and what all the equipment is down below in the labs and engine room. The wind has died down, and it’s easier walking around the ship. I’m sleeping very well, better than at home, which must be due to the rocking or the physical labor of processing the fish trawling. My favorite activity is mammal watch, making sure none are close to our boat before we put the net into the water. Seeing whales with the moon over the water was a beautiful sight!

view of the moon over the ocean, where the water is reflecting the moonlight — Full moon at mammal watch

July 9, 2026July 9, 2026

Amelia Black: First Day of School…at Sea July 6, 2026

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Amelia Black

Aboard NOAA Ship Oregon II

July 6-17, 2026

Mission: SEAMAP Summer Groundfish Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Gulf of America/Gulf of Mexico

Date: July 6, 2026

Weather Data from the Bridge:

Latitude: 28.40N
Longitude: -91.40W
Sea wave height: 1 ft
Wind Speed: 8 kt
Wind Direction: 330
Visibility: 10 miles
Sea Temperature: 88℉
Air Temperature: 82℉
Barometric Pressure: 30.03 inHg
Humidity: 67.4
Sky: Overcast

Science and Technology Log

SEAMAP Summer Groundfish Survey
SEAMAP (Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program) started in 1982. According to NOAA Fisheries’ Summer and Fall Groundfish Surveys in the Gulf of America, these surveys provide long-term data that help monitor the health of the ecosystem in the Gulf in order to support sustainable fisheries management. SEAMAP surveying is done in the summer and in the fall and consists of over 300 stations (stops) throughout the Gulf, spanning from Texas to Florida.

Map of the Northern Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico). The land is depicted all beige, with only the state borders visible. The water shows some bathymetric relief. An area along the coast, stretching from Texas to the tip of Florida and shaded in flat orange, depicts the survey area. — *The Summer and Fall Groundfish Survey combined collects data for over 80 days in the Northern Gulf of America per year, which is critical for fisheries managers. Credit: NOAA Fisheries*

This leg (Leg 3) of the survey will consist of survey points from Louisiana (Atchafalaya River) to northern Florida (north of Tampa Bay).

The scientists deploy a trawl net that sweeps near or on the ocean floor to collect the groundfish. This sampling shows a point in time of the Groundfish population throughout the northern area of the Gulf of America/Mexico.

crewmembers in hard hats, life vests, and gloves stand around a large net suspended from above the photo frame. they each reach toward the net; some are steadying it while others work to untie the bottom. five large plastic baskets are placed underneath the net, ready to receive the catch. it is nighttime. — NOAA Scientist Adam Pollack and NOAA Senior Survey Technician Stephanie Stabile pulling in the trawl net for sample collection.

Our first haul of this Leg took place at 2100 hours (9pm). We ended up with a collection weight of 24.179kg (53 pounds). Shrimp made up the predominant groundfish caught; total shrimp collection tipping the scales at 35 pounds!

There were four different species of shrimp collected within this sample; brown, pink, white, and mantis. The majority of the shrimp were brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus) weighing in at 32 lbs. Next was 2.8 lbs of pink shrimp (Farfantepenaeus duorarum). We collected a small sampling of white and mantis shrimp.

We sorted the shrimp into different taxa (types). The most telling difference between the brown and the pink shrimp is that the pink shrimp has a pink dot on its side.

a comparison of three shrimp species. title: Native Shrimp in the Gulf of Mexico. each species is accompanied by an illustration against a white background, and a list of identifying features. Brown shrimp: brown body, grooved on the back of the shell, tails usually have a purple or reddish purple band and green or red pigmentation. pink shrimp: pink body, dark colored spot on each side of the body, tail usually has a dark blue band rather than the purple band found on brown shrimp, grooved shell. white shrimp: light gray body with green coloration on the tail and a yellow band on the abdomen, no grooved shell, longer antennae than other shrimp (usually 2.5-3x longer than their body) — Native shrimp found in Alabama (Photo credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, taken from Alabama Cooperative Extension System website)

The white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus) is similar to the brown shrimp but has an iridescent tail. The mantis shrimp (Squilla empusa) has a sharp looking tail and is known as a ‘thumb splitter’. This made me quite leary of the shrimp at first, needless to say I was hesitant to handle the mantis shrimp (even though the ones we caught weren’t big enough to cause serious damage.)

