News Archives
For current news and feature stories, please visit the CFOS Newsroom.
Archives January 2013 to October 2016
5 November 2012
KSMSC— UA President Gamble tours CFOS Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center during
visit to Kodiak. Gamble toured sites and met with various groups to gather information
relevant to the UA Fisheries, Seafood and Maritime Initiative (FSMI).
16 October 2012
CFOS— Fairbanks, Alaska—The University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences will host
a community event celebrating the recent launch of the Research Vessel Sikuliaq Saturday, Oct. 20.
The reception will start at 4:30 pm at the Great Hall and Davis Concert Hall on the
UAF campus.
A video recording of the Oct. 13 ceremony and launch of the ship will be presented.
The celebration will also feature a video of the Arctic Chamber Orchestra performing
the “Song of the Sikuliaq,” composed by Emerson Eads, graduate student in the UAF
music department. Refreshments will be served.
Please join us in celebrating this exciting milestone!
13 October 2012
CFOS— Hundreds of people endured wind and rain Saturday morning to attend the christening
and launch ceremony for the 261-foot Research Vessel Sikuliaq, the first built for the National Science Foundation in more than three decades.
The crowd cheered as the Sikuliaq slid into the Menominee River, sending an impressive spray of water over the dock.
The R/V Sikuliaq is owned by the NSF and will be operated by the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences.
4 October 2012
CFOS— Ray RaLonde, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program aquaculture specialist,
received the Superior Outreach Program Award, presented by the Sea Grant Extension
Assembly.
21 September 2012
CFOS— Marinette, WI—The R/V Sikuliaq was rolled out into the open today. The ship has outgrown the building that housed
it during construction over the last few years. Several components will be installed
that continue to add to the vessel’s height. Christening and launch of the R/V Sikuliaq is scheduled for Oct. 13, 2012. More photos of the roll out are available on the
Facebook page for the UAF College of Fisheries & Ocean Sciences: www.facebook.com/UAFCFOS
Research teams embark on Chukchi Sea projects - ADN
14 August 2012
CFOS— The first comprehensive oceanographic and fisheries survey of the Chukchi Sea
is under way, with the first of two vessels being used for the survey about to head
north from Dutch Harbor, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced
Aug. 3.
Fisheries faculty Courtney Carothers featured on Kodiak KMXT-FM Alaska Fisheries Report
1 June 2012
Fisheries— Fisheries faculty Courtney Carothers was interviewed May 31 for The Alaska
Fisheries Report with Jay Barrett on Kodiak KMXT-FM. Carothers will be conducting
a survey among 700 Kodiak fishermen.
Kodiak, Alaska—If you had your life to live over would you become a fisherman again?
This is one of the questions Courtney Carothers, Assistant Professor of Fisheries
at University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, will be
asking about 700 Kodiak fishermen in an upcoming survey. Carothers is studying social
and cultural shifts linked to the privatization of fishing rights in Kodiak, Alaska,
a 2-year project funded by the National Science Foundation. She was interviewed for
The Alaska Fisheries Report with Jay Barrett on May 31st.
Listen to the interview on Kodiak KMXT-FM here:
KMXT website
Carothers will be visiting Kodiak June 5 – 12 during the North Pacific Fishery Management
Council meeting and July 14 - August 1. .
Contact
Courtney Carothers, assistant professor, 907-474-5329
19 April 2012
ASG— The University of Alaska, together with partners including CFOS, Alaska Sea Grant,
and the Marine Advisory Program, is developing an initiative to deliver specialized
workplace training programs for Alaskans involved in fisheries, seafood, and maritime
industries. Learn more at the UA Fisheries, Seafood and Maritime Initiative.
23 March 2012
ASG— Red and blue king crab from waters around the Kodiak and the Pribilof islands,
seals and king salmon in Bristol Bay, and sea otters in Southeast are the subjects
of more than $1 million in research being funded by Alaska Sea Grant during the next
two years.
MAP shares Alaska Forum award for Aleutian toxin monitoring
22 March 2012
MAP— Researchers Bruce Wright, senior scientist with the Aleutian Pribilof Islands
Association, and Ray RaLonde, aquaculture specialist with the Alaska Sea Grant Marine
Advisory Program are the recipients of the 2012 Outstanding Achievement Award presented
by the Alaska Forum on the Environment.
5 March 2012
ASG— A training workshop aimed at helping fishermen understand, troubleshoot and maintain
their onboard refrigeration systems will take place in Homer on March 27, 2012, beginning
at 8:30 a.m. at Kachemak Gear Shed/Redden Marine, located on East End Road.
1 March 2012
ASG— The 15th annual Alaska Tsunami Ocean Sciences Bowl comes to Seward; and MAP's
popular fishing vessel refrigeration workshop happens in Homer. These events and more
happening in March around coastal Alaska.
24 February 2012
ASG— Imam Cimiucia: Our Changing Sea, a richly illustrated hardcover book published
last year by the Alaska Sea Grant Program, has won the 2012 Alaskana Award from the
Alaska Library Association.
23 February 2012
ASG— Anchorage, Alaska—Alaska Sea Grant's Education Services staff received the 2012 Ocean Literacy Award
at the Alaska Marine Gala in Anchorage on Feb. 18. The award recognizes Alaska Sea
Grant’s national award-winning communications efforts in ocean resource book publishing
and marketing, science writing and media relations, and education outreach to the
marine industry and Alaska coastal communities. The award is cosponsored by the Centers
of Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) Alaska and the Alaska Ocean Observing
System (AOOS).
Deborah Mercy, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program Media Specialist, received
the Ocean Media Award at the gala for excellence in journalism that raised public
awareness of Alaska’s oceans. Mercy has been a commercial fishermen, an Anchorage
television reporter and, for the last 25 years, video producer for Alaska Sea Grant.
The award is sponsored by the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
The Alaska Marine Gala is an annual event sponsored by the Alaska SeaLife Center that
celebrates Alaska's oceans and recognizes people who played important roles in scientific
discovery, education, management, and stewardship. Learn more about the 2012 Alaska Marine Gala Ocean Leadership Awards..
17 February 2012
ASG— Juneau, Alaska—The 2012 Alaska Young Fishermen's Summit was a great success, with some 50 people meeting in Juneau Feb 13-14 to talk abut
a wide rage of issues affecting the state's commercial fishing industry. The Alaska
Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program sponsored the event, aimed at helping new and young
fishermen take leadership roles in their industry. KTOO-FM in Juneau filed this report.
13 January 2012
CFOS— Kodiak, Alaska—After three decades as the Fisheries Industrial Technology Center,
the University of Alaska Fairbanks facility in Kodiak will now be called the Kodiak
Seafood and Marine Science Center.
University of Alaska Board of Regents approved the change at their December meeting,
with the support of UA President Pat Gamble, UAF Chancellor Brian Rogers and College
of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences Dean Michael Castellini.
“The name change doesn’t imply a change in mission, rather it describes the work being
done there more fully,” said Paula Cullenberg, co-director of the Kodiak center and
leader of the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program.
A task force appointed last year by Chancellor Rogers to conduct a program review
recommended the name change. The group included members of Kodiak and other coastal
Alaska communities, statesmen, commercial fish processors, Kodiak College and UAF
faculty and staff.
The Fishery Industrial Technology Center was created in 1981 by the Alaska Legislature
to provide research support for Alaska’s seafood industry. The program was one of
several grouped together to create the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
in 1987.
“We are committed to continued support for important research, outreach, and training
programs,” said Keith Criddle, co-director of the Kodiak center and director of CFOS
Fisheries division.
12 January 2012
ASG— Fairbanks, Alaska—CFOS researchers and Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program agents and specialists
have made news lately on a several subjects.
* Unalaska MAP agent Reid Brewer spoke to KUCB-FM about local birds he found coated
in ice and unable to fly, following stormy weather in the region. Listen to the story.
* MAP marine mammal specialist Kate Wynne was instrumental in identifying an endangered
northern right whale in waters off Kodiak Island. Learn more.
* Dillingham MAP agent Izetta Chambers discussed her new Sea Gram publication, Safe and Legal Fish Waste Composting in Alaska with KDLG-FM. Listen to the story.
* Courtney Carothers, CFOS assistant professor of fisheries, describes her Individual
Fishery Quota (IFQ) research findings during the Alaska Sea Grant–sponsored 27th Lowell
Wakefield Fisheries Symposium. Listen to the story.
* Ketchikan MAP agent Gary Freitag spoke with KRBD radio about the Fukushima tsunami
debris that may show up in Southeast Alaska, and his concerns that the debris field
may carry invasive species to Alaska and the U.S. West Coast. Listen to the story.
Fishermen to meet in Juneau for Alaska Young Fishermen's Summit
10 January 2012
ASG— The fourth Alaska Young Fishermen's Summit is set for February 13–14 in Juneau
and registration is open. Like the three previous Alaska Young Fishermen's Summits
next month's event will provide crucial training and networking opportunities for
fishermen entering the business or wishing to take a leadership role in their industry.
10 January 2012
ASG— For Alaska college students, one path to gainful employment is the prestigious
National Sea Grant John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship. Alaska Sea Grant is currently
recruiting exceptional students from around the state to apply for the 2013 Knauss
Marine Policy Fellowship
1 January 2012
CFOS— With more than 135 dead and diseased ringed seals found off the Alaskan coast
since July 2011, CFOS Professor Emeritus Dr. John Kelley is leading efforts to test
ringed seals for radiation stemming from the March 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear
disaster in Japan.
News stories about the testing have been running around the world, including the
Alaska Dispatch / MSNBC / Greater Kashmir website
Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service have been seeking the cause of the diseased seals for weeks,
but have so far found no answers.
December 22, 2011
Application deadline is February 17, 2012
Fairbanks, Alaska—The official announcement is out! Graduate students interested in marine resources
and their management can now apply for the 2013 National Sea Grant John A. Knauss
Marine Policy Fellowship.
This unique national fellowship provides eligible graduate students from any discipline
with one year of paid experience (valued at $52,000) in Washington, D.C., working
on ocean issues with a U.S. Congressional staff or with an executive branch resource
management agency.
The fellowship has proven to be a great launching pad to exciting careers in government,
education, business, and non-profit enterprises.
The fellowship is open to any student enrolled in a graduate or professional program
of a U.S.-accredited institution of higher education in the United States or U.S.
Territories, and who has an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and
in the national policy decisions affecting those resources.
Included in the 2012 group of fellows are students completing degrees in law, agriculture,
public administration, geology, and geophysics, as well as fisheries, oceanography,
zoology, biology, economics, policy, and other fields.
Not sure this fellowship is for you? Check the fellowship details and the YouTube
video that features testimonials from former Knauss Fellows:
Sea Grant Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship
The application deadline is February 17, 2012, so now is the time to act on this amazing
opportunity. Alaska graduate students considering applying for the fellowship or seeking
more information should immediately contact Dr. David Christie, Director, Alaska Sea
Grant Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks, david.christie@alaska.edu, 907-474-7949.
December 22, 2011
Alaska Young Fishermen's Summit makes newsFairbanks, Alaska—Alaska Public Radio stations in Dillingham and Kodiak aired interviews with Alaska
Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program agents Sunny Rice and Torie Baker, highlighting
the 2012 Alaska Young Fishermen's Summit (AYFS), upcoming Feb. 13-14 in Juneau, Alaska.
AYFS Dillingham KDLG-FM
More about the Alaska Young Fishermen's Summit
22 November 2011
ASG— Alaska Sea Grant will host its annual open house and holiday sale Thursday, December
1, 2011, from 2–6 p.m in the Wells Fargo Bank Building just off campus. Save 25% on
all Alaska Sea Grant and UA Press products and publications!
21 November 2011
ASG— Ben Daly, Alaska Sea Grant research biologist with the Alaska King Crab Research,
Rehabilitation and Biology (AKCRRAB) program, recently spoke to KMXT radio's Jay Barrett
in Kodiak about the success of Kodiak's blue king crab rearing program.
20 November 2011
MAP— Saving Fuel on Your Recreational or Charter Boat is the latest in the Alaska Sea Grant Sea Gram series of informative bulletins about
Alaska marine and coastal topics. Learn how to calculate fuel consumption and range;
minimize inefficiencies in boat fuel use; choose, set up, and operate a boat engine
for best fuel economy; and operate a boat for peak efficiency.
31 October 2011
ASG— The Marine Advisory Program (MAP) and Integrated Marine Systems will bring their
popular fishing vessel refrigeration training workshop to Kodiak November 29 at the
UAF Fisheries Industrial Technology Center.
19 October 2011
CFOS— UAF associate professor Reid Brewer presents lecture: "Octopus and other creatures
run wild" during National Wildlife Refuge Week at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor
Center in Homer
19 October 2011
ASG— A select group of teenagers, representing 20 high schools across the state, recently
declared their intent to compete in the Alaska Region National Ocean Sciences Bowl.
Fishing People of the North symposium to discuss social, environmental change
6 September 2011
ASG— An international symposium will bring together fishery and social scientists,
indigenous people, fishermen, community activists, and others to explore ways fisheries
managers can incorporate social and environmental change into resource management
decisions.
16 August 2011
KSMSC— KMXT public radio in Kodiak - FITC scientists study the potential of freeze-dried
sockeye salmon as astronaut food. (3 min. MP3)
11 August 2011
KSMSC— KMXT public radio in Kodiak reports on the politics surrounding genetically
modified salmon in Alaska. 15 minute MP3.
9 August 2011
ASG— Alaska commercial fishing groups have donated $25,000 to support research at
the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences to grow
king crab in hatcheries.
9 August 2011
CFOS— After months of review, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Fishery Industrial
Technology Center is taking steps to reinvent itself to better serve the state.
August 9, 2011
Kodiak, Alaska—Chuck Crapo, Alaska Sea Grant seafood quality specialist, together with colleagues
Alexandra Oliveira, associate professor of seafood chemistry at the CFOS Kodiak Center;
Duy Nguyen, University of Nha Trang in Vietnam, and Peter Bechtel, USDA Subarctic
Agricultural Research Unit; developed a new freeze-drying process that is making the
news. Follow these links for more information.
Alaska Dispatch
Read article here
USDA Agricultural Research Service
Read USDA article here
17 July 2011
CFOS— CFOS student Charlotte Regula-Whitefield achieves breakthrough spawning sea
cucumbers in captivity.
28 May 2011
ASG— Ocean conditions that last year triggered algal blooms and outbreaks of paralytic
shellfish poisoning (PSP) appear to be present again this summer.
27 May 2011
ASG— MAP unveils a new website that offers resources to help individuals and communities
cope with climate change.
May 19, 2011
Juneau, Alaska—Seventeen Thunder Mountain High School students in a University of Alaska Fairbanks
marine science class will unveil the reassembled skeleton of a sea otter this Friday,
May 20, at the Thunder Mountain High School library, at noon.
The class is taught by UAF Professor Shannon Atkinson. Atkinson is an expert in marine
mammals at the UAF Juneau Center of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. The
class is called DEM BONES, which stands for “Distinctive Education in Motion, Biodiversity
of Nature and Environmental Stewardship”.
“I think we motivated students in so many ways,” said Atkinson. “It has been really
rewarding.”
She adds that she hopes the students will continue their studies in science or math
in college.
The course is worth two college credits at UAF. Subjects covered in the class range
from biology and physiology to marine policy.
“I just can’t wait to see everyone’s face when they see what we have been working
on all semester,” said student Kylee Henderson. “I am very proud of our class for
accomplishing something we have never done before.”
The College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 60 faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Contact
Carin Stephens, public information officer, 907-322-8730 OR
Shannon Atkinson, professor, 907-796-5453
May 13, 2011
Fairbanks, Alaska—Rolf Gradinger, associate professor of biological oceanography, has been appointed
to the role of associate dean for the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
As associate dean, Gradinger will oversee all of CFOS academics, which include the
Graduate Program in Marine Science and Limnology and the Fisheries program. He also
serves on the UAF accreditation team and as the UAF chair for the faculty program
review of all UAF academic programs.
