MESA: Marine Ecology
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Delta submersible survey in southeast Alaska. |
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Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Phantom. |
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Winter sampling in Alaska. |
The marine ecology element of the MESA program produces important research on benthic fish habitat, deep sea corals, forage fish, and estuaries. A variety of gear types are used in these studies. Towed cameras and manned submersibles allow scientists to identify habitat associations of many fish species, discover extensive coral gardens in the Aleutian Islands, and provide insights into the catchability of trawl gear for groundfish. Large research vessels are used to collect high resolution sonar data to generate benthic habitat maps of important conservation areas and fishing grounds in the Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands. Smaller research vessels are used for nearshore operations. Scuba divers examine life history and distribution patterns of a variety of corals and sponges. Traps and remotely operated cameras are used to sample and identify juvenile fishes. Beach seines and skiffs are used to sample forage fish species and delineate estuarine essential fish habitat. Scientists continue to develop new studies to describe unknown life history characteristics and habitat requirements for many species.
Contact:
Kalei Shotwell
Auke Bay Laboratories
Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries
Ted Stevens Marine Research Institute
17109 Pt Lena Loop Rd
Juneau AK 99801
Kalei.Shotwell@noaa.gov
Featured Research, Publications, Posters, Reports, and Activities
- FUJIOKA, J. T., C. R. LUNSFORD, J. HEIFETZ, and D. M. CLAUSEN.
2007. Stratification by echosounder signal to improve trawl survey precision for Pacific ocean perch, p. 473-492. In J. Heifetz, J. DiCosimo, A. J. Gharrett, M. S. Love, V. M. O'Connell, and R. D. Stanley (editors), Biology, Assessment, and Management of North Pacific Rockfishes. University of Alaska Sea Grant Program Report No. AK-SG-07-01, University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
- SIGLER, M. F., and D. J. CSEPP.
2007. Seasonal abundance of two important forage species in the North Pacific Ocean, Pacific herring and walleye pollock. Fish. Res. 83:319-331.
- GENDE, S. M., and M. F. SIGLER.
2006. Persistence of forage fish ‘hot spots’ and its association with foraging Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in southeast Alaska. Deep Sea Res. II 53:432-441.
See the publications and poster databases for additional listings.
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