After sorting the catch we measured and weighed the groundfish based on SEAMAP set parameters needed for data analysis. Criteria might include sending groundfish in for further testing and processing, while others groundfish populations might only require a certain number of the catch to be measured and weighed. For instance, of the shrimp caught 50 of each type were split between male and female then measured and weighed.

a brown shrimp, tail stretched out behind it, placed on a white fish measuring board. we can see the measuring board's name: Ichthystick. the shrimp stretched from about 40 to 60 cm. — Measuring the brown shrimp (*Farfantepenaeus aztecus)*.
Can you estimate her length?

Personal Log

Amelia, wearing a yellow hard hat and orange life vest, takes a selfie at the railing of NOAA Ship Oregon II. it is sunset, and the water is calm with small ripples. — First Day of School… at Sea!

Monday at 0900 hours, I boarded the ship and started my journey with NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program. I imagine that I felt pretty similar to how my students feel on the very first day of school: a mix of intense excitement and a little bit of nervousness!

The day started with a brief tour of the ship, where I met the Field Party Chief (FPC), Faith. Then, I attended an orientation led by the officers about the ship’s rules and expectations. Just like how teachers go over classroom rules and expectations on day one.

A lot of new terms, vocabulary, and acronyms were thrown our way. Luckily, I had done a little bit of preparation and learned some of the maritime language beforehand, even though I still have a lot to learn! Here are a few quick translations:

Berth=Bed/room
Head= Bathroom
Stern=Back of Ship
Bow=Front of Ship
Muster= Meeting area for roll call

Next, we participated in two of the three required safety drills. The first was a fire drill. Instead of evacuating the vessel (leaving the ship), the science team mustered at the stern and awaited further instructions. This is similar to school fire drills, where we go to our designated area, take a headcount, and wait for further directions.

The next drill that we participated in was the “abandon ship” drill. We meet at our muster station with our lifevest and survival suit. The survival suit is made of neoprene and is designed to keep our body temperature stable so we don’t succumb to hypothermia before being rescued.

You might be wondering (as I did), how can someone get hypothermia in warm water?
While the water in the Gulf may be a nice 85℉, our bodies sit at 98.6℉. This means the ocean would slowly absorb your warmth and cause your core body temperature to drop. Check out this fact sheet on how to put on the survival suit (immersion suit) https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/s3//2024-09/NOP-Observer-Immersion-Suit-2023.508.pdf

The third drill we learned about is the “mariner (man) overboard” drill. If someone were to end up in the water it is everyone’s job to stop, point directly at the person, and never take your eyes off them. This allows the crew to follow recovery procedures to save the mariner.

photo of a quarter-sized piece of paper slipped into a plastic holder mounted on a metal door. this is the emergency billet. It is titled: Sci Black, Amelia. Three sections, color-coded, show the different emergency codes and muster stations. — Assigned stations for drills.

After the drills, the science team returned to the dry lab, and I met the crew members I will be working alongside. The work rotations are split into two 12-hour shifts, day and night. I’ve been assigned day shift, working 11:30am to 11:30 pm.

We reached our first survey station at 2100 hours (9pm) and the real work began!

Did You Know?

NOAA Ship Oregon II uses sensors to report up to date weather data every hour. Follow along at https://www.windy.com/station/ship-wtdo?waves,27.501,-92.356,8,m:esbadxt to map my progress through the Gulf.

Speaking of sensors, I met Dorothy and Toto, right here on this ship! Check out my next blog to learn about Dorothy and Toto.

Adventure awaits!