“Rolf has a long history of teaching and service for our academic programs and I am
looking forward to having him work on our current and future teaching, advising and
academic needs,” said Michael Castellini, CFOS dean.
Gradinger joined CFOS in 2001 as an assistant professor. He has served as an associate
professor since 2007. He received his Ph.D. in marine biology and his M.S. in biology
from the University of Kiel, Germany.
His current research focuses on sea ice ecosystems in the Bering Sea.
He previously served as co-chair of the CFOS GPMSL program and was editor of the journal
Polar Biology. He has also been a leader of the Arctic Ocean Diversity project, which was part of the broad Census of Marine Life initiative.
His current service contributions outside UAF include being vice-chair of the International
Arctic Science Committee Marine Working Group as one of two U.S. representatives.
In total he has participated in more than 20 ice-breaker expeditions into Arctic and
Antarctic Seas, which has led to more than 40 peer-reviewed publications.
May 11, 2011
Seward, Alaska—A new set of buoys in Alaska waters will help scientists understand how climate change
may be affecting the pH level of northern seas. Researchers placed the first buoy
last month.
“This is the first dedicated ocean acidification mooring to be deployed in a high
latitude coastal sea,” said Jeremy Mathis, principal investigator for the project
and an assistant professor of chemical oceanography at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
“Other moorings have been deployed with ocean acidification sensors, but this is the
first complete package in Alaska.”
The first buoy is at the mouth of Resurrection Bay, near Seward. It was assembled
at UAF’s Seward Marine Center with the help of Chris Sabine, a senior scientist and
co-principal investigator at NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory.
A second buoy will be deployed in the Bering Sea this month, and a third in the Chukchi
Sea in October. The data collected by the buoys will be sent to scientists in real
time via satellite.
The top of each buoy floats at the ocean’s surface and the bottom is anchored to the
seafloor. Each buoy contains two sets of instruments. The first set, at the water’s
surface, measures the water’s acidity or alkalinity, or pH, as well as water temperature,
carbon dioxide levels and other data. The second set of instruments, near the bottom,
collects data on pH, carbon dioxide, temperature, salinity and other information.
Ocean acidification is the term used to describe increasing acidity in the world’s
oceans. As carbon dioxide levels rise in the atmosphere, the ocean absorbs it like
a sponge, making seawater more acidic. Scientists estimate that the ocean is 25 percent
more acidic today than it was 300 years ago.
According to Mathis, the coastal seas around Alaska are more susceptible to ocean
acidification because of unique circulation patterns and colder temperatures. These
factors increase the transport of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into surface
waters.
Mathis adds that the buoy will also help scientists determine how seawater pH changes
throughout the seasons.
“We know that there is quite a bit of variability in the water throughout the year
and right now all we have are snapshots from our cruises. Sometimes we find water
that is acidic enough to potentially be harmful to certain organisms, but we don’t
know how long it persists or how extensive it is,” he said.
With support from the North Pacific Research Board and NOAA, Mathis and Sabine have
built systems that can begin to close the information gap on ocean acidification in
Alaska’s commercially important coastal regions.
“These buoys are really going to provide some new insights and understanding for ocean
acidification in the Pacific-Arctic region,” said Mathis. “We know that these areas
are going to experience a dramatic change in pH over the coming decades and, given
the importance of the fisheries, we have to stay out in front of any potential disruptions
that could be caused by rising carbon dioxide levels.”
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 60 faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Carin Stephens, CFOS public information officer, 907-322-8730, OR
Jeremy Mathis, assistant professor of chemical oceanography, 907-474-5926
May 6, 2011
Marinette, Wisconsin—About 40 scientists and agency representatives will gather in Marinette, Wisconsin
for an early briefing on the science capabilities of the University of Alaska Fairbanks
research vessel Sikuliaq on May 10-11. The ship, which is being constructed at Marinette
Marine Corporation, will be 261 feet long and the most capable vessel in the United
States academic fleet.
Scientists attending the workshop will discuss the science that will be done using
the ship. The visiting scientists will also tour full-scale models of parts of the
ship, including mock-ups of several laboratories, the bridge and a control room. Members
of the Sikuliaq construction team will be there to answer questions about the vessel.
“This meeting is designed with two objectives: to acquaint the science community with
the capabilities of the Sikuliaq, and for scientists to discuss among themselves possible
research that would be conducted on the ship,” said Terry Whitledge, professor of
oceanography and the ship project’s principal investigator.
Another workshop is being planned for February 2012 in Salt Lake City.
The keel-laying for the ship was held last month at the shipyard in Marinette, WI.
A keel-laying is a traditional milestone in the construction of a ship, and comparable
to a ground-breaking for the construction of a building. At the keel-laying, the ship’s
co-sponsors, Vera Alexander and Bob Elsner, had their initials welded onto a steel
plate that will be affixed to the keel for the ship’s working life.
May 4, 2011
Fairbanks, Alaska—Catherine Chambers, a doctoral student in the University of Alaska Fairbanks fisheries
program, has received a Fulbright scholarship to study northern fishing communities
and how they adapt to change.
Chambers will study in Iceland from September 2011 to May 2012. She will compare how
people involved in fishing in both Kodiak and Iceland experience environmental, social,
economic and political change.
“Catherine is a highly qualified student and engaged citizen poised to make a significant
contribution to interdisciplinary and international fisheries social science and resource
management,” said assistant fisheries professor Courtney Carothers, Chambers’ advisor.
Chambers began her doctoral studies at UAF in 2009 as one of only four graduate fellows
in the interdisciplinary Marine Ecosystem Sustainability in the Arctic and Subarctic
program. The MESAS program is a National Science Foundation-funded Integrative Graduate
Education and Research Traineeship program, also known as an IGERT.
The Fulbright Program was founded by U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946 and
is a highly competitive, merit-based grants program for international educational
exchange. Forty-three Fulbright alumni have won Nobel Prizes and 78 have won Pulitzer
Prizes. According to the Fulbright Program website, more Nobel laureates have received
Fulbright awards than any other award program.
The College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 60 faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Carin Stephens, senior information officer, UAF CFOS, 907-322-8730
Catherine Chambers at 907-474-5863
Courtney Carothers, assistant professor of fisheries, 907-474-5329
May 4, 2011
Galveston, Texas—A team of five Juneau-Douglas High School students won the policy briefing section
of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl held April 29 to May 1 in Galveston, Texas.
The policy briefing component of the competition was added in 2011 so that students
can gain a broader understanding of ocean science, law and public policy. As part
of the competition, the students identified potential stakeholders impacted by aquaculture
and presented an analytical report on how congressional legislation on aquaculture
would affect these stakeholders.
The team interviewed UAF Marine Advisory Program agents, legislators, individuals
from non-governmental organizations, and individuals involved in the aquaculture industry.
The students also wrote recommendations on what they believed should be included in
an aquaculture bill.
The Juneau team-- Tyler Houseweart (team captain), Seth Brickey, Martina Miller, Elise
Christey and Sam Kurland-- won the regional NOSB competition, the Tsunami Bowl, in
Seward in February. As first-place winners of the Tsunami Bowl, they received an all-expenses
paid trip to the national competition in Galveston.
“I think that many people were blown away at how well the students from
Alaska did in this event,” said Dean Stockwell, a research associate professor of
biological oceanography at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and the
science judge for the Tsunami Bowl.
“Their poise, maturity, work ethic and ability to orally communicate their policy
was outstanding. This was truly an impressive effort,” added Stockwell.
The winners of the policy briefing section received a paid three-day trip to Washington
and Oregon to meet with stakeholders involved in the West Coast shellfish industry.
The National Ocean Sciences Bowl was established in 1998 to encourage learning about
the oceans and increase the teaching of ocean sciences in high schools. The Consortium
for Ocean Leadership supports the NOSB. Several sponsors support the Tsunami Bowl,
including the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and Alaska Sea Grant.
April 22, 2011
Fairbanks, Alaska—It took 26 years for marine invertebrates living on the Port Valdez seafloor to stabilize
after Alaska's Great Earthquake of 1964, according to a scientist at the University
of Alaska Fairbanks.
"The earthquake, which measured 9.2 on the Richter scale, and the tsunami waves that
followed, impacted every marine community in Prince William Sound," said Arny Blanchard,,
a research assistant professor at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
Four decades of monitoring, including samples collected last year, have confirmed
that the seafloor now resembles that of an undisturbed glacial fjord.
Blanchard’s findings, along with those of Howard Feder, UAF professor emeritus, and
Max Hoberg, UAF researcher, were published in the journal Marine Environmental Research. The findings shed light on how long it takes for seafloor ecosystems to recover
after earthquakes.
The 1964 earthquake and resulting tsunami wreaked havoc on intertidal beaches and
seafloor of Port Valdez, according to Feder, the leader of the biological component
of the project from 1971 to 1990. Marine plants and animals on Port Valdez beaches
were destroyed by the tsunami while the earthquake deposited massive amounts of sediment
on the seafloor. This caused the whole community of bottom-dwelling marine invertebrates--
such as sea worms, snails and clams-- to change.
Some seafloor invertebrates usually found in glacial fjords like Port Valdez, such
as the sea worms Terebellides stroemi and Galathowenia oculata, virtually disappeared. Other animals took advantage of the disturbance and colonized
the area. One of those animals is a family of sea worms called Capitellidae. They became unusually dominant in the region for a few years. According to Blanchard,
Capitellidae are known for being highly opportunistic and tolerant of disturbance.
The diversity and abundance of marine invertebrates in Port Valdez was highly variable
from 1971 to 1989 compared to other glacial fjords, primarily as a result of the earthquake.
Over time, the community of animals stabilized. Today, the balance of bottom-dwelling
animals looks more like an undisturbed glacial fjord.
"The ecosystem was in such flux that responses by seafloor communities to regional
climatic variability were masked by the recovery process," said Blanchard.
Samples collected in 2010 marked the fourth decade of sampling in Port Valdez, making
it one of the longest-running research projects at the UAF College of Fisheries and
Ocean Sciences. The Port Valdez study resulted in numerous scientific publications,
including three books, and provided research opportunities for more than 50 undergraduate
and graduate students.
The project began as an investigation of the Port Valdez ecosystem prior to the construction
of the Port Valdez marine oil terminal. The study is multidisciplinary, with Blanchard
currently leading the biological component. An important part of the project includes
looking at the potential effects on seafloor animals of wastewater and treated ballast
water discharges at the terminal. David Shaw, professor emeritus at UAF, has been
the leader of the hydrocarbon chemistry component of the project since 1976. Scientists
say that effects on animals on intertidal beaches and the seafloor from wastewater
discharged by the terminal have been minor.
The Port Valdez project is funded by Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.
The College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 60 faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
April 13, 2011
Marinette, Wisconsin—The keel-laying ceremony for the R/V Sikuliaq was held on Monday, Apr. 11, in Marinette,
WI. More than 80 people attended the ceremony. Vera Alexander and Bob Elsner served
as co-sponsors for the Sikuliaq, and their initials were welded into a steel plate
that will be affixed to the Sikuliaq's keel for its working life.
Both Alexander and Elsner have been involved with the planning and development of
the ship for several decades.
Participants in the ceremony included UAF Chancellor Brian Rogers, Marinette Marine
Corporation CEO Richard McCreary, U.S. Congressman Reid Ribble (Wisconsin), Wisconsin
state Senator Dave Hansen and NSF Ocean Sciences Division Director David Conover.
April 7, 2011
Marinette, Wisconsin—The University of Alaska Fairbanks and Marinette Marine Corporation will host a keel-laying
ceremony for the R/V Sikuliaq at 3:30 p.m. Monday, April 11, at Marinette Marine Corporation in Marinette, Wis.
The 261-foot oceanographic research ship, formerly known as the Alaska Region Research
Vessel, will be owned by the National Science Foundation and operated by UAF.
The ceremony will include an invocation for the ship and remarks by Chancellor Brian
Rogers for UAF and president and CEO Richard McCreary for Marinette Marine Corporation.
Other speakers will include a representative from the National Science Foundation
and legislators from the region.
A keel-laying ceremony is a traditional milestone in the construction of a ship. When
the keel is laid, the initials of the ship’s sponsors are welded into the keel. The
Sikuliaq’s sponsors are Vera Alexander and Bob Elsner. Alexander is the former dean
of the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and Elsner has been a professor
of marine science at UAF since 1973. Alexander and Elsner have been involved with
the planning for the Sikuliaq for more than three decades.
The launch of the ship is scheduled for mid-2012 and the ship will be ready for full
science operations in 2014. The Sikuliaq will be headquartered at the UAF Seward Marine
Center in Seward, Alaska. The name of the vessel, Sikuliaq, is pronounced [see-KOO-lee-auk]
and is an Inupiaq word meaning “young sea ice.”
Contact
Carin Stephens
Senior Information Officer
907-322-8730
April 5, 2011
Story provided by Jenn Wagaman, UAF research information officer
Fairbanks, Alaska—For the first time, an ice-strengthened ship in the national research fleet will be
dedicated for use by scientists to study the Arctic Ocean and its creatures.
On April 6 at 7 p.m., Michael Castellini will discuss how scientists get into polar
regions to study and will give an up-to-the-minute status of the construction of the
261-foot research vessel Sikuliaq. Castellini, dean of the UAF College of Fisheries
and Ocean Sciences, has spent his career studying marine mammals in both the Arctic
and the Antarctic.
His lecture, “Sikuliaq: The Future of Polar Marine Research in Alaska” will be held
at the Anchorage Museum. The lecture is the third and final installment of the Anchorage
portion of the 2011 Science for Alaska Lecture Series.
Science for Alaska is sponsored by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, IDeA Network
for Biomedical Research Excellence and Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. The Anchorage
Museum will provide family-friendly activities beginning at 6 p.m., prior to the lecture.
The event is free to the public.
March 9, 2011
Fairbanks, Alaska—Michael Castellini has been selected as the dean of the College of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Castellini has served as interim dean
since last June.
Supporting research and professional service in fisheries and marine science across
Alaska will be an integral part of his work for the school, he said.
"CFOS has a strong mission of teaching, research and service, and because of our facilities
throughout the state, we can readily work on a broad and diverse range of topics relevant
to the state of Alaska."
A marine biologist who specializes in marine mammal physiology, Castellini has been
a faculty member at CFOS for 22 years. He has published more than 100 scientific journal
articles and book chapters, served on more than 40 graduate student committees and
participated in more than 20 scientific field expeditions on land, sea and ice.
“The College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences is a great unit within UAF and it has
been a pleasure to work in the school for all these years,” he said.
Castellini has served in a variety of administrative roles including founding scientific
director of the Alaska SeaLife Center, the director of the Institute of Marine Science,
director of the Coastal Marine Institute and the associate dean of CFOS.
One focus of Castellini’s work has been on public outreach. He has participated in
many public outreach programs discussing climate change, the Arctic and Antarctic
and how animals at those locations are critically dependent on sea ice.
Castellini holds a doctorate in marine biology from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
"I’m looking forward to this role within the school and to working with the faculty,
staff and students as we explore new ideas, share discoveries and help create and
motivate the next generation of CFOS students and scientists," he said.
3 March 2011
ASG— Julie Matweyou, a Kodiak fisherman and environmental scientist, has been hired
to fill the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program position in Kodiak.
March 1, 2011
Kodiak, Alaska—Two interdisciplinary master’s degree students at the UAF Fishery Industrial Technology
Center earned awards at the 62nd annual Pacific Fisheries Technologists Conference
held February 13-16 in Vancouver, B.C.
Katie Brenner won third place in the student competition for her oral presentation
called “Quality Assessment of Commercially Harvested Weathervane Scallops (Patinopecten
caurinus) from Alaska.” This was Brenner’s first oral presentation as a graduate student.
Brenner is advised by Alexandra de Oliveira.
Lale Gurer earned third place in the student competition for her poster on “Development
of Flavored Freeze-Dried Cubes from Wild-Caught Pacific Pink Salmon.” She is advised
by Quentin Fong.
