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
- WOMBLE, J. N., M. F. SIGLER, and M. F. WILLSON.
2009. Linking seasonal distribution patterns with prey availability in a central-place forager, the Steller sea lion. J. Biogeogr. 36:1-11
- SHOTWELL, S. K., J. HEIFETZ, D. L. COURTNEY, and H. G. GREENE.
2008. Mapping marine benthic habitat in the Gulf of Alaska: Geological habitat, fish distributions, and fishing intensity, p. 349-368. In B. J. Todd and H. G. Greene (editors), Mapping the Seafloor for Habitat Characterization. Geol. Assoc. Canada. Spec. Paper 47.
- 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.
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Tag Retention and Effects of Tagging on Movement of the Giant Red Sea Cucumber
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Southeast Alaska: Oceanographic Habitats and Linkages
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The Potential Role of Water-column Stability and Nutrients in Structuring the Zooplankton Community
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Stock-Structured Distribution of Western Alaska Juvenile Chinook Salmon From United States BASIS Surveys, 2002-07
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BASIS Symposium Held in Seattle
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Spatial Distribution, Energetic Status, and Food Habits of Eastern Bering Sea Age-0 Walleye Pollock
See the publications and poster databases for additional listings.
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