Successful rockfish trawl tow aboard F/V Unimak.

R/V Quest conducting hydroacoustic survey.

The Marine Ecology and Stock Assessment (MESA) Program actively participates in a variety of field research in Alaska in addition to the longline survey. Small boat operations occur year-round and include dive studies, remote operated vehicle (ROV) surveys, and near-shore estuary habitat studies. Many field research projects occur in Southeast Alaska aboard the NOAA vessel John N Cobb. These projects include rockfish maturity studies, juvenile sablefish tagging, dive surveys of coral, and estuary habitat surveys. In addition, numerous field studies have been conducted aboard chartered fishing vessels in offshore waters. These projects include submersible dive studies, rockfish survey design studies, effects of fishing on the seafloor studies, and juvenile rockfish trawling.

Locally, small boat operations are conducted year-round using the R/V Quest and chartered fishing vessels. These studies include dive operations, sleeper shark tagging, aquarium fish collections, and hydroacoustic studies of forage fish.

Contact:
Chris Lunsford
Auke Bay Laboratories
Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries

Ted Stevens Marine Research Institute
17109 Pt Lena Loop Rd
Juneau AK 99801
Chris.Lunsford@noaa.gov