Brenner also received the Matt Myers Travel Award Scholarship, which she says made
her trip to Vancouver possible.
The Pacific Fisheries Technologists Conference provides a forum for fisheries technologists
to broaden professional networks, discuss current issues, and exchange information
on current research in seafood technology.
February 16, 2011
Fairbanks, Alaska—A book by the Census of Marine Life, with chapters by CFOS scientists, has won two
national awards. The book, Life in the World’s Ocean: Diversity, Distribution, and Abundance, by Alasdair McIntyre, won two American Publishers Awards for Professional and Scholarly
Excellence (PROSE) awards. One of the awards was for excellence in physical sciences
and mathematics. The second award was for excellence in earth sciences. The book features
two chapters written by CFOS scientists.
One chapter, written by Katrin Iken, Brenda Konar, Ann Knowlton and others is called
“Surveying Nearshore Biodiversity” and features information on the CoML Natural Geography
in Shore Areas (NaGISA) project. NaGISA is a collaborative effort to inventory and
monitor coastal biodiversity.
The other chapter, written by Rolf Gradinger, Bodil Bluhm, Russ Hopcroft and others,
called “Marine Life in the Arctic,” highlights work done by the Arctic Ocean Diversity
project. The ArcOD project is an international effort to inventory biodiversity in
the Arctic.
The PROSE award is given annually to books in major categories by the Association
of American Publishers, a national trade association of the U.S. book publishing industry.
Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program floats fishermen training program, seeks public, industry comment
11 February 2011
ASG— Alaska Sea Grant is asking Alaska coastal community residents and the fishing
industry whether a fisherman training program should be established at the University
of Alaska Fairbanks.
February 9, 2011
Seward, Alaska—Can you name the chemical that is the principal source of energy at many of Earth’s
hydrothermal vents?
Seth Brickey can tell you: The answer is “hydrogen sulfide.”
Brickey was named MVP for the Juneau-Douglas High School team, Absolute Vorticity,
which took first place in last weekend’s Tsunami Bowl, the Alaska Region National Ocean Sciences Bowl. This is the fifth year in a row that a Juneau high school team has won the Tsunami Bowl.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks Seward Marine Center hosted the competition Feb.
4-6 in Seward. The competition consists of two equally weighted parts: a quiz bowl
academic competition designed to challenge students' knowledge of ocean sciences and
a research project that has both written and public speaking components. This year,
the research project focused on human responses to oceanic events.
Ben Carney, Absolute Vorticity coach and a teacher at Juneau-Douglas High School,
said his team worked hard for their win.
“Absolute Vorticity won because they put in a tremendous amount of effort toward all
aspects of the competition in a coordinated manner, set high expectations of themselves
and functioned as a complete team at competition with a single goal,” he said.
Students on the team included Brickey, team captain Tyler Houseweart, Elise Christey,
Sam Kurland and Martina Miller.
“I am proud of all the Juneau participants for putting in the level of work that they
did,” added Carney.
The Tiger Sharks from Mat-Su Career and Technical High School took second place. Members
included team captain Jonah Jeffries, Alonzo Gage, Chris Erickson, Aspen Melton and
Shayla Jordan. The coach was Tim Lundt. The third-place team was from Cordova High
School.
Twenty teams from 15 high schools across Alaska, from Unalaska to Ketchikan, competed
in the Tsunami Bowl. This year, teams from Dillingham, Sitka, Kotlik and Scammon Bay
competed for the first time.
The first-place team won a free trip to compete against other regional teams in the
NOSB finals in Galveston, Texas in April. The top two teams won scholarships to the
University of Alaska Fairbanks and the University of Alaska Southeast.
The National Ocean Sciences Bowl was established in 1998 to encourage learning about
the oceans and increase the teaching of ocean sciences in high schools. The Consortium
for Ocean Leadership supports the NOSB. Several sponsors support the regional competition,
including the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and Alaska Sea Grant.
The College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 60 faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
February 8, 2011
Fairbanks, Alaska—We learned today that Laura Fenton passed away this last weekend. Laura worked for us at CFOS here in Fairbanks from 1996 until 2004 and I still remember her great laugh and attitude. She started with us as a Fiscal Tech, became our Financial Officer and ultimately our Executive Officer. Her "blue hair" period certainly was a remarkable event (for her 50th birthday year) and she was always ready to help us with the financial side of keeping up with work. We still have many of her bright pink sticky-notes and pink highlighter markups on documents from her office. I was in the middle of many research projects when Laura started for us and she was there to help me and all the CFOS scientists work through our budgets. Our condolences to her family everywhere. From all of us and our memories of a wonderful person who was a part of our lives.
February 8, 2011
Kodiak, Alaska—Beginning today, February 8, the Fishery Industrial Technology Center will be offering
a Brown Bag Lunch Seminar Series on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month.
Today's seminar is called "Using Fish Guts: An Update on Seafood Byproduct Research"
and is presented by Scott Smiley. The next seminar is on "Eating Safe Seafood: Avoiding
the Botulism Toxin" by Chuck Crapo.
View the whole seminar series on the newly revamped FITC website or download the flyer
here (700KB PDF).
Each seminar begins at noon, and is free and open to the public.
February 3, 2011
Nome, Alaska—Nome resident and state marine mammal biologist Gay Sheffield has been hired as the
new Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program (MAP) agent for the Bering Strait region.
She will be based at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Northwest Campus in Nome.
Sheffield has been a marine mammal biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and
Game since 1997, and has been assigned to the ADFG regional office in Nome for the
past three years.
“She’s been working with residents of the villages in the region for more than a decade,
and has a great rapport with people there,” said Chuck Crapo, seafood scientist with
Alaska Sea Grant and chair of the hiring committee. “Her experience with local issues,
her science and biology background, and her connections to the region are what swayed
the hiring committee. We are looking forward to her joining our team on Feb. 28.”
Sheffield’s work in the Bering Strait began in 1992, working with residents and researchers
on studies of walruses, ice seals, belugas, and bowhead whales. Most recently, her
work with Saint Lawrence Island residents documented the ongoing range extension of
Steller sea lions into the Bering Strait, as well as the diet and feeding behavior
of bowhead whales during the spring and late fall in the Bering Sea.
“Among its many great qualities, the Marine Advisory Program provides technical assistance,
educational and economic opportunities to coastal communities,” said Sheffield. “I
look forward to being part of MAP here in the Bering Strait region, and working with
our coastal communities on important issues including marine safety, subsistence,
marine mammals, fisheries, and community economic development.”
Sheffield holds a master’s degree in marine biology from the University of Alaska
Fairbanks, and is a UAF affiliate research associate of mammalogy.
The Nome MAP office has been without an agent since March 2010, when start-up funding
from the Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation (NSEDC) ended. The Alaska Legislature
authorized $300,000 in 2010 to fill vacant MAP positions in Nome and Kodiak, and to
make permanent the existing positions in Unalaska, Cordova, Dillingham and Petersburg.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks reprogrammed an additional $300,000 to support
these positions.
“The people of the Bering Strait region and NSEDC need to be thanked for their support
of this position,” said Paula Cullenberg, leader of the Marine Advisory Program. “I
share their interest and concern for the Alaska’s Bering Strait and Arctic regions.
Gay has the background and expertise to make sure the residents of the region are
involved in the research and decision-making process in this important part of the
state.”
February 1, 2011
Alaska Marine Science Symposium talks available as podcasts
Fairbanks, Alaska—www.alaskamarinescience.org for all podcasts.
January 31, 2011
Seward, Alaska—The 14th annual Alaska Region National Ocean Sciences Bowl, also called the Tsunami
Bowl, will be held in Seward this weekend, Feb. 4-6. The competition is hosted by
the UAF Seward Marine Center.
Twenty teams from 15 high schools across Alaska, from Unalaska to Ketchikan, will
compete in the Jeopardy-style quiz bowl. This year, teams from Dillingham, Sitka,
Kotlik and Scammon Bay will compete for the first time.
The competition consists of two equally weighted parts: a tournament-style academic
competition designed to challenge students' knowledge of ocean sciences; and a research
project that has both written and public speaking components. This year, the research
project focused on human responses to oceanic events.
“The competition and related activities during the three-day event encourage students
to continue to study fisheries and marine science during their postsecondary education,
and to consider a career in a marine-related occupation,” said Phyllis Shoemaker,
longtime Tsunami Bowl organizer.
The National Ocean Sciences Bowl was established in 1998 to encourage learning about
the oceans and increase the teaching of ocean sciences in high schools. The Consortium
for Ocean Leadership supports the NOSB. Several sponsors support the regional competition,
including the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and Alaska Sea Grant.
The winner of the Alaska Region NOSB competition will compete in the NOSB finals,
scheduled to take place in Galveston, Texas, in April 2011.
Carin Stephens
Public Information Officer
Phone: (907) 322-8730
Phyllis Shoemaker
Tsunami Bowl Organizer
Phone: (907) 224-4312
January 31, 2011
by Michael Castellini, Interim Dean
Fairbanks, Alaska—As many of you know, we heard the sad news this last week that Kevin Engle, one of
our past CFOS students, passed away last week. The Chancellor’s note about Kevin to
the UAF community told Kevin’s recent history as a staff member with the Geophysical
Institute, but many at CFOS also remember when Kevin was a student with us.
Kevin was a master's degree student in biological oceanography and took his first
classes with us in the fall of 1989, and it was in that semester when I first met
him. He wanted to work on how satellite derived sea surface temperatures varied in
time and space in Prince William Sound and the Gulf of Alaska.
While he did not complete his degree with us, he stayed close to us both as a friend
and in his work interests.
Kevin came to us with a bachelor of arts in biology from Penn State and in one of
his reference letters it was stated that: "Kevin is very friendly, cooperative and
trustworthy. He is a good conversationalist and he is broadly educated." I last talked
with Kevin at a Christmas party in December and what about this description, written
22 years ago, would not have still been accurate?
In his own application to us, Kevin wrote: "I am especially interested in high-latitude
ocean circulation patterns and marginal ice zone air-sea-ice interactions and I would
like to apply remote sensing as a research tool in studying these systems." Rarely
do we see such an early connection at the MS level with what a student sees as their
future.
For the last many years, each and every time that I would notice the large antennae
on the GI building being moved to better locate a satellite feed, I knew that Kevin
was sitting at the controls driving that system... it's going to be very hard to see
that system move and know that he is not there at those controls.
January 24, 2011
CFOS students win best poster awards at Alaska Marine Science Symposium
Editor's Note: A webpage about CFOS participation in the Alaska Marine Science Symposium.
Anchorage, Alaska—
CFOS students Mandy Keogh, Shiway Wang and Wesley Strasburger won the best student
poster awards at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium last week in Anchorage. CFOS
students earned three out of the four awards.
Mandy Keogh is a Ph.D. student studying marine biology with Shannon Atkinson. Her
poster was called “Body condition and endocrine profiles of Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) pups
during the early postnatal period” (906KB PDF).
Shiway Wang is also a Ph.D. student in marine biology. Her advisor is Matthew Wooller.
Her poster was on "Compound-specific stable isotope analyses of fatty acids in primary
production from the Bering Sea: a foundation for food web biomarker studies." (E-mail
Shiway Wang at shiway@gmail.com for a PDF of her poster.)
Wesley Strasburger is a master’s degree student studying fisheries with former CFOS
faculty member Nicola Hillgruber. His poster was “A comparison of feeding patterns between larval and juvenile walleye pollock and Pacific
cod in the eastern Bering Sea" (300KB PDF).
The North Pacific Research Board sponsored the four poster awards, two for master’s level students and two for Ph.D.
students. The winning students earned a $250 cash award.
Several College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences faculty and staff presented at the
Alaska Marine Science Symposium. Russ Andrews presented a keynote speech on “Steller’s
curse: the unfortunate fate of Alaska’s first naturalist and the marine mammals that
bear his name.” Other CFOS faculty and staff presenters included Arny Blanchard, Rachel
Potter, Peter Winsor, Bodil Bluhm, Brenda Norcross, Seth Danielson and Franz Mueter.
Related Links
Mathis wins Alaska Ocean Leadership Award
Anchorage, Alaska—Jeremy Mathis, assistant professor of chemical oceanography, has received the Alaska
Ocean Leadership Award for Marine Research. The award was given by the Alaska SeaLife Center at the Alaska Marine Gala on Sunday, Jan. 16.
According to the Alaska SeaLife Center, Mathis earned the award for his work on carbon
cycling and ocean acidification in northern waters.
“His groundbreaking contributions to marine research and communication about ocean
acidification are remarkable,” said Ian Dutton, president and CEO of the Alaska SeaLife
Center. “His credentials and commitment to research have greatly enhanced the profile
of ocean acidification research in Alaska.”
Mathis joined the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences in 2007. He earned his
Ph.D. in 2006 in marine chemistry from the University of Miami.
"It is a tremendous honor to be recognized for this award given the diverse and outstanding
research that is being done around the state by hundreds of dedicated scientists,”
said Mathis. “I could not have done this work without the support of my lab manager
Natalie Monacci and my graduate students Jessica Cross, Kristen Shake, Elena Fernandez
and Fletcher Sewall.
Mathis says his research on ocean acidification will continue in the coming years.
“Ocean acidification could present a major challenge for the ecosystems of Alaska,
but we plan to work even harder in the coming years to better understand the controls
and potential impacts of this process,” he said.
The first Alaska Ocean Leadership Awards were given out in January 2010. The awards
were established to encourage and give recognition to outstanding achievements related
to ocean sciences, education and resource management in Alaska. Award categories include
marine research, lifetime achievement, stewardship and sustainability, ocean media
and ocean literacy.
January 13, 2011
Fairbanks, Alaska—Elizaveta Ershova, a Ph.D. student in marine biology at the UAF College of Fisheries
and Ocean Sciences, has been selected as an Encyclopedia of Life Rubenstein Fellow.
The EOL Rubenstein Fellows Program provides partial stipend or salary support for
early-career scientists to serve information about the organisms they study through
the Encyclopedia of Life. Ershova is one of sixteen fellows selected worldwide. Her
advisor is Russell Hopcroft, professor of biological oceanography.
Ershova works with the ecology of zooplankton communities in the Arctic. She has a
master’s degree at the Moscow State University Shirshov Institute of Oceanology.
“Elizaveta came in knowing exactly what she was doing. Because of her training, she
really has a higher appreciation of the taxonomic hierarchy and morphology of the
animals,” said Hopcroft.
Ershova will work with Hopcroft to continue to expand information on arctic and subarctic
zooplankton species.
13 January 2011
CFOS— A record-breaking 840 marine scientists, fisheries experts, oceanographers and
graduate students from around the world will converge in Anchorage next week for the
2011 Alaska Marine Science Symposium.
Contribute information to this webpage by e-mailing cbstephens@alaska.edu.
From CFOS Dean Michael Castellini, December 23, 2010:
We are saddened by the news that Andrea Ruby, one of our fisheries undergraduates,
was killed in an automobile accident near Ester late Tuesday evening. Andrea was from
Dillingham, but living in Ester and was in her senior year here with us at CFOS.
Because many of us are away from UAF at the moment, we have set up this webpage so
that you can contribute your messages about Andrea here. You can also post your messages
at our Facebook page at CFOS Facebook. When we return in January, we will let
everyone know about further gatherings to remember Andrea.
With sympathy to friends and family,
Michael Castellini, Interim Dean, CFOS
Send your fond memories and/or photographs of Andrea Ruby for posting on this webpage to cbstephens@alaska.edu.
Andrea Ruby (center). Photo courtesy of Jessica Bartman.
