Current Activities

Phil currently manages the Marine Ecology and Stock Assessment (MESA) Program, which was recently merged with ABLs’ Ocean Carrying Capacity (OCC) program. The MESA program conducts a wide variety of studies from benthic habitat to oceanography and ecosystem processes; manages two major surveys, the Alaska longline and the Bering-Aleutian Salmon International Survey (BASIS) surveys; and provides stock assessments for sablefish, grenadier, sharks, and Gulf of Alaska rockfish. In an attempt to facilitate research as program manager, Phil provides planning guidance, product quality control, and budget and personnel management; promotes staff development, teamwork, and safety; and occasionally passes along the vision thing.

Background

Phil has a B.S. in wildlife management (1969) and an MPA, with an emphasis in natural resource management (1993), from the University of Alaska. He began his professional career in Kodiak with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game working on the shrimp research and Chignik salmon projects and became the state’s first groundfish biologist in 1976. Phil was an original member of both the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea – Aleutian Islands groundfish plan teams and served on the NPFMC’s SSC. One fine day in August 1998 after 28 years with ADF&G Phil retired and went to work the following week at ABL as the Groundfish Program Manager. He continues to view the changing assignments as his fun job: slogging through the ever increasing bureaucratic assignments, while attempting to promote and conduct essential research with declining budgets, and enhance collaborations with other AFSC programs, agencies, and universities.