Sources

August 12, 2025August 21, 2025

Joshua Gonzalez: Of Fish and Men, August 12, 2025

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Joshua Gonzalez

Aboard NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada

August 11 – August 23, 2025

Mission: Integrated West Coast Pelagics Survey (Leg 4)

Geographic Area of Cruise: Pacific Ocean, California Coast

Today’s Date: August 12, 2025

Weather Data from the Bridge:

Latitude: 43° 06.2’N

Longitude: 124° 38.8′ W

Wind speed: 9.2 kts.

Wave height: 1-2 ft.

Air temp.: 13° C (55° F)

Sky: Overcast

Science and Technology Log

An often paraphrased quote by Robert Burns goes, “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Well, maybe that phrase also applies to fish.

The original plans for this leg of the survey were to head out to sea on August 8th. However, a winch on NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada stopped working before we took off. The winch is important as it helps to bring in the net which we need to catch the fish. It was a two day repair.

Then on the 10th we were all aboard and ready to leave when the wind decided to kick up. It was coming in at such an angle and strength that we did not have enough power to push away from the dock safely. So, we stayed in port for another night. We made the most of it by walking to the Oregon Coast Aquarium. It was amazing to be with the scientists as we walked through the exhibits. They have so much knowledge and experience working with the creatures on display.

Thankfully, the next day, the wind cooperated, and right around 14:50 on August 11th, we were able to set off. There were cheers and fist pumps as we began our journey.

In our mission we are taking a survey of the West Coast Pelagics, but specifically we are looking for five main fish: Pacific sardine, jack mackerel, northern anchovy, Pacific mackerel, and Pacific hake. I will be focusing on CPS, Coastal Pelagic Species, which are the sardines, anchovies, and both mackerels. Those will be caught during the night time shift that I will be working, midnight to noon. The reason we catch them at night is that during the day they are spread out and feeding, but at night they come back together for safety.

This is important work because with the data we collect we will know more about the population, size, and location of the populations and that provides guidance on what should be done for commercial fishing of those populations. One way we are able to be more efficient in catching the fish is by using certain tools to help us know where the fish are. We use acoustics technology to determine where, how many, and what kind of fish.

Today I helped get a TDR, Temperature Depth Recorder, ready to attach to the net. This sends information back to the ship about the depth of the net and the temperature of the water. The information when combined with what we know from the acoustics helps us catch what we are after.

Josh, wearing a Teacher at Sea hat, stands in the wet lab holding a what appears to be a large metal tube in both hands. He smiles for the camera. — Me holding a TDR that is ready to be attached to the net.

Personal Log

Once again following the theme of the day, adaptation has been key. I knew my schedule going into this adventure was going to require me to change my sleep schedule. Once the departure date was thrown back three days, there was also no way for me to keep the midnight to noon schedule. So, I am back today trying to adjust.

I am also trying to adapt to the motion of the sea. I brought sea sickness medicine and have been taking it regularly as prescribed, but I am still feeling the effects of the motion a little bit. One good trick has been getting outside and looking at the horizon. That has helped quite a bit. I also enjoy being in the wet lab. It is a bigger space and that is helping me fight back the queasy feeling.

The food onboard has been terrific. I am eating well. Our main steward’s name is Phil. He makes some amazing food. That is one thing I have not had to adjust to in any way.

I have the internet and am able to make Wi-Fi calls. Back home there was a flash flood. A lot of friends and family are dealing with the loss of their things. Thankfully, I have not heard any reports of people having been hurt. It is tough to be away from friends and family. Thankfully, everyone on board has been really nice. It makes a tough situation easier when you have friends to talk with. I am looking forward to not feeling sea sick soon and having amazing learning experiences in the days and weeks ahead.

a view of the aft deck from an upper deck of NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada. One spool of netting is empty, attached by only two yellow lines to a trawl net that must be underwater. We can see straight through the A-frame. a few crewmembers, wearing life vests and hard hats but too far to be identifiable, stand around the A-frame. — Pulling in our first catch!

Did You Know?

Greenwich Mean Time is the local time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwhich, England where the Prime Meridian was established in 1884. It is used as a reference point for telling time all around the world. On the ship it can be difficult to keep track of time. The GMT is a way for all of us who come from different time zones and are on different schedules to keep track of what time things are happening.