Andrea will be missed by all her friends and family. She was so passionate about life and had such a creative mind unlike any other. The best memories I have with her are growing up at fish camp Igushik together. Andrea, Holly (her sister), and I (cousin) were always attached at the hip. We built clubhouses, played cook, swam, fished, played on the beach, rode four-wheelers and so many other activities we have done together while in Igushik. In Dillingham we built fort-cities, dog mushed and spent a lot of time playing at the "shop." I will cherish all the memories forever. Rest in peace my wonderful cousin, I love you always and you will always be in my heart. -- Jessica Bartman
As a 20+ year resident of Dillingham, an alumnus of UAF Fisheries ('77), a retired ADFG career fisheries biologist (22+ yrs), and now lab/ field helper at UAF BBC, I am very very sad to know Andrea is gone. A member of a prominent local family, she was a lively resident of Dillingham. I worked with her briefly last summer and was pleased, even inspired, to learn she was pursuing a fisheries career. It was fun to have a couple opportunities to encourage her and to discuss school and careers with her. I loved her energy and enthusiasm and had high hopes for her to have a successful fisheries career. It is some consolation to know that in her brief time, Andrea was busy making a positive impact to many of those around her. My condolences to her extended family and her many friends. She was such a dynamo! --Dan Dunaway
Andrea Ruby joined the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences in 2009 in her own quiet, unassuming way. For those who know Andrea well, you know she had a tendency to sit quietly in a classroom, not allowing herself to stick out too much in the crowd. However, she had much to share; her knowledge and background were so valuable to our program. Her friendly smile, easy demeanor, independence, and determination were among the many things that made it a joy to have Andrea with us. One of the great tragedies of losing someone young is that you lose that potential they represent, and Andrea had that potential. She was realizing that potential.
Andrea understood quite well that the lifeblood of her community and the state was in its fisheries. Dillingham boasts one of the last great and healthy fisheries in the world, and she felt her role was to protect that health, thereby protecting her family and her home. With the looming threat of the Pebble Mine, many would choose the path of activism - speaking loudly to their communities, to their legislature, or to the world. Andrea knew that the path of a loud-spoken activist was not for her; she instead decided to arm herself with knowledge and with the larger perspective that comes with a college education. She was determined to have an influence by attaining a graduate degree and using her skills in Dillingham to make a difference.
Some students come to school with these sorts of lofty goals, only to abandon them for better-paying jobs elsewhere, or, perhaps, easier majors that do not require Calculus. Others fall under the influence of the town atmosphere and its many temptations. Andrea never, in her years of school, in her struggles with math classes, and with her circle of friends, lost sight of her goals. Two years after her arrival, her term project for her Fish Ecology class was on the potential effects of open-pit mining on landscape dynamics of Pacific salmon. Everything she learned, every project she took on, tied back to her long-term goals.
Andrea was also determined to learn the techniques and scientific basis of fisheries management – tools she could bring back to her community. She successfully obtained a position in Brenda Norcross’s Fisheries Oceanography lab, and it is there where she truly blossomed. She started slowly, as a ‘lab grunt,’ sometimes showing up a bit late for work. When told she must be on time, she rose to the occasion and quickly gained the respect of her fellow lab members. This respect was accompanied by larger responsibilities and more complex tasks – challenges that she took on with relish and eager enthusiasm. When she saw something needing to be done or someone in need of help, she gave it her all, going out of her way to get the job done - sharing a few laughs and stories along the way. One long day preparing seal teeth to send off to the lab for aging, her lab partner mentioned she was very skilled at cleaning the teeth. This is when she smiled and mentioned that at home she was known to be a great pukuk-er. She said, “If I am good at cleaning all the meat off of a bone, then I guess that could translate to teeth as well.” Her kind-hearted and spirited personality made a big impression on her coworkers, even if they had known her only a few months.
Andrea’s quiet determination to be the best student, the best research laboratory member, and the best person she could be is among the many reasons she will be greatly missed. For those of us at the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, we want to convey how her deep fondness for her community, family, and home transferred to everything she accomplished with us in Fairbanks. These accomplishments will not be forgotten.-- Amanda Rosenberger, Assistant Professor of Fisheries, CFOS; Brenda Norcross, Professor of Fisheries, CFOS; Brenda Holladay, Lorena Edenfield, Sara Carroll, Fisheries Oceanography Lab, CFOS
Andrea was my niece and I'm still grieving her death. But I love to remember that despite the life-challenges she faced over the past few years, she hung in there and continued to pursue a degree in a field that she felt very passionate about. Some of the early part of her educational efforts were via the Bristol Bay Campus. With that in mind I would offer the attached form for anyone that would like to donate to the future University of Alaska Fairbanks Bristol Bay Campus Sciences Center in her memory. The Center will be located at the Bristol Bay Campus here in Dillingham. I hope (and I think she would also hope) that the Center will make it possible for other resident students to also recognize their potential and their passion for science, wildlife, the environment and the Bristol Bay Region. I wanted to share the forms with others that might be interested. -- Alice Ruby
I had the privilege of working with Andrea as part of my Biology 271 study group for the Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) this past fall. Often, Andrea and I would meet one on one to spend extra time reviewing lecture material in preparation for exams. During these meetings, I came to know Andrea well enough to see her concern for her community and understand how that drove her dedication to her chosen field. We discussed the proposed Pebble Mine more than once, and she even pointed out a photograph of a relative in a related National Geographic article during one of our last meetings. In studying ecology, we tried to relate concepts to fish and fisheries every chance we could, because she wanted to understand how to apply the knowledge to her future work. If we could not find a good aquatics application, then we would try thinking in terms of her hamster or her dog. There were times in which we laughed, wishing we could just stay home all day, every day, and eat and sleep and wander the house as our pets did. But that was one quality I admired about Andrea. Not only was she eager to learn the material and perform her best on all assignments, but she did not give up when things got hard. If anything, she seemed to redouble her efforts when the stress increased, and this last semester was not easy for her. That her efforts ended as they did was tragic, indeed, for I wanted nothing more than to see her graduate, return to Dillingham to help save the salmon, and write her children's books, as planned. Just when I was beginning to know and love her as a friend, she was gone, but I will ever be grateful for the time I had to spend with her. She was open, honest, warm-hearted, hard-working, conscientious of others, and determined to meet her goals. Of a certainty, I will not be alone in missing her presence here at UAF. My heart goes out to Andrea`'s family, as well. She was one to be appreciated and enjoyed, to say the least! --Lisa Stephens, ANSEP Study Group Leader.
December 16, 2010
Juneau, Alaska—Terrance Quinn, professor of fisheries at the UAF Juneau Center of the College of
Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, was the co-author of a paper called "Relationship of
farm salmon, sea lice, and wild salmon populations" published in the Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences on December 13, 2010. The paper's findings have been
featured in dozens of national and international news outlets, including USA Today
and BBC News.
In the article, authors Gary Marty, Sonja Saksida and Quinn say that sea lice from
farmed salmon were not the cause of the 2002 decline of wild pink salmon.
- Farmed salmon may not hurt wild salmon, USA Today, Dec. 14, 2010
- Sea lice 'not responsible' for 2002 loss of pink salmon, Vancouver Sun, Dec. 13, 2010
9 December 2010
ASG— To learn more about how Alaska communities view their food security, UAF’s Cooperative
Extension Service and the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program are asking Southeast
Alaskans to complete an online survey. UAF’s goals are to better understand the region’s
food security concerns and identify how the university can help communities address
them.
9 December 2010
ASG— Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program specialists and agents will conduct
job training workshops for Southeast Alaska commercial shrimp fishermen, as part of
a federal program that will provide shrimp fishermen suffering from unfair foreign
competition with up to $12,000.
8 December 2010
ASG— Biologists developing the science and technology to raise wild red and blue king
crab in hatcheries as a way to rebuild collapsed stocks in parts of Alaska have received
$460,000 in grants and support to assess how the crab may fare in the wild.
December 8, 2010
Seward, Alaska—Despite a 30-year warming trend, the last three years in the Bering Sea have been the coldest on record. A University of Alaska Fairbanks scientist says that the cold temperatures have helped produce larger zooplankton in the Bering Sea, which may be changing the way Walleye pollock are feeding.
Alexei Pinchuk, research professional at the UAF Seward Marine Center, has spent the
last three years gathering zooplankton samples in the Bering Sea. He and his colleagues
have been looking at how changes in temperature in the Bering Sea affect resident
zooplankton, and in turn how those zooplankton shifts may affect the diet of Walleye
pollock.
During colder years, like the last three, pollock tend to eat the larger zooplankton,
like copepods and krill, which flourish in chillier temperatures. Pinchuk has also
found that the recent cold temperatures have brought an arctic “sand-flea”, the amphipod
Themisto libellula, south into Bering Sea waters. Young salmon and pollock seem to prefer to eat these
amphipods over other, smaller zooplankton.
In warmer years, which include the record-setting high temperatures of 2001 to 2005,
smaller zooplankton tend to thrive. According to Pinchuk and his colleagues, younger
pollock tend to eat the smaller plankton, while larger pollock favor the larger plankton
found in colder waters. This causes younger pollock to start out doing well in warmer
temperatures, but as the pollock grow bigger, they may not be able to find the larger
zooplankton prey they need to produce enough fat for overwintering.
“The larger pollock may then eat their smaller cousins instead,” said Pinchuk.
Pinchuk conducted his research on board the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy, R/V Knorr
and R/V Thomas G. Thompson. He collected his zooplankton samples using multiple collecting
nets.
Although the last few years have been cold, scientists predict that the warming trend
in the Bering Sea will continue.
Pinchuk’s findings were recently featured in the Nov. 4 issue of Nature magazine.
His work is part of the broad Bering Sea Project, a six-year, $52 million integrated
ecosystem study of the Bering Sea. The Bering Sea Project" is funded by both the National Science Foundation and the North Pacific Research Board.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 60 faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Carin Stephens
Senior Information Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Phone: 907-322-8730
E-mail: cbstephens@alaska.edu
Alexei Pinchuk
Research Professional
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Seward Marine Center
Phone: 907-224-4313
E-mail: aipinchuk@alaska.edu
November 19, 2010
Juneau, Alaska—Two CFOS graduate students won best student paper and best student poster awards at
the American Fisheries Society Alaska Chapter meeting held in Juneau November 3-5.
Jason Neuswanger, advised by Mark Wipfli and Amanda Rosenberger, won the best student
paper award. He gave a talk on "The roles of territoriality and detritus in wild juvenile
Chinook salmon drift-feeding behavior".
Jamie McKellar presented a poster called "Population structure and reproductive status
of razor clams, Siliqua patula, in eastern Cook Inlet". McKellar is advised by Katrin Iken and Trent Sutton.
Three other CFOS students also won awards at the AFS Alaska meeting.
Casey McConnell, a bachelor of science student in fisheries, received the 2010 Molly
Ahlgren Scholarship Award. The award provides a $2,000 scholarship to an undergraduate
student entering his or her senior year of studies. In addition to the scholarship
funds, the award also covers the travel and meeting expenses for the recipient to
attend the AFS Alaska meeting. The award was presented to McConnell at the AFS Alaska
meeting.
Ernestine Ahgeak, a bachelor of science in fisheries student, and Elena Fernandez,
a master’s degree student in oceanography with advisor Jeremy Mathis, both won the
Cultural Diversity Travel Award. The Cultural Diversity Travel Award covered the travel
expenses for Ahgeak and Fernandez to attend the AFS Alaska meeting.
November 9, 2010
Juneau, Alaska—Graduate students from CFOS presented in large numbers at last week’s American Fisheries Society Alaska Chapter annual meeting in Juneau. CFOS graduate students presented 26 of the 98 talks given
at the meeting, and 11 out of 30 posters.
“I don’t remember the last time we’ve had so many of our graduate students at the
AFS Alaska meeting,” said Terry Quinn, professor of fisheries at the CFOS Juneau Center.
According to Trent Sutton, associate professor of fisheries and the interim academic
fisheries director, there was a heavy CFOS presence at the meeting.
When asked why there were so many CFOS graduate students at the meeting, Sutton said
“We have more graduate students now, because we have more faculty. As we’ve hired
new faculty, they have taken on students, and now it is all starting to materialize
with those students now ready to present data from their research.”
Sutton will be AFS Alaska’s next president and will serve 2011-2012. His duties will
include planning the next AFS Alaska meeting, to be held in Anchorage or Girdwood
next November.
Plenary speakers at the meeting included Gordon Kruse, professor of fisheries, and
Keith Criddle, professor of fisheries and interim administrative director of the CFOS
fisheries division. Kruse presented a talk called “Climate Change and the Future of
Alaska’s Fisheries” and Criddle gave a presentation called “The Global Economy and
its Impact on Alaskan Fisheries.”
Other CFOS faculty presenters included Andrew Seitz, Mark Wipfli and Franz Mueter.
Session chairs included Courtney Carothers, Ginny Eckert, Kruse, Seitz and Megan McPhee.
Sutton and Milo Adkison both presented posters.
AFS Alaska is the local organization in Alaska for the American Fisheries Society.
The chapter has more than 400 members.
CFOS student oral presenters:
Greg Albrecht
Brittany Blain
Parker Bradley
Catherine Chambers (MESAS)
Dean Courtney
Elena Fernandez
Zachary Hoyt
Peter-John Hulson
Kay Larson-Blair
Emily Lescak
Laurinda Marcello
Jennifer Marsh
Sara Miller
Katie Moerlein
Julie Nielsen
Veronica Padula
Megan Peterson (MESAS)
Jodi Pirtle
Jonathan Richar
Suzanne Teerlink
Kray Van Kirk
Scott Vulstek
Joel Webb
Miranda Westphal
Shelley Woods
Marilyn Zaleski
CFOS student poster presenters:
Greg Albrecht
Jesse Coleman and Christine Woll
Terril Efird
Chris Manhard
Jamie McKellar
Jonathan Richar
Heather Scannell
Nicholas Smith
Jason Stolarski
Jennifer Stoutamore
James Swingle
3 November 2010
ASG— The 26th Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium (Ecosystems 2010: Global Progress
on Ecosystem-based Fisheries Management) will bring together international fishery
scientists, managers, and stakeholders to share insights into the current status and
future prospects on ecosystem-based fisheries management.
October 20, 2010
Juneau, Alaska—Senator Mark Begich, Juneau Mayor Bruce Botelho and their staff visited the Lena Point
Fisheries Building on Tuesday, October 19. They toured the building and spoke with
faculty, staff and graduate students.
Fisheries Division Interim Administrative Director Keith Criddle says that the visit
went well and that Lena Point staff expressed their satisfaction with the new building
and gratitude to the state for funding it.
“We mentioned our success with the National Science Foundation and other federal grants,
such as MESAS, SELMR and the Sikuliaq,” said Criddle. “We also talked about the demand
for our graduates in state and federal agencies, and of our recognition as a leader
in providing stock assessment scientists.”
The visit was initiated by contact between Shannon Atkinson, professor of marine biology,
and Mayor Bruce Botelho. Atkinson sent Botelho a letter in August with several development
ideas for Lena Point.
20 October 2010
CFOS— Explaining the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)NEPA is the goal of a
series of educational training workshops being organized by Izetta Chambers, the Alaska
Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program agent based in Dillingham.
October 15, 2010
Homer, Alaska—The Kasitsna Bay Laboratory has received a group award from the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Association’s National Ocean Service for supporting and encouraging diversity
through science education for minority groups.
Kris Holderied, NOAA director of the Kasitsna Bay Laboratory, was notified of the
award last month and laboratory employees Michael and Connie Geagel accepted the award
for the laboratory at a ceremony held in Silver Spring, Maryland, on September 30.
“Although the award technically can only list NOAA employees by name, I would like
to emphasize that this truly is a team effort with both the NOAA and University of
Alaska partners at the laboratory,” said Holderied.
“Mike Geagel and Dominic Hondolero with NOAA and Connie Geagel, Hans Pederson, Layla
Pedersen, Dave Christie and Heather Wells with UAF equally deserve credit for our
accomplishments. Plus, all our education efforts involve partners such as local schools,
Kachemak Bay Research Reserve, Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, Project GRAD, and
the Kachemak Bay Campus of UAA,” added Holderied.
The National Ocean Service Diversity award recognizes Kasitsna Bay Laboratory staff
for supporting a science literacy program that included Alaska Natives and women in
coastal field science training and education. The laboratory also provides field science
camps for K-12 students from across Alaska, with an emphasis on students from small
Alaska Native and Russian Old Believer communities. In 2009, the lab hosted 20 science
camps with more than 600 students. Seven of these camps were primarily focused on
minority students.
Michael Geagel, the site manager at the Laboratory, also received a National Ocean
Service Employee of the Year Award. According to the National Ocean Service, this
award recognizes employees who have made significant contributions to NOS programs
and demonstrate exceptional and sustained effort toward the accomplishment of NOS
missions. Geagel was recognized for his exceptional contributions to facility operations
and customer service over the past four years. It is the National Ocean Service’s
highest award.
The Kasitsna Bay Laboratory is located in Kasitsna Bay across Kachemak Bay from Homer.
The laboratory’s primary mission is to provide coastal science to help Alaska coastal
communities understand and adapt to changing environmental conditions.
The Laboratory is part of the Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research under
the NOAA’s National Ocean Service National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. The
lab operates under a joint agreement for collaborative research and education between
the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science and the University of Alaska Fairbanks
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
13 October 2010
CFOS— A new Alaska Sea Grant field guide to Alaska seaweeds is written by a federal
marine biologist who always knew what she wanted to do when she grew up.
October 4, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—The Census of Marine Life, a ten-year initiative to describe the distribution and diversity of ocean life,
draws to a close today with a celebration, symposium and press conference in London.
At the press conference, scientists revealed the results of the census, including
the discovery of new species, new patterns of biodiversity and more. Scientists at
the University of Alaska Fairbanks have played a major role in what the census calls
its “decade of discovery.”
UAF scientists have led two multi-year projects as part of the census. Both projects--
the Arctic Ocean Diversity project and the Natural Geography in Shore Areas project-- are dedicated to explaining
the biodiversity of different areas in the world's ocean. Between them, the projects
identified dozens of new species and cataloged nearshore organisms at more than 200
sites worldwide.
The Arctic Ocean Diversity project, also called ArcOD, is an international effort
to identify the number and variety of marine creatures living in the Arctic. The project
looks at organisms that live in arctic sea ice, the water column and on the seafloor,
from microscopic plankton to fishes and birds.
Bodil Bluhm, associate professor of marine biology, Rolf Gradinger, associate professor
of oceanography, and Russ Hopcroft, professor of oceanography, are leading the project.
The scientists are using historical data as well as new findings to create a broad
inventory of arctic species. The project operates as an umbrella program under which
independently funded arctic projects join together to compile a species database.
Currently, the database contains 250,000 records. The database is available online
through www.iobis.org, the censuswide data portal.
“What we are also trying to do is fill in the geographic and taxonomic gaps in our
knowledge of arctic species with new expeditions and improved taxonomic resolution,”
said Bluhm.
During their research, the scientists discovered 71 species that Bluhm says are new
to science. They say the research is particularly important because the Arctic is
showing the effects of climate change.
“The Arctic Ocean is the region where the impacts of climate change are strongest
expressed,” said Hopcroft. “Ongoing climate warming and reduction in sea ice makes
the effort to identify the diversity of its life an urgent issue.”
An important part of the project is the distribution of knowledge to the public through
educational outreach and publications. Gradinger, Bluhm, Hopcroft and the ArcOD team
of nearly 100 scientists have published multiple book chapters, books and articles
on arctic biodiversity.
Natural Geography in Shore Areas is a Census of Marine Life project that describes
the biodiversity in the world’s coastal regions. The project is also called “NaGISA,”
a Japanese word for the area where the ocean meets the shore. The effort will produce
the world’s first nearshore global census.
This international project is headquartered at both UAF and Kyoto University and led
by UAF scientists. The principal investigator is Katrin Iken, associate professor
of marine biology and the co-principal investigator is Brenda Konar, a professor of
marine biology. The project is managed by postdoctoral researcher Ann Knowlton and
assisted by research technician Heloise Chenelot.
NaGISA scientists developed standardized sampling techniques that have been used by
a global network of scientists at more than 240 sites along the shores of 28 countries.
The sites include rocky shore areas and seagrass beds in the intertidal zone out to
a depth of 20 meters.
“The advantages of a standardized protocol are that global quantitative data is comparable
over large spatial scales,” said Iken. “Also, the hierarchical design allows us to
analyze data from local to regional to global scales.”
The data gathered by NaGISA can be used as a baseline to determine changes in biodiversity
over latitude, longitude and time. All NaGISA data has been submitted to www.iobis.org.
To date, 54,666 entries have been contributed. Along with this database, many scientific
and outreach publications have been produced using the NaGISA data.
NaGISA scientists say an important goal of the program has been to involve local communities
in the sampling and increase coastal residents’ awareness of local marine habitat.
According to Knowlton, one of the project’s greatest legacies is the continued and
future use of the NaGISA sampling protocol by both K-12 and university students.
With more than 2,700 scientists from 670 institutions, census leaders say that the
Census of Marine Life is one of the largest scientific collaborations ever conducted.
The Census of Marine Life is primarily funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Scientists from each of the projects will present at the census finale. Although the
Census of Marine Life ends today, scientists from both the ArcOD and NaGISA projects
say that they will continue their efforts to explore biodiversity in the sea.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 60 faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
October 1, 2010
Juneau, Alaska—A paper written by Jennifer Stahl while she was a graduate student working with advisor
Gordon Kruse has been awarded the W.F. Thompson Best Student Paper published in 2008
by the American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists. The Institute announced the award at their annual meeting this month in Pittsburgh.
Stahl received her master’s degree in fisheries in 2004. The paper was called "Spatial
and temporal variability in size of maturity of walleye pollock in the eastern Bering
Sea" and was published in the Transactions of the American Fisheries Society (volume 137, pp. 1543-1557). The paper was co-authored by Kruse, the President’s
Professor of Fisheries at UAF.
"The W.F. Thompson Best Student Paper award is probably the most prestigious student
award for our profession," said Kruse.
"As Jenny’s major professor, it is really quite an honor that Jenny’s hard work and
dedication to publishing has earned such international recognition. Her paper was
selected from a highly competitive field of papers published by outstanding students
from top fishery programs across North America," added Kruse.
The W. F. Thompson Best Student Paper is awarded annually by the AIFRB to recognize
excellence in research, as well as to encourage student professionalism in fisheries
and aquatic sciences and publication of research results.
The research for the paper was funded by the Pollock Conservation Cooperative Research
Center at UAF.
Both Stahl and Kruse will receive a certificate from the President of AIFRB commemorating
this award, and Stahl will receive a cash award of $1,000.
The American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists is a professional organization
established to promote conservation and proper utilization of fishery resources through
the use of fishery and related sciences. The role of the Institute is the professional
development and performance of its members, and the recognition of their achievements.
Since graduating from CFOS, Stahl has been working as a groundfish fisheries biologist
for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Commercial Fisheries, in the Southeast Regional Office in Douglas, Alaska.
Alaska Sea Grant receives grants to boost shellfish farming, track invasive marine species and collect data from stranded marine mammals
30 September 2010
ASG— Three federal and state grants totaling over $1 million will be used by Alaska
Sea Grant to establish a statewide network of citizen scientists to track the spread
of marine invasive species; conduct an instruction and training program aimed at jump-starting
the shellfish farming industry; and launch an effort to collect better information
about marine mammals that strand on the state’s coast.
Alaska crab research nets donation from major California seafood retailer
30 September 2010
ASG— The largest seafood retailer in the U.S. Southwest has set its sights on Alaska
king crab.
September 14, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—David Conover, director of the Division of Ocean Sciences at the National Science Foundation, will visit Alaska during the week of September 20 to present two seminars on the
responses of fish populations to climate change and size-selective fishing practices.
The first seminar will be on Wednesday, September 22, at 1:00 p.m. in 201 O'Neill
on the UAF campus. Conover will present a talk entitled "Countergradient variation:
an evolutionary response to climate change."
On Friday, September 24, at 3:30 p.m. in room 101 of the new College of Fisheries
and Ocean Sciences building at Lena Point in Juneau, Conover will give a seminar called
"Spatial and temporal scales of adaptive divergence in the ocean: lessons from silverside
fishes."
Receptions to follow both seminars.
Conover is also a professor of marine science at Stony Brook University in New York.
He served as dean of the Stony Brook University's School of Marine and Atmospheric
Sciences from 2003-2010. He is a world-renowned expert on the ecology of marine fishes
and fisheries sciences. He has authored more than 100 papers including many in leading
journals such as Nature and Science.
The lectures are supported by the Frank and Marjorie Meek Endowment at the University
of Alaska Foundation.
September 3, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—A pair of autonomous underwater gliders recently tested in the waters of southeast
Alaska just finished cruising the Chukchi Sea for the past month.
"This is really exciting because this is the first time gliders have operated in the
Chukchi Sea," said Peter Winsor, associate professor of oceanography at the University
of Alaska Fairbanks. Winsor and Tom Weingartner, professor of oceanography, are the
principal investigators for the project.
Two gliders were deployed a month ago from outside of Wainwright, on the northern
coast of Alaska. Both gliders have been recovered.
Each glider is about five feet long and flies like an airplane through the water in
an up-and-down motion. It is propelled using an internal bladder that works much like
a fish’s swim bladder. When the bladder expands, the glider moves toward the surface.
When it contracts, it moves toward the seafloor. At the surface, the glider transmits
data to scientists at UAF via satellite.
Despite a series of challenges, including strong currents, closeness to sea ice and
bad weather, Winsor says the gliders have collected vast amounts of data, including
water temperature, salinity and the speed and direction of ocean currents. He says
the quantity of data gathered by the gliders is unprecedented.
"We are collecting more information over the course of a couple of weeks than you
could during several long cruises on a research ship," said Winsor.
The project was jointly funded by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation,
and Enforcement, Shell and Conoco-Phillips.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 60 faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
August 30, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—A University of Alaska Fairbanks fisheries scientist has teamed up with Alaska Power
and Telephone to study how a new power-generating turbine affects fish in the Yukon
River.
So far, the news looks good for the fish.
"In the brief testing that we have been able to accomplish, we have no indication
that the turbine has killed or even injured any fish," said Andrew Seitz, project
leader and assistant professor of fisheries.
Alaska Power and Telephone installed the in-stream river turbine near Eagle, Alaska,
this summer. They are testing its effectiveness as a power source for the village.
A parallel project led by Seitz is studying the devices’ potential effects on fish
moving through the river channel. Graduate student Parker Bradley and research technician
Mark Evans have been in Eagle conducting the fisheries research since May.
The turbine is 16 feet wide and 8 feet tall. It’s suspended from an anchored pontoon
barge in the deepest and fastest part of the river. The turbine has four blades that
spin at about 22 revolutions per minute.
"The community of Eagle, residents along the Yukon River and Alaska Power and Telephone
have all been very supportive of the fish studies," said Seitz. "Everyone’s biggest
consideration is the fish."
Seitz and Bradley are using nets to capture fish at the turbine site and near the
shore. The captured fish are identified, counted, measured and released alive back
into the river. This information allows the scientists to determine the path downstream-migrating
fish-- such as juvenile salmon-- take through the river channel. It also allows them
to determine how many of the different fish species are in the channel and when they
migrate.
"This data allows us to determine the relative likelihood of a fish to pass through
the turbine," said Seitz.
If a fish does pass through the turbine, Seitz and Bradley examine it for general
health and indication of injury. Seitz says that preliminary results show that very
few fish are passing through the turbine and those that do are not showing any signs
of injury.
The project was funded by UAF and Alaska Power and Telephone via grant funding secured
through Alaska’s Denali Commission.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 60 faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
August 27, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—On Thursday, CFOS Interim Dean Michael Castellini contributed to a forum held in Anchorage
by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and
Enforcement.
The forum is one in a series of eight being held by BOEMRE Director Michael Bromwich
in coastal communities across the U.S. According to BOEMRE, the purpose of the forums
is to collect input on issues surrounding deepwater oil drilling.
Castellini was a member of one of three panels that addressed issues concerning Alaska
oil exploration and spill response in light of the drilling moratorium following the
Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Horizon spill.
The Anchorage forum consisted of three panels. The first panel was made up of NGO
and university experts, the second panel offered industry input and the third panel
included opinions from political figures, including Sen. Murkowski and Sen. Begich.
Castellini presented CFOS research on how an oil spill would be tracked and how to
measure its impacts. He focused on CFOS oceanographic current monitoring research
by the Tom Weingartner team, the autonomous glider work by Peter Winsor and the environmental
assessment work by a suite of CFOS biological oceanographers and marine biologists.
In his final recommendations to Director Bromwich, Castellini noted that research
on these issues should be driven more by scientific design than by the potential of
future litigation against BOEM, that the agency has the opportunity to support long
term monitoring that would aid "before and after" studies of ecosystems. He also said
that social studies on the impact of oil spills on communities, such as the work that
the Marine Advisory Program conducts, should be enhanced.
August 27, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—The University of Alaska Fairbanks has created a new research center dedicated to
studying ocean acidification in Alaska.
Jeremy Mathis, assistant professor of chemical oceanography and an ocean acidification
expert, will be the director of the center.
Ocean acidification is a term to describe increasing acidity in the world’s oceans.
The ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from the air. As the ocean absorbs more carbon dioxide,
seawater becomes more acidic. Scientists estimate that the ocean is 25 percent more
acidic today than it was 300 years ago. According to Mathis, ocean acidification is
happening more rapidly, and more severely, in Alaska waters.
"The Ocean Acidification Research Center will provide a unique opportunity to collect
an unprecedented dataset in a vulnerable region," said Mathis.
According to Mathis, the research will focus on three areas: long-term monitoring
and modeling, field observations in sensitive areas and the physiological responses
of at-risk and commercially valuable marine organisms.
"Alaska communities need viable strategies to anticipate and respond to future changes
brought on by ocean acidification," said Mathis.
Current research associated with the center include projects that will deploy several
monitoring stations to measure changes in ocean chemistry in the Gulf of Alaska and
Alaska’s arctic waters, and a study of how juvenile walleye pollock may respond to
changing acidity levels. The center will also serve as a central repository for information
about ocean acidification in Alaska.
Mathis will work with state and federal officials to secure partial funding for the
center. Most of the center’s resources will come from competitive-funding opportunities
within agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Bureau of Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement.
August 16, 2010
by Michael Castellini, Interim DeanFairbanks, Alaska—We at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences were saddened to learn of the
death of former Senator Ted Stevens earlier this week. It is difficult to enumerate
the many contributions Senator Stevens has made over the years to fisheries and fisheries
science in Alaska. He was instrumental in creating and implementing legislation that
ensured the sustainability of our marine resources, while also maximizing the economic
benefit of our fisheries. He was devoted to increasing the role of science in the
management of Alaska’s fisheries.
Vera Alexander, dean emerita of CFOS (1989-2004), recalls that she had many positive
interactions with Senator Stevens through the years.
“Senator Stevens was really concerned with the research, management and conservation
of our marine resources. He introduced the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which was hugely
important for Alaska’s fisheries. He created an endowment for the North Pacific Research
Board, which provides funding every year for marine science projects. Senator Stevens
also supported the project to build the Alaska Region Research Vessel, now known as
the R/V Sikuliaq.”
Our former dean, Denis Wiesenburg (2004-2010) adds:
“Senator Stevens was a great advocate for the ocean and American fisheries. His steadfast
support for the proper management of our valuable marine resources helped ensure the
robust fishery we have today. At CFOS, we were pleased to be able to honor his legacy
with the Ted Stevens Distinguished Professorship in Marine Policy.”
The impact of the many years of work that Senator Stevens dedicated to marine policy,
science and management will continue far into the future for our School and the University
of Alaska. From issues on streamlining permit processes for our research teams to
supporting major funding initiatives, he was always there to listen and help. He was
instrumental in bringing marine fisheries issues to the forefront in Alaska and our
School’s future will continue to move along a path that he envisioned.