Can you identify this species?

close-up view of anchovies swimming in water (likely taken through the glass at an aquarium)

Northern Anchovy – The rounded “nose” and the muppet style face are easy identifiers.

July 16, 2024July 16, 2024

Nick Lee: In the Fish Lab, July 12, 2024

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Nick Lee
Aboard NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson
June 29 – July 20, 2024

Mission: Pollock Acoustic-Trawl Survey

Geographic Area of Cruise: Eastern Bering Sea

Date: July 12, 2024

Weather Data from the Bridge:

Latitude: 60° 02.17 N

Longitude: 176° 37.3 W

Wind Speed: 14 knots

Air Temperature: 5.5° Celsius (41.9° Fahrenheit)

Science and Technology Log

Once the trawl is completed, the codend is unloaded onto a conveyor belt for sorting. Usually, we just sort by species, picking out any organisms that aren’t pollock and storing them in separate baskets. Overall, I’ve been surprised with how “clean” or uniform the catches have been. We will usually have some jellyfish, but other than that we tend to have only a few fish of other species in a catch with hundreds or thousands of pollock.

Pollock on the conveyor belt. We can see the orange rain coats and long yellow gloves of two scientists standing nearby. — *The catch is first emptied onto a conveyor belt where it is sorted by species.*

When the catch has a mix of juvenile and adult pollock, we’ll also sort them by size, which roughly correlates to age group. The size cutoff used for sorting is only an approximation of age (the exact age is determined later), but it is still useful in ensuring that we sample a consistent number of each size class in every trawl.

Distinguishing between the larger juveniles and smaller adults on the belt can be tricky, so on one trawl we got creative and found what we named a “measuring fish.” This fish was the smallest length that had been designated as an adult in the previous trawls – anything smaller we left on the belt with the juveniles and anything larger we put in a separate basket with the adults. While not the most conventional solution, it served our purpose well and showed that anything can be made into a measuring instrument!

Nick is wearing a heavy orange rain coat and long yellow gloves. He holds up two pollock fish vertically, comparing their lengths to one another. We see more fish on a sorting table in the background. — *Using a “measuring” fish to sort the catch according to size (Photo Credit: Matthew Phillips).*

Once the fish are sorted, we take length and weight measurements for a representative sample of all species in the trawl. We measure the length of hundreds of pollock in a given trawl, so luckily the system is very efficient.

When I length a pollock, I’ll grab the fish in one hand and place it on the magnetic length board so that its head is against the end at zero. Then I’ll use my other hand to straighten the fish and place a magnet at the fork of the tail. The length board records where the magnet touches the length board, measuring what is known as the “fork length” of the fish.

Pollock on length board; its head faces toward the left side of the board, near a digital meter reading the length. toward the right side, a red magnet is placed at the fork of the fish's tail. — *The length board records where the red magnet is placed.*

For a subsample of pollock, we will also record the sex and maturity of each individual. To collect this data, we’ll first make a cut along the side of the pollock. This allows us to observe the pollock’s ovaries or testes and compare them to a chart showing the stages of development. Based on the time of year, most of the pollock we catch are in the “developing” stage. Also visible are the pollock’s liver and its stomach, which is often filled with krill!

Three people stand at a long metal table wearing heavy orange raincoats and gloves. White bins, a white cutting board, and a measuring board line the table. Matthew, in the foreground, holds a fish up with two hands over a measuring board, and looks at someone over his right shoulder. Nick, in the middle, looks down at the fish that Matthew holds, and a third scientist stands beyond Nick, looking on as well. — *Scientist Matthew Phillips showing me how to identify the sex and maturity of a pollock (Photo Credit: Mike Levine).*