As a lifelong champion of Alaska and its vibrant fishing industry, Senator Stevens
touched the lives of all Alaskans. We at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
offer our sincere condolences to Senator Stevens’ family and friends.
August 5, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—Crowley Maritime Corporation has donated $20,000 to the University of Alaska Foundation
for four $5,000 scholarships. Two of the scholarships will be for students in the
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and the other two will be for those studying
in other schools and departments at UAF.
According to the Crowley press release, the scholarships will be "geared toward advancing
educational opportunities for students from rural communities where Crowley operates."
Read the entire Crowley press release
August 4, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—The seventh International Conference on Applications of Stable Isotope Techniques to Ecological
Studies will be held Monday, August 9, through Friday, August 13, in the Davis Concert Hall
at the UAF campus.
According to conference organizers, the meeting “aims to assemble an international
group of isotope scientists engaged in ecological research, to share advances and
to identify gaps in our knowledge.”
Matthew Wooller, director of the Alaska Stable Isotope Facility and associate professor of oceanography at CFOS, is the conference co-chair.
The conference will include both oral and poster presentations on topics varying from
plant and soil ecology to marine foodwebs. About 150 scientists from around the world
have registered for the conference.
Past conferences have been held in Germany, Northern Ireland, Hawaii and New Zealand.
July 16, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—John Kelley, professor of chemical oceanography at the UAF College of Fisheries and
Ocean Sciences, has retired after 40 years of teaching, research and service at the
University of Alaska.
Kelley first came to Alaska in 1959. He started working at UAF in 1968 with Donald
Hood, the first director of the Institute of Marine Science. Kelley holds a bachelor's
degree from Pennsylvania State University and a doctorate from the University of Nagoya
in Japan.
His research over the years has focused on geophysics and geochemistry in the polar
regions. His many projects include studies of trace metals, atmospheric gases and
contaminants in marine environments, marine acoustics, environmental radioactivity
and carbon dioxide exchange process research in the Arctic. He has authored or co-authored
nearly 150 publications.
Since joining the faculty at the Institute of Marine Science in 1974, Kelley has served
in a variety of research and service roles. He was the director of the Naval Arctic
Research Laboratory in Barrow from 1977 to 1980. From 1989 to 1995, Kelley was the
director of the National Science Foundation Polar Ice Coring Office at UAF.
He has also served as the chairman of the North Slope Borough Science Advisory Committee
for the last thirty years.
Kelley's many awards include the prestigious Emil Usibelli Distinguished Service Award,
which he received in 2008. In 2007, the Arctic Division of the American Association
for the Advancement of Science presented Kelley with an award for 50 years of advancing
science in the far north. He is also an AAAS fellow.
He has also developed a program to encourage Alaska Native undergraduates to pursue
careers in science. Kelley is currently working on expanding distance delivery opportunities
for students interested in marine science.
Kelley was granted emeritus status at the 2010 UAF commencement ceremony. At the ceremony,
Chancellor Rogers said that Kelley "has dedicated much of his career to the education
and mentoring of students" and that he has been "deeply involved in research and policy
matters of particular interest to Alaska and the North."
He says that although he is retired, he will continue working on his many scientific
and educational projects.
A retirement celebration will be held Tuesday, July 20, in room 501 of the International
Arctic Research Center, at 3:00 p.m.
An interview with John Kelley
What first brought you to Alaska?
I first came to Alaska in late 1959 to go to Point Barrow to work with the University
of Washington on a project called Project Husky. It was a micro-meteorological project,
which means that we were looking at the transfer of mass and momentum in the climate
near the ground, under Arctic conditions, and over sea ice.
I met my wife on that first flight to Barrow. In 1959, the airways up there were quite
primitive compared to today. I was the only passenger on a passenger/cargo plane,
and she was the flight attendant. We hit it off, and corresponded for a while, and
then eventually got married.
What made you stay in Alaska?
I had been in correspondence with Charles Keeling from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. I wanted to start studying carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and oceans and land.
That led to collaboration and the first carbon dioxide measurements at Point Barrow.
We had a station at Point Barrow from 1960 to 1967. In 1968, I started working at
the University of Alaska with Don Hood.
What do you consider your greatest accomplishment?
The project that was most pleasing to me and I would say my greatest accomplishment
was the polar ice core drilling in Greenland. We drilled through the Greenland ice
sheet to get a climate history from the present back to a couple of hundred thousands
of years ago. It was called the GISP2 program.
There was a competition between the Americans and the Europeans to get that ice core.
I was the director of the National Science Foundation Polar Ice Coring Office. The
Europeans were also drilling. They got started well before us. We had to institute
new ideas. One idea was that we did not want to drill through that pristine environment
using diesel fuel and perchlorethylene. We wanted to use a hydrocarbon that was safe,
and we developed that here, and it turned out to be quite good. I guess you could
say that fate intervened-- even though the rabbit had sprung ahead-- the rabbit being
Europe-the tortoise won because the rabbit got stuck down the hole.
What have you enjoyed most about your time at UAF?
It's always the people. I'm a people person and I enjoy working with all of them.
I extend that to the whole University of Alaska. I've had nothing but good feelings
and good experiences with folks not only here at UAF, but also at UAS and UAA.
What will you do now that you are retired?
One area I would like to pioneer is the distance delivery, of science courses, particularly
marine science courses. At present, I'm well into my second year of working with the
American Meteorological Society and teaching a fully online course on the oceans. It's the same course roughly as
the MSL 111, although it is beefed up and instead of a hands-on lab we have a virtual
lab. Students can get practical experience with the computer end of oceanography.
I'm now teaching this course three semesters a year. I'm also working on a new course
with the American Meteorological Society called Climate Studies. We will launch that
in September 2011.
July 15, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—After two years of design and development, oceanographers at the University of Alaska
Fairbanks are installing a new alternative energy device along the arctic coast of
Alaska.
The device will provide power to scientific instruments in remote areas, where sources
of electricity are often scarce.
"In principle, the device means that we can deploy the radar systems anywhere along
Alaska’s coast," said Tom Weingartner, professor of physical oceanography and the
principal investigator for the project.
The device, called a remote power module, is equipped with four wind turbines, a solar
array and a backup generator. The wind and solar energy provide five days' worth of
battery charge. If the batteries get low, the module recharges using a biodiesel generator.
Scientists will install the module in Barrow this month and test it from July to November.
It will power high-frequency radars that map sea surface currents along the coast
of the Beaufort Sea. The radars send signals over the water's surface, where they
are reflected off the top of the waves. The radar signals are bounced back to the
antennae and the data is transmitted to scientists in Fairbanks in real-time.
"The radar and remote power module allows us to better understand marine ecosystems
processes, inform engineering designs for offshore activities, assist in search and
rescue operations, and, in the event of a marine spill, assist in clean-up response,"
added Weingartner.
The radars typically are powered by shore-based power sources, such as those available
in homes or commercial buildings, he said. "Power sources are few and far between
in Alaska and, where available, are not necessarily ideally suited for sampling."
The module is also equipped to collect meteorological and oceanographic data and houses
communications equipment that allows researchers in Fairbanks to configure the device
via satellite. The module weighs about 6000 pounds and is about 16 by 20 feet wide.
A key design feature of the unit is that it breaks down into modular components weighing
less than 120 pounds each, so that two people can deploy, service or relocate the
device.
"We made the decision to utilize renewable energy technology due to our requirements
for a relatively maintenance-free, lightweight and autonomous power supply," said
Hank Statscewich, researcher at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and
the project lead.
"The hybrid combination of solar, wind, batteries and a small backup generator meets
the load demands of the equipment while maintaining a compact footprint," added Statscewich.
The $890,000 project is funded by the Department of Homeland Security.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 60 faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Photo of the remote power module by Hank Statscewich.
Carin Stephens
Information Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
907-322-8730
cbstephens@alaska.edu
July 10, 2010
Seward, Alaska—Tuula Hollmen, research associate professor at CFOS, has been appointed the interim
science director for the Alaska SeaLife Center. Hollmen has worked as a UAF College
of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences faculty member at the Alaska SeaLife Center for eight years.
"Tuula is a globally recognized science leader – her work on sea ducks and other species
is at the cutting edge of arctic wildlife biology, conservation and climate science,"
said Ian Dutton, President and CEO of the Alaska SeaLife Center.
Hollmen's research focuses on threatened eider populations in Alaska. She received
her Ph.D. from the University of Helsinki. She will serve as the science director
from August 2010 through October 2011, when a permanent science director will be appointed.
7 July 2010
CFOS— Read about CFOS students on a cruise in the Bering Sea on the R/V Thompson.
July 2, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—Yesterday, the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences celebrated a ribbon-cutting for a new fisheries laboratory complex in the west wing of the Arctic Health Research Building.
This will be the first CFOS fisheries teaching laboratory on the UAF campus. The new
space includes the teaching lab, two research labs, an ichthyology specimen collection
room, prep areas and cold and warm storage.
The teaching lab includes videoconferencing equipment so that students in other locations
can participate in classes held in the lab.
The research labs are equipped with a circulating water system that chills and filters
water for holding live fish. One of the research labs has 24 tanks for fisheries experiments
and the other has tanks for hatching and rearing fish.
Trent Sutton, associate professor of fisheries, says that the first organisms to arrive
at the complex will be Chinook salmon eggs that will be hatched and reared in one
of the research labs.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 60 faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
11 June 2010
CFOS— Exploring Kachemak Bay's underwater forests
9 June 2010
ASG— Alaska Sea Grant will provide $1 million during the next two years to support
marine research.
June 9, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—Tracking fish across Alaska's vast continental shelves can present a challenge to
any fisheries or marine scientist studying Alaska's seas. Scientists at the University
of Alaska Fairbanks have successfully tested a possible solution in the form of underwater
gliders.
Last month, Peter Winsor, associate professor of physical oceanography, and Andrew
Seitz, assistant professor of fisheries, successfully tested the use of autonomous
underwater vehicles, called gliders, for tracking tagged fish. Winsor and Seitz suspended
acoustic tags, usually implanted in fish, at different depths along a buoy line near
Juneau. They then deployed two gliders fitted with an acoustic listening device to
"hear" the signals from the tags.
Winsor and Seitz say these are the first gliders to be deployed in Alaska with an
acoustic monitoring device to track tagged fish.
Each glider is about five feet long and flies like an airplane through the water in
an up-and-down motion. It is propelled using an internal bladder that works much like
a fish’s swim bladder. When the bladder expands, the glider moves toward the surface.
When it contracts, it moves toward the seafloor.
"They convert changes in water depth into forward movement," said Seitz.
The gliders move at a speed of nearly one mile per hour and can operate for up to
3 months. According to Winsor, the gliders can cover thousands of miles of ocean.
At the surface, the glider transmits data, including its location and oceanographic
readings, via satellite directly to scientists.
"With the gliders, we not only learn about where the fish go, but we can also measure
the physical, chemical and biological environment of the ocean at the same time,"
said Winsor.
Traditional methods of tracking tagged fish include using a ship equipped with an
acoustic listening device, or by what scientists call a "listening line," which is
a series of hydrophones attached to the seafloor.
"The problem with using hydrophones is that they stay in one place, and the tagged
fish have to move near enough to the hydrophones to be detected," said Seitz. "This
can create big geographic gaps in your data, especially in the vast oceans surrounding
Alaska."
Seitz and Winsor say that the gliders can be programmed to follow tagged fish. They
say the technology is ideal for Alaska waters because the gliders can cover large
distances and are much less expensive than using a ship or sets of hydrophones.
The gliders will be used next to gather oceanographic information in the Chukchi Sea.
This project was funded by the West Coast and Polar Regions Undersea Research Center,
a regional center in NOAA's Undersea Research Program (NURP). The Center is located
at the
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 60 faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Carin Stephens, public information officer, 907-322-8730 or via e-mail at cbstephens@alaska.edu
ADDITIONAL CONTACTS: Andrew Seitz, assistant professor of fisheries, 907-474-5254,
acseitz@alaska.edu, Peter Winsor, associate professor of oceanography, 907-474-7740,
pwinsor@sfos.uaf.edu
June 8, 2010
Homer, Alaska—A group of Nanwalek middle school students recently participated in a biodiversity
monitoring program along the southern shore of Kachemak Bay. The students identified
and inventoried marine invertebrates such as sea snails, crabs, sponges, urchins and
macroalgae, such as kelp, that live in the intertidal region of the Nanwalek coast.
The monitoring program is part of the Natural Geography in Shore Areas (NaGISA) project.
NaGISA is a Census of Marine Life project with 128 sampling sites along the shores
of 51 countries. The effort will produce the world’s first nearshore global census.
The students used standardized sampling techniques established by NaGISA. The data
collected by the students will be entered into the NaGISA worldwide database. The
students were trained in sampling techniques at the NOAA Kasitsna Bay Laboratory in
September. The students will conduct the monitoring program every year.
Related Links
- Homer Tribune article
4 June 2010
ASG— Alaska governor signs bill providing funds for Marine Advisory Program positions.
June 2, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—Humpback whitefish in the Chatanika River are recovering from a population crash in
the 1980s, according to a scientist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
In the early 1980s, the Chatanika River supported a popular, sport spear fishery for
humpback whitefish and least cisco. In 1987, the fishery peaked when fishermen caught
more than 25,000 fish during the fall spawning season. The Alaska Department of Fish
and Game placed limits on the fishery but population studies showed that the high
harvest rates were unsustainable. The fishery was closed from 1994 to 2007, when it
was reopened on a limited, personal use permit-only basis.
Trent Sutton, associate professor of fisheries at the UAF College of Fisheries and
Ocean Sciences, is leading studies of both humpback whitefish and least cisco in the
Chatanika River. The two-year studies began in 2008.
The first study, led by Sutton’s graduate student, Lorena Edenfield, focused on the
population dynamics of humpback whitefish and least cisco. They checked length, weight
and age of the fish and compared those measurements to data collected before and after
the fishery collapse.
"What we found is that when you compare size, age, and growth and mortality rates,
humpback whitefish appear to have recovered," said Sutton. "If you look at size structure
now, you will find full distribution out there of all sizes."
The data on the least cisco tells a different story. Their population suffered the
most when the fishery collapsed, Sutton said. "We are being cautious about the least
cisco. They don’t seem to have recovered yet."
The second study, led by Sutton's graduate student, Aaron Dupuis, looked at the humpback
whitefish's movement patterns and spawning habitat use. Humpback whitefish historically
spawned near the Elliott Highway bridge. In June 2008, Dupuis collected and tagged
60 humpback whitefish in the lower Chatanika. He then used radio telemetry to track
their movement. The population split into two groups: one group moved towards the
Elliott Highway to spawn, and the second group stayed downriver.
In 2009, Dupuis tagged an additional 100 fish in Minto Flats. Of those, 61 went up
the Chatanika River and split into two groups. One group went to the Elliott Highway
bridge to spawn at their traditional spawning grounds. The second group stayed downriver.
"The really interesting thing is that the other 39 fish disappeared, for a while,"
said Sutton.
Using aerial surveys, Dupuis found them. They had left Minto Flats, and entered the
Tanana River, where they spawned between Fairbanks and the mouth of the Salcha River.
Dupuis and Sutton say this is a previously unknown spawning area for humpback whitefish.
"It’s really a new discovery," said Sutton. "It raises all sorts of questions. Are
the fish in the newly discovered spawning area genetically different from those that
spawn in the Chatanika River? A separate spawning stock could have implications for
management of the subsistence, sport and personal use fisheries."
Both projects are supported by the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences with
field support from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 60 faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
June 2, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—Michael Castellini, former associate dean of CFOS, is the new interim dean of CFOS.
Castellini will serve for up to one year, or until the new dean is selected.
Castellini has been a faculty member at CFOS since 1989. His research focus is on
marine mammal physiology. He has chaired or co-chaired 16 PhD or MS students, been
a committee member on dozens of others and taught core classes in marine physiology
to graduate students for 20 years.
He has published more than 100 scientific journals articles or book chapters and has
participated in over 20 scientific field expeditions on land, sea and ice. He serves
on multiple scientific agency committees and journal editorial boards.
Castellini says:
"To new CFOS students, welcome to our program and I hope that your time with us will
be both successful and enjoyable. To our current students, please continue with your
hard work and I look forward to personally attending your graduation and defenses.
To staff, I hope that your careers here at CFOS continue to succeed and I have enjoyed,
and will continue to enjoy, working with all of you. For faculty, here's to an exciting
year of new classes, projects and ideas as we expand our teaching and research programs."
26 May 2010
MAP— In a series of audio clips, Torie Baker, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program
agent in Cordova, describes her experiences speaking with people being affected by
the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
May 25, 2010
Juneau, Alaska—Two fisheries graduate students won awards at the Western Groundfish Conference held in Juneau in late April. Elizabeth Siddon, a Ph.D student, earned the best student oral presentation award for her talk titled, "Community-level response of ichthyoplankton to environmental variability in the eastern Bering Sea." The best student poster presentation award was given to Laurinda Marcello, a master’s student, for her poster titled, "The effects of gadoid fishes and the environment on snow crab recruitment." Both students are advised by Franz Mueter.
May 5, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—Scientists at the University of Alaska Fairbanks will spend two years studying declines
and variability in Western Alaska king salmon runs thanks to a grant from the Pollock
Conservation Cooperative Research Center.
The $435,000 project, led by professor Milo Adkison and assistant professor Larissa
Dehn, includes a consortium of UAF fisheries faculty members from both Fairbanks and
Juneau. Assistant professor Megan McPhee also received $180,000 in matching funds
from the Alaska Sustainable Salmon Fund to augment the study.
The project contains multiple components, all focused on the health and ecology of
freshwater king salmon runs and how these factors affect annual returns. One aspect
will examine how king salmon grow during their freshwater phase and how growth affects
survival to the age of reproduction. Another component will study how infection by
a parasite called “Ichthyophonus” affects the health of freshwater-run king salmon.
Although not harmful to humans, Ichthyophonus attacks the organs of the fish and causes
reduced endurance and ability to spawn.
"The fishing industry is greatly concerned about recent declines in Western Alaska
salmon abundance,' said Denis Wiesenburg, UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
dean and director of the research center. "As a result, the PCCRC decided to direct
significant funding this year to meaningful, focused research into the causes of these
declines."
The Pollock Conservation Cooperative Research Center is part of the UAF College of
Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and is funded by the Pollock Conservation Cooperative,
a group of Bering Sea pollock catcher/processor companies. Each year, the center awards
grants to University of Alaska faculty members and other scientists to study North
Pacific marine and coastal ecosystems, fisheries and marine mammals. This year, the
center requested that proposals address issues of salmon health, ecology and migration.
"Through this funding, the PCC hopes to contribute to a better understanding of the
causes of king salmon problems in the Yukon and Kuskokwim River systems," said Jan
Jacobs of American Seafoods and co-chair of the PCCRC Advisory Board. "Salmon declines
cause hardships to the people in the region, and all fishermen who depend on this
resource.
The PCC has donated more than $10 million to UAF over the last ten years. PCC companies
include American Seafoods Company, Arctic Storm, Glacier Fish Company, Starbound and
Trident Seafoods Corporation.
Other scientists involved in the project include Trent Sutton, Amanda Rosenberger
and Shannon Atkinson.
Carin Stephens
907-322-8730
cbstephens@alaska.edu
5 May 2010
CFOS— Oil spill resources for the media
April 30, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—The University of Alaska Fairbanks has announced recipients of the 2010 Emil Usibelli Distinguished Teaching, Research and Public Service Awards.
Thomas Weingartner, professor of oceanography at CFOS, received the Usibelli Distinguished
Research Award.
Weingartner’s first experience at UAF was as a student, first in a master’s program
and then, from 1988 to 1991, as a postdoctoral fellow. He joined the UAF faculty as
a research associate in 1991 and in 1993 accepted a position as an assistant professor
in the Institute of Marine Science. Weingartner’s work during the last two decades
is characterized by both depth and breadth.
“Whereas many physical oceanographers spend entire careers working on one system,
Dr. Weingartner is a major contributor to our understanding of physical oceanography
in four large marine ecosystems: Gulf of Alaska, eastern Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea and
Beaufort Sea,” his colleagues wrote in their nomination letter.
Weingartner’s research focuses on understanding the processes that control ocean circulation
and temperature and salinity changes in Alaska’s continental shelves.
“This knowledge is relevant to comprehending marine ecosystems, including fisheries,
climate variability and the impacts of offshore industrial development,” he said.
“My research funding reflects, and has been relevant to, all three of these concerns.”
In multiple nomination letters, fellow scientists reference Weingartner’s work as
foundational to understanding Alaska’s oceans and laud his ability to both conduct
solid research and make it accessible to the public. State, national and international
agencies and companies, along with scientists in a variety of disciplines, rely on
his work to guide their own.
“I wish I had the capability to write a letter that would adequately describe Dr.
Weingartner’s significant contributions to the UAF research effort and the ocean science
community,” said CFOS dean Denis Wiesenburg. “The research of Dr. Weingartner and
his students brings distinction to our program and the university.”
The Usibelli Distinguished Teaching Award went to Rich Boone, professor and biology
and wildlife department chairman. The Usibelli Distinguished Public Service Award
went to Kara Nance, a computer science professor and head of the Advanced System Security
Education, Research and Training center.
The Emil Usibelli Distinguished Teaching, Research and Public Service Awards are considered
one of the university’s most prestigious awards. They represent UAF’s tripartite mission
and are funded annually from a $600,000 endowment established by Usibelli Coal Mine
in 1992.
Each year, a committee that includes members from the faculty, the student body and
a member of the UA Foundation Board of Trustees evaluates the nominees. Each of the
winners receives a cash award of $10,000.
April 21, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—Two students from CFOS earned awards at the first-ever UAF Campus Research Day on April 9. Melissa Rhodes-Reese, an undergraduate fisheries student in Juneau, tied
for third place for her presentation at the Campus Research Day’s Undergraduate Research
Symposium. Sara Carroll, a master’s degree student in marine biology, won second place
in the graduate student poster competition.
In fall 2009, Rhodes-Reese received $2500 from the UAF Center for Research Services
to fund her project. As a third-place winner at the symposium, she also earned a $1000
scholarship. Rhodes-Reese presented her research on how habitat and diet affects the
color of hatchery-raised juvenile king crab. Rhodes-Reese works in Ginny Eckert’s
laboratory at the CFOS Fisheries Division Juneau Center.
Sara Carroll presented a poster called "Declawed – Foraging records from stable isotope
signatures within ice-seal claws." Carroll received a $500 tuition award. Carroll’s
advisors are Larissa Dehn and Brenda Norcross.
Rhodes-Reese's abstract:
Camouflage is an essential component to the cryptic behavior of juvenile red king
crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus). Since coloration is the key factor in camouflage, understanding the effects of
diet and habitat on their coloration is vital. I hypothesized that a diet composed
mainly of Euphausiid krill along with a “natural” habitat would have a significant
effect on the coloration of hatchery-reared juvenile king crab in comparison to a
control diet lacking carotenoids and a plain plastic habitat. I took photographs and
measured color values with image analysis software to determine color change over
26 days. The crabs that did not go through a molt cycle showed no significant color
change, but the two that successfully completed the molt cycle showed color change,
specifically in their RGB color values.
Download Rhodes-Reese's presentation as a PDF (1MB PDF).
Carroll’s abstract:
Long-term and seasonal feeding records and potential prey switching in marine mammals
can be determined from keratinized structures (e.g., baleen, whiskers). Ice-seal claws
display distinct growth layers that alternate in pattern based on the season (spring/summer
and fall/winter) similar to growth annuli observed in teeth. As claws grow continuously,
the growth layers can capture dietary records for up to 10 years; thereafter the claws
start to wear at the distal ends. This unique glimpse into the feeding history of
individual pinnipeds can help document seasonal importance of prey and reveal key
seasons or years (such as unusual ice years) that may have crucial impact on the individual.
Long-term feeding data will give critical insight into the current status of ice seals
against which to measure effects of climate change and alteration of habitat in the
Bering, Beaufort, and Chukchi seas. Claws were collected from bearded (Erignathus barbatus) and ringed seals (Pusa hispida) harvested for subsistence use in June and July of 2000, 2001, and 2002 in Barrow,
Alaska. Analyses of stable nitrogen and carbon isotope ratios within these seal claw
layers display times of migration and prey switching. In addition, development stages
of juvenile seals can be differentiated, including in utero and lactation. Stable
isotope analysis of seal claws will be incorporated into a more extensive study of
trophic links between forage fishes, their prey, and ice seals within the Northeastern
Chukchi Sea.
Click here to view Carroll's poster.
20 April 2010
ASG— National Sea Grant announces aquaculture research grant competition.
April 12, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—Six students at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences have been awarded
Rasmuson Fisheries Research Center Fellowships for the 2010-2011 academic year. Three
students received renewals of existing fellowships and three received new fellowships.
Renewed Fellowships:
Christine Gleason, M.S. Oceanography Candidate: Otolith chemistry of
Arctic cod and Arctic staghorn sculpin in the Chukchi Sea (Advisor: Brenda Norcross)
Elena Fernandez, M.S. Oceanography Candidate: The effects of ocean acidification on walleye Pollock
(Theragra Chalcogramma) early life history stages using bioindicators of stress and cytotoxicity (Advisors:
Jeremy Mathis and Lara Dehn)
Laurinda Marcello, M.S. Fisheries Candidate: Effects of climate variability and fishing on Gadoid-Crustacean
interactions in subarctic ecosystems (Advisor: Franz Mueter)
New Fellowships:
Greg Albrecht, M.S. Marine Biology Candidate: Defining genetic population structure in the snow
crab (Chionoecetes opilio) in the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort seas (Advisor: Sarah Mincks Hardy)
Julie Nielsen, Ph.D. Fisheries Candidate: New methods for characterizing spatial dynamics of Pacific
cod and Pacific halibut in Alaska (Advisor: Andrew Seitz)
Michael Garvin, Ph.D. Fisheries Candidate: A molecular genetic analysis of chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) populations: mixed stock analysis and population structure (Advisor: Anthony Gharrett)
Each fellow receives a stipend and paid tuition for the school year.
The research center’s mission is to promote excellence in research related to fisheries
and to develop young fisheries scientists. The center was founded in 1994 by Elmer
E. Rasmuson through an endowment to UAF. A second major endowment in support of the
center was created through a bequest from Elmer E. Rasmuson’s estate in 2001. The
endowments are managed by the University of Alaska Foundation, and interest on the
principal is used to support the research of graduate students that contributes toward
the scientific or applied knowledge base of Alaska’s marine waters and resources.
9 April 2010
ASG— The Alaska Sea Grant College Program will undergo a scheduled four-year review
May 18–19, 2010. A federal Site Review Team will review and discuss the Alaska Sea
Grant Program’s management and organization, stakeholder engagement, and collaborative
network/NOAA activities.
8 April 2010
MAP— The Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program will conduct workshops in Southeast
Alaska beginning later this month to teach commercial fishermen how to maintain, troubleshoot
and better understand onboard refrigeration equipment.
April 2, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—Read about the many achievements of our faculty, staff and students in the new newsletter.
www.sfos.uaf.edu/newsletter
February 26, 2010
Juneau, Alaska—On February 15, Gordon Kruse, President's Professor of Fisheries at the CFOS Juneau
Center, testified before the Alaska legislature's House Finance Subcommittee on Fisheries.
Kruse's testimony and presentation provided an overview of UAF's activities in fisheries
and marine mammal research, as well as CFOS' partnerships with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Download Kruse's testimony here (106KB PDF)
Download Kruse's presentation here (2.32MB PDF)
UA seeks state funding for marine extension in six coastal communities
23 February 2010
CFOS— The University of Alaska’s 2011 operating budget request to the Alaska Legislature
includes $614,000 to permanently fund MAP positions in the six communities.
February 17, 2010
Seward, Alaska—For the fourth year in a row, high school students from Juneau took first place in
the 13th annual Alaska Region National Ocean Sciences Bowl, also known as the Tsunami Bowl. South Anchorage High School’s Team Starfish won
second place.
The competition was held Feb. 5-7 in Seward. The competition consists of two equally
weighted parts: a tournament-style academic competition designed to challenge students'
knowledge of ocean sciences; and a research project that has both written and public
speaking components. This year the research project focused on receding sea ice and
Alaska's coasts.
“It was wonderful to see so many enthusiastic students who are knowledgeable about
the ocean and the important role it plays in so many aspects of our lives,” said Phyllis
Shoemaker, the organizer for the Tsunami Bowl.
This year’s Tsunami Bowl broke several new records with 22 teams from 15 high schools
and a total of 105 students participating. Teams came from all over Alaska, from Petersburg
to Anchorage to Mountain Village.
“There are so many social and economic issues that are affected by the ocean,” said
Shoemaker. “Through the Tsunami Bowl research project and quiz competition, these
students are developing important skills that will enable them to be the informed
citizenry that must deal with these issues in the future.”
The Juneau team consists of students from both Juneau-Douglas High School and Thunder
Mountain High School. The team included team captain Andrew Gregovich, Sarah Donohoe,
Seth Brickey, Sam Kurland, Martina Miller and longtime Tsunami Bowl coach Ben Carney.
Brickey was voted most valuable player on the team.
The winning team from Juneau, called “Hot Tropic,” won a free trip to compete against
other regional teams in the NOSB finals in Florida in April. Other prizes included
scholarships to the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the University of Alaska Southeast.
4 February 2010
CFOS— Some 105 students representing 22 high school science teams from around the
state will face off this week during the annual Alaska Tsunami Ocean Sciences Bowl.
4 February 2010
ASG— A UAF study partially funded by Alaska Sea Grant examines the economic impact
of fishery quota shares on Alaska coastal communities.
2 February 2010
ASG— Jim Swingle joins Alaska Sea Grant to continue work on the Alaska King Crab Research,
Rehabilitation and Biology Program (AKCRRAB)
February 1, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—The University of Alaska Fairbanks and Marinette Marine Corporation will host a ceremonial
signing of the shipyard contract for the R/V Sikuliaq in Marinette, Wis. Friday, Feb.
5, at Marinette Marine Corporation. The signing ceremony will include a shipyard tour
at 1 p.m., ceremonial signing at 3 p.m. and a reception at 5 p.m.
The $123 million construction contract for the Sikuliaq was awarded last month to
Marinette Marine Corporation. The ship, formerly known as the Alaska Region Research
Vessel, will be a 254-foot oceanographic research vessel. UAF announced the name of
the new vessel this month. Sikuliaq, pronounced [see-KOO-lee-auk], is an Inupiaq word
meaning “young sea ice.”
Construction of the Sikuliaq will be completed in 2013 and the ship will be science-ready
in 2014. The vessel will be owned by the National Science Foundation and operated
by UAF. The Sikuliaq will be headquartered out of the UAF Seward Marine Center in
Seward, Alaska.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 60 faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
February 1, 2010
Anchorage, Alaska—UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences students have won four out of the six student awards for best posters and presentations at the 2010 Alaska Marine Science Symposium.
Two awards were given for the best poster award. Jill-Marie Seymour, master’s student
in marine biology, won best poster award for a master’s degree student. Nathan Stewart,
Ph.D. student in marine biology, received the best poster award for a Ph.D. student.
Mayumi Arimitsu, master’s degree student in fisheries, won a best oral presentation
award for a master’s degree student and Elizabeth Siddon, Ph.D. student in fisheries,
won best oral presentation for a Ph.D. student.
The Alaska Marine Science Symposium is held every January in Anchorage. This year’s
symposium included about 700 participants.