For a subsample of the pollock in this group, we’ll also collect otoliths, which are similar to tree rings in that they allow scientists to visually determine the age of the individual. Otoliths are part of pollock’s inner ear, and they help the fish to detect vibrations in the water. Like tree rings, they grow throughout a fish’s life, adding visible layers each year. During times when the fish is actively feeding (usually during the summer), an opaque layer forms around the otolith. In contrast, when the fish is eating less, the otolith layer formed is translucent. By studying otoliths, scientists can determine the age of a fish, as one opaque layer and one translucent layer together represent one year. (Source: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/science-data/age-and-growth)

Teacher at Sea Nick Lee removing an otolith. Nick wears a heavy orange raincoat and long yellow gloves. He holds part of a pollock in his right hand and with his left hand holds up a small white object (the otolith) with tweezers. — *Extracting an otolith from the head of a pollock (Photo Credit: Mike Levine).*

One important and sometimes overlooked step in scientific data collection is the clean-up. At Codman Academy, we use the phrase “Leave No Trace,” and I try to model this idea in the fish lab as well. Working with fish can be smelly, and the smell only grows when fish are allowed to sit for extended periods of time. The process of recording sex and extracting otoliths can be especially messy, so we are constantly spraying down baskets and surfaces (and each other!) between data collection steps.

All of the fish that are processed are ultimately disposed of overboard – usually during the processing of the trawl dozens of seabirds follow the ship in search of discarded fish!

View through a doorway of an outer deck; over the railing we see seabirds flying past the fish lab. The sky and the water are gray. — *Seabirds flying past the fish lab.*

Personal Log

Outside of my stateroom, there is a tongue-in-cheek poster claiming to be a “Bering Sea Weather Guide.” The poster has the labels “Good Day,” “Some Days,” and “Other Days,” below paint swatches, all of them different shades of gray. There are also gray paint swatches for “Summer,” “Winter,” and “Days Ending in Y.”

"Bering Sea Weather Guide," a collection of gray paint swatches labeled: Most Days, Good Days, Some Days, Other Days, Last Week, Next Week, This Week, Days Ending in Y, Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring — *“Bering Sea Weather Guide” outside my stateroom.*

We’ve certainly had our share of gray days this cruise, and I’ve become used to falling asleep to the sound of the ship’s foghorn. However, we’ve also gotten a few moments of sunshine and blue sky, providing some great moments for bird and whale watching from the bridge. Being on the night shift, I’ve also been able to observe a couple of sunsets from the water!

View from the bridge on a clear day - blue skys, scattered fluffy white clouds — *View from the bridge on a clear day (left) and sunset at sea (right).*

Sunset behind NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson - nice mix of purples, pinks, blues, yellows — *View from the bridge on a clear day (left) and sunset at sea (right).*

Did you know?

Because we are so far north and west in the time zone, the sun sets very late here, usually around 1 am!

June 17, 2024June 17, 2024

Charlotte Sutton: Science at Sea, June 14, 2024

NOAA Teacher at Sea

Charlotte Sutton

Aboard NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker

June 7 – June 18, 2024

Mission: Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey (RREAS)

Geographic Area of Cruise: Pacific Ocean; U.S. West Coast

Date: June 14th, 2024

Weather Data from the Bridge

Date: Friday, June 14, 2024
Latitude: 33°34.07 N
Longitude: 119°03.108 W
Sea Wave Height: 4ft
Wind Speed: 5.57 knots
Air Temperature: 62°F
Sky: Clear

Science Log

view over the ocean toward the coast. the water is dark, with waves but no whitecaps. we see a thin line of gray clouds in front of the low, gray silhouette of the coastal mountains. beyond the mountains, the sky is orange-to-yellow, fading into gray toward the top of the photo. — View from the deck just before daybreak.

What ocean organisms are you finding?

Each night, the Lasker NOAA Corps Officers, crew, and science team work together to conduct a series of trawls, deploying nets behind the boat to collect samples for the Rockfish Recruitment and Ecosystem Assessment Survey (RREAS).

After the catch from the trawl comes onto the Lasker, scientists identify and measure each of the organisms on board. One of my main tasks during my time as a Teacher at Sea is to help the science team sort and identify the trawl catch each night. A sample of the organisms caught during each trawl, and all of the juvenile rockfish, are collected, labeled and saved for further analysis back at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center Santa Cruz Lab when the science team returns to shore.

Some of the most common organisms caught include pyrosomes, salps (including the large Thetys), krill, and fried egg jellyfish. We also catch a lot of fish, including juvenile anchovy, juvenile hake, many different varieties of myctophid fish, and of course rockfish. To me, some of the most exciting and special organisms caught include the juvenile octopus, all types of squid and king-of-the salmon fish. I am learning so much each day!

Five members of the science team, including Charlotte, stand on two sides of a long metal table. They are wearing sweatshirts, orange fishing overalls, and long orange gloves, and holding tweezers. on the table between them are white plastic trays with piles of krill and sorting buckets.

two women stand behind a large white plastic basin. The basin is filled with soupy green water which, at closer inspection, contains a mix of larger fish and smaller organisms. The women wear sweatshirts, orange overalls, long orange gloves, and hats. The woman on the left uses two hands to grasp a small, perhaps quart-sized plastic bucket filled from the large basin.

Photos: Trawl catch being sorted in the wet lab, trawl catch just after it came in on the ship.

a small octopus in a quart-sized plastic bucket of water

lines of tiny organisms arranged by type on a white tray. we see pyrosomes, tiny, squid, small metallic-colored fishes, a salp

empty white sorting trays line a long metal table; in the foreground we see a pair of orange-gloved hands

four members of the science team, wearing overalls and long orange gloves, stand on two sides of a metal sorting table; three science team members facing the camera, and one with her back to the camera. they each hold tweezers and carefully place tiny fish into long neat lines on the sorting trays.

a top-down view of a single sorting tray with 8-9 lines of tiny juvenile fish, each laid out so that it is facing the left side of the tray

close-up view of a small octopus in a white circular sample cup

Photos: Ocean organisms from the trawl being sorted in the wet lab, octopus saved from the catch.

How are marine mammals protected?

scientific equipment laid out on a beige plastic box; it's difficult to describe - a large piece that likely emits noises, and several smaller cannister attached to carabiners

a whiteboard mounted on a metal background - a wall or a refrigerator - reads: Marine Mammal Watch Morro Bay! then a table with columns labeled: Haul / Station / Inside / Outside. The hauls are numbered 104-107, Stations are numbered 341-344, and Inside and Outside contain names of the scientists assigned to the watch

Photos: Marine mammal deterrent device (L), mammal watch schedule (R)

view over the aft deck from an upper deck. we can see the a-frame for deploying trawl nets; a folded davit arm; an orange small boat stowed on the starboard side. in the distance, at the horizon, we see the coastal mountain range. — View of marine mammal watch station from deck

Each night, and throughout the night, a member of the science team goes on “Mammal Watch” during trawling operations to protect marine mammals. Fifteen minutes before a trawl, a member of the science team goes up to the bridge mammal watch station, and looks for protected marine mammal species like dolphins, sea lions and whales. If a marine mammal is spotted, then the trawl cannot happen until there are no marine mammals within one nautical mile of the ship. When the trawl begins, another scientist begins mammal watch on the deck from the time the net is launched into the water, until it returns to the ship. Again, if a marine mammal is spotted during this time, the trawl will be canceled and the net will be reeled in immediately.

There are also devices attached to the net called “dolphin deterrent devices.” These devices, often called “dolphin pingers” by the science team, activate as soon as they hit water, and emit sounds to deter dolphins and other marine mammals. This helps to keep marine mammals away from the net to prevent them from getting unintentionally tangled, and do not cause harm to marine animals.

an orange and gray plastic canister, about 7 or 8 inches in length, with what is likely a loop for a hook at one end. On the orange portion is a beautiful painting of a rockfish in yellow, green, and black. — Retired marine mammal deterrent device with hand-drawn rockfish art (by Jackie – one of the ship’s deck crew)!

Personal Log

What is the NOAA Corps?

The NOAA Corps is one of the nation’s eight uniformed services, and the only one to consist only of officers. All NOAA Corps Officers attend the Basic Officer Training Class (BOTC) at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and train alongside Coast Guard officer candidates. NOAA Corps Officers support all aspects of the NOAA mission and may be assigned to serve on either ships or aircraft. The Lasker currently has 6 officers aboard, under the leadership of Commander Claire Surrey-Marsden.

a woman in a navy blue uniform and sweatshirt, with a radio mounted on her hip, stands on the uppermost deck of the ship. she is speaking, probably addressing a group of people behind the camera. we see gray waters and gray skies beyond the railings.

a NOAA corps officer with a whiteboard stands to the left of the photo, speaking. other crewmembers sit on couches or stand listening. we see a computer, a sink area, and lines of windows around two sides of the bridge.

row of navigation computers; monitors mounted overhead; line of windows around every side of the room; three people stand at the computers, facing away from the camera

Photos: CDR Claire Surrey-Marsden on the flying bridge, Daily safety meeting in the bridge

I got a chance to interview CDR Claire Surrey-Marsden. Originally from the Bronx in New York City, CDR Surrey-Marsden has always been interested in the ocean and has a background studying marine biology from Florida Tech. After college, she interned and then worked for Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, where she worked with manatee conservation. She then applied and was accepted into the NOAA Corps, and went on to officer training at the Global Marine and Transportation School (GMATS) at Kings Point Academy.

NOAA Corps officers alternate between land and sea assignments in different locations. Her second sea assignment was actually on the delivery team of the NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker, then NOAA’s newest fisheries ship. CDR Claire Surrey-Marsden had land assignments in the Marine Mammal Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, and in Washington D.C. working with NOAA Rear Admiral Cary. She now returns to the Lasker on her fourth sea assignment as the Commanding Officer, coming full circle from delivering the same ship early in her career.

When asked what advice she would have for a student interested in a marine science career, CDR Surrey-Marsden advises to volunteer for any opportunity/activity, and to do a good job wherever you go.

Book Recommendations

One of the people I work closely with on the ship is scientist Ily Iglesias. Before arriving on the Lasker, Ily just defended for her P.h.D in ocean sciences at University of California Santa Cruz.

Ily is also a mom to a 3 year old daughter, and they love to read books together. Ily gave me several recommendations of her and her daughter’s favorite science-themed books to read together. Ily has been on survey trips several times, and each time before she leaves she enjoys reading the children’s book Love, Mama by Jeanette Bradley. A story about baby penguin with a mama scientist that goes out to sea on a ship, and both a very relevant and helpful book for Ily and her family. Other ocean related favorites include Who’s Afraid of the Light? by Anna McGregor, and Where the Weird Things Are by Zoleka Filander. I’m excited to read these to my preschool students back in Alaska!

cover of the book Love, Mama by Jeannette Bradley showing an illustration of a baby penguin sitting on the ice, grasping a heart, watching a research ship in the distance

cover of the book "Who's Afraid of the Light?" by Anna McGregor featuring deep sea creatures - octopus, angler fish, barrel eye fish, plus a pair of eyes with a speech bubble that says "arghh! this cover glows in the dark!"

cover of "Where the Weird Things Are: An Ocean Twilight Zone Adventure" by Zoleka Filander and Patricia Hooning, featuring squid, octopus, angler fish, and a removely operated vehicle with a face

How’s the food?

One of the most asked questions of my family and friends from home is asking about what my meals are like at sea. I am happy to report that the food is great! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are prepared each day by chefs Arnold and Jude, and available to everyone aboard the Lasker at specific times each day. Working the night shift, I typically begin my day with dinner at 1700, and end it with breakfast at 0700. At night while the science team is working, there is always a full salad bar available, as well as sandwich supplies, snacks and leftovers from the day before. Everyone available on the sip eats together in the “mess” – it’s a great time to relax and get to know everyone.

plated meal with what might be steak? (hard to tell) plus vegetables, salad, roll — Beef and vegetables

plated meal of beef, rice, vegetables, salad. — Beef and vegetables

Photos: Some favorite dinners so far from the cruise.