1 February 2010
MAP— Recent news highlights from the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program
February 1, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—Martin Schuster, a master's degree student in marine biology, is spending January
and February in Antarctica as part of an NSF-funded photography expedition.
View photographs and read Schuster's blog here.
Expedition photographs include images of Antarctic marine life both above and below
the water. The expedition is headquartered at Palmer Station and is led by wildlife
photographer Norbert Wu. Schuster's advisor is Brenda Konar.
January 28, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—Two professors at the University of Alaska Fairbanks were recently recognized for
their contributions to ocean science and sustainability in Alaska.
Vera Alexander, former College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences dean and professor
emeritus, and Gordon Kruse, professor of fisheries, received the Alaska Ocean Leadership
Awards during at the first Alaska Marine Gala held last week in Anchorage. The awards
were established by the Alaska SeaLife Center.
Awards were presented in the following categories: media, industry, research, outreach
and lifetime achievement.
Alexander earned the lifetime achievement award. Her career has spanned more than
four decades and she was the first woman to receive her Ph.D. at the University of
Alaska. Former Gov. Walter Hickel and his wife, Ermalee, sponsored the lifetime achievement
award.
Kruse received the research award. Kruse is a professor of fisheries at the CFOS Juneau
Center. The awards committee recognized his work on mathematical models and fisheries
data analysis. The Alaska SeaLife Center sponsored the research award.
“We were delighted to be able to help recognize the great work being undertaken by
these ocean heroes,” said Ian Dutton, CEO of the Alaska SeaLife Center.
A plaque recognizing all award winners will be displayed at the Alaska SeaLife Center.
The call for nominations for the next round of awards will be made in mid-2010.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 60 faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
January 13, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—The University of Alaska Fairbanks has chosen a name for the 254-foot Alaska Region
Research Vessel. The vessel will be called the R/V ‘Sikuliaq,’ pronounced [see-KOO-lee-auk.]
Sikuliaq is an Inupiaq word meaning “young sea ice.”
The Sikuliaq will be an oceanographic research vessel capable of breaking ice up to
2.5 feet thick. Last month, the university chose Marinette Marine Corporation in Marinette,
Wis. to build the Sikuliaq. When completed in 2013, the ship will be one of the most
technologically advanced oceanographic vessels in the world.
“The name ‘Sikuliaq’ reflects both our Alaska heritage as well as our focus on arctic
research,” said UAF Chancellor Brian Rogers. “As Alaska’s first university in a relatively
young and growing state, we are proud of our role in bringing to fruition this vital
addition to the American research fleet.”
A committee of scientists and university staff members chose the name after receiving
more than 150 suggestions from the public. After consulting with the UAF Alaska Native
Language Center, the committee recommended the name “Sikuliaq.”
“Naming the ARRV ‘Sikuliaq’ is a tribute to the Native people of the Arctic who know
so much about sea ice,” said Craig George, senior wildlife biologist for the North
Slope Borough. “’Sikuliaq’ is a name everyone can enjoy and be proud of--scientists
and Native people alike.”
The Sikuliaq’s home port will be at the UAF Seward Marine Center. The vessel will
be owned by the National Science Foundation and operated by UAF as part of the U.S.
academic research fleet. Scientists in the U.S. and international oceanographic community
will use the vessel through the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System.
John Kelley, a UAF professor of oceanography and longtime arctic researcher, says
the name is appropriate.
“The name ‘Sikuliaq’ reminds me of my first experience in 1960 on young sea ice when
I went on a seal hunt with Pete Sovalik, an extraordinary Native naturalist from the
village of Barrow. Fear of the thin ice set in at first, but my companion’s reassuring
example strengthened my desire to explore more of this ice-covered ocean,” said Kelley.
In addition to its ice-breaking capabilities, the ARRV will allow researchers to collect
sediment samples directly from the seafloor, host remotely operated vehicles, use
a flexible suite of winches to raise and lower scientific equipment, and conduct surveys
throughout the water column and sea bottom using an extensive set of research instrumentation.
“The Sikuliaq will carry many young scientists as well as old veterans of arctic research
into this polar sea for many years of exploration and discovery,” said Kelley.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 60 faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
CONTACT: Carin Stephens, public information officer, UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, 907-322-8730 or cbstephens@alaska.edu. Denis Wiesenburg, dean, UAF CFOS, 907-474-7210 or wiesenburg@sfos.uaf.edu.
January 13, 2010
Fairbanks, Alaska—A group of pollock catcher-processor companies have donated more than $10 million
to the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences during the last decade.
The donations place the Pollock Conservation Cooperative among the largest private
contributors to the University of Alaska since its inception in 1917. Donations fund
ongoing marine research through the Pollock Conservation Cooperative Research Center,
as well as the Ted Stevens Distinguished Professor of Marine Policy Professorship,
graduate student fellowships, and the preservation of Ted Stevens’ historical ocean
policy-related papers. The research center was founded in 2000 and has received about
$1 million annually.
“By giving in support of ocean science, the PCC doesn’t just benefit from the bounty
of the sea, but also gives back to ensure the sustainability of our fisheries for
future generations,” said Denis Wiesenburg, dean of the UAF College of Fisheries and
Ocean Sciences. “Their funding of our center allows us to jump-start research projects
whose results are important to understanding and managing Alaska’s robust fisheries.”
The center provides grants to University of Alaska faculty members and other scientists
to study North Pacific marine and coastal ecosystems, fisheries and marine mammals.
Recent projects include studies of Steller sea lion pups, DNA analysis of salmon,
possible causes of the northern fur seal population decline,and the effects of ocean
acidification on juvenile walleye pollock. The members of the Pollock Conservation
Cooperative are American Seafoods Company, Arctic Storm, Glacier Fish Company, Starbound
and Trident Seafoods Corporation.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 60 faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Carin Stephens, public information officer, UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, 907-322-8730 or cbstephens@alaska.edu. Denis Wiesenburg, dean, UAF CFOS, 907-474-7210 or wiesenburg@sfos.uaf.edu.
18 December 2009
ASG— Scientists studying how to hatch and raise large numbers of larval king crab
recently received wild adult king crab broodstock for another year of research.
December 17, 2009
Seward, Alaska—High school students preparing for the 2010 Alaska Region National Ocean Sciences Bowl will not only have to answer dozens of questions about ocean science, but also one
big one: how will shrinking sea ice affect Alaska’s coastal communities?
A record 21 teams from all over Alaska will converge on Seward Feb. 5-7 for the Alaska
Region NOSB, also called the Tsunami Bowl.
The competition consists of two equally weighted parts: a tournament-style academic
competition designed to challenge students' knowledge of ocean sciences; and a research
project that has both written and public speaking components. This year the research
project focuses on receding sea ice and Alaska's coasts.
Many of the teams are looking at how specific communities will be affected by shrinking
sea ice. For example, the team from Cordova High is researching the problems facing
Barrow as a result of thinning sea ice, while a team from Mountain Village is looking
at the ways receding ice is affecting subsistence in their village.
Other teams are taking a broader approach to the research project. Soldotna High School
is studying how reduced sea ice impacts polar bears, and the Kotzebue team is looking
at how global warming may affect shipping.
"We are very excited about this year’s research project. Each of the teams has picked
a unique way of looking at how thinning and receding sea ice may affect Alaska's coastal
residents," says organizer Phyllis Shoemaker of the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences.
"We are looking forward to hearing each team's oral presentation when they come to
Seward in February, as well as having a spirited competition in the quiz bowl."
Up to 21 teams representing 16 Alaska high schools plan to compete in the 2010 Alaska
Region NOSB. New schools include Hoonah High School and Ketchikan High School.
"This year's Tsunami Bowl will have lots of new blood, with two new schools and several
new coaches joining us for the first time. This is the first year of participation
for about two thirds of the students," says Shoemaker.
The winner of the Alaska Region NOSB competition will compete in the NOSB finals,
scheduled to take place in Florida in April 2010.
2010 Alaska NOSB Teams
- Anchorage; South Anchorage High School
- Copper Center; Kenny Lake High School
- Cordova; Cordova High School (two teams)
- Eagle River; Eagle River High School
- Hoonah; Hoonah High School
- Juneau; Juneau-Douglas High School (two teams)
- Ketchikan; Ketchikan High School
- Kodiak; Kodiak High School
- Kotzebue; Kotzebue High School
- Mountain Village; Ignatius Beans Memorial School Complex (two teams)
- Petersburg; Petersburg High School
- Seward; Seward High School
- Soldotna; Soldotna High School
- Unalaska; Unalaska City School (two teams)
- Wasilla; Mat-Su Career and Technical High School (two teams) and Wasilla High School
Sponsors of the 2010 Alaska Tsunami Bowl include the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and Seward Marine Center, Dolly Dieter, The Glosten Associates, Prince William Sound Science Center, Norseman Maritime Charters, Seward Fisheries/Icicle Seafoods, Kenai Fjord Tours, Kenai Fjords National Park, Ocean Alaska Science and Learning Center, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, and Aurora Energy Services.
ContactPhyllis Shoemaker, UAF CFOS Seward Marine Center, by phone at 907-224-4312 or via e-mail at phyllis.shoemaker@alaska.edu OR Carin Stephens, public information officer, by phone at 907-322-8730 or via e-mail at cbstephens@alaska.edu.
December 15, 2009
Fairbanks, Alaska—Donald Schell, former director of the Institute of Marine Science and professor emeritus
at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, died last weekend at his home
in Australia. Schell was a chemical oceanographer specializing in stable isotopes
in oceanographic and biologic systems.
Schell served as the director of IMS from 1994 to 2002. He was a student, researcher
and faculty member at the University of Alaska for 40 years, from 1962 – 2002.
After receiving his B.S. in chemistry from the University of Massachusetts in 1962,
Schell came to Alaska and earned his master’s degree, also in chemistry, from the
University of Alaska in 1964. He received a Ph.D. in chemical oceanography from the
University of Alaska in 1971. His advisor was John Goering.
When Schell was conferred professor emeritus status in 2002, the UAF chancellor said:
"Dr. Schell has earned an international reputation for his work in stable isotope
patterns in oceanographic and biological systems; and has conducted research in areas
of particular interest to Alaskans, including arctic trophic dynamics, marine mammal
migrations, and carbon accumulation and cycling in arctic tundra; and whose work in
these areas has led to improved knowledge of the critical habitat and life cycle of
bowhead whales, the provenance of polar bears and changes in the productivity of Bering
Sea fisheries, all of which have had a direct bearing on the use and management of
these resources; and Dr. Schell's discoveries from his studies of stable isotopes
have been applied by scientists around the globe to improve their knowledge of food
webs in ecosystems ranging from forest to ocean, one of the results having led to
a revised understanding of bowhead whale populations and harvesting practices; and
whose techniques in managing marine mammal populations have spread around the world
as far as Australia and South Africa".
Schell was 69 years old.
Post your memories or comments about Don Schell on this webpage by e-mailing cbstephens@alaska.edu.
December 8, 2009
Fairbanks, Alaska—More than three decades ago, marine scientists in the United States first identified
the need for a research vessel capable of bringing scientists to Alaska’s icy northern
waters.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks has announced its intent to award a $123 million
contract that will meet that need. The university has selected Marinette Marine Corporation
of Marinette, Wis. to build the 254-foot Alaska Region Research Vessel.
When complete, the vessel will be one of the most advanced university research vessels
in the world and will be capable of breaking ice up to 2.5 feet thick. According to
project leaders, the ARRV’s home port will be in Alaska, most likely at UAF's Seward
Marine Center.
"Ocean scientists need this ice-capable vessel now, more than ever before, to study
the changes occurring in arctic waters," says Denis Wiesenburg, a co-principal investigator
on the project and the dean of the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
The $123 million for the ship construction contract is funded entirely by the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The total cost for the project is $200 million.
"In the short term, constructing this world-class research vessel will create American
jobs to help our nation pull out of the current recession," said Sen. Mark Begich.
"The University of Alaska has dreamed of having a new research vessel for decades
and I am thrilled to see work will soon get underway through the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act. Once complete, the ARRV will be a state-of-the-art platform
to conduct the scientific research necessary for Alaskans to understand the challenges
we’re feeling from climate change and its implications on the changing arctic environment."
The vessel will be owned by the National Science Foundation and operated by UAF as
part of the U.S. academic research fleet. It will be used by scientists in the U.S.
and international oceanographic community through the University-National Oceanographic
Laboratory System. The vessel was designed by The Glosten Associates, a marine architecture
firm in Seattle.
After the ship has been completed, the crew will take the vessel from the shipyard
through the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway transit system and the Panama Canal to
Alaska in 2013. While in transit, scientists and crewmembers will test the scientific
components of the ship in preparation for unrestricted science operations beginning
in 2014.
"I have been working on the Alaska Region Research Vessel project for quite a while
and am pleased to see it advance to the next phase with the shipyard contract," said
Sen. Lisa Murkowski. "This world-class ice-capable research ship will support critical
science in the Arctic as well as the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska, where the marine
ecosystems support the nation's most productive fisheries. I commend the National
Science Foundation and the University of Alaska Fairbanks for their efforts to make
this project a reality."
In addition to its ice-breaking capabilities, the ARRV will allow researchers to collect
sediment samples directly from the seafloor, host remotely operated vehicles, use
a flexible suite of winches to raise and lower scientific equipment, and conduct surveys
throughout the water column and sea bottom using an extensive set of research instrumentation.
The ship will be able to transmit real-time information directly to classrooms all
over the world. The vessel design strives to have the lowest possible environmental
impact, including a low underwater-radiated noise signature for marine mammal and
fisheries work. The ARRV will have accommodations for up to 26 scientists and students
at a time, including those with disabilities.
"This project is something I have worked on for many years with Sen. Stevens," said
Rep. Don Young. "It is an extremely important vessel for Alaska, not only because
of the jobs it will create, but because of the opportunity that will come from it.
The United States is an arctic nation because of Alaska and Alaska will provide the
gateway to our nation's future. We have the opportunity now to address the prospects
of industry years down the road and how we can use changing arctic conditions to our
advantage, and the Alaska Region Research Vessel is going to help put us at the forefront
of those changes."
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 55 faculty
scientists and 135 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Carin Stephens, public information officer, at 907-322-8730, or via e-mail at cbstephens@alaska.edu.
Denis Wiesenburg, CFOS dean, at 907-474-7210
December 6, 2009
Fairbanks, Alaska—Terrance Quinn, professor of fisheries at CFOS in Juneau, has won the Wally Noerenberg
Award for Fishery Excellence, the highest award given by the American Fisheries Society’s
Alaska Chapter. The award was presented to Quinn via the Internet at the AFS Alaska
Chapter meeting in November 2009.
The Noerenberg award was first presented in 1982. During the past 27 years, there
have only been 15 recipients. Previous recipients include Ole Mathisen, Jim Reynolds
and Clem Tillion.
Quinn specializes in fisheries population and biometrics. He received his Ph.D. at
the University of Washington in 1980 and joined the University of Alaska as a faculty
member in 1985.
According to Ted Otis, award committee chair and the Alaska Department of Fish and
Game’s finfish area biologist in Homer, Quinn has a long and distinguished career
contributing to fisheries science in Alaska.
"As a professor at UAF CFOS, Terry continues to educate and mentor a long line of
graduate students who excel at developing innovative methods for advanced theoretical
and computational population assessment," said Otis. "Terry’s leadership in the field
of quantitative fish dynamics extends well beyond Alaska’s borders."
Quinn has served on numerous regional, national, and international scientific advisory
committees, including 25 years on the Statistical and Scientific Committee of the
North Pacific Fishery Management Council. He is currently on sabbatical in South Africa.
The Alaska Chapter of the American Fisheries Society is a professional organization
of individuals interested in maintaining high standards for the fisheries profession
and ensuring conservation of Alaska's fisheries. CFOS fisheries faculty and students
in Juneau and Fairbanks play a major role in the AFS Alaska Chapter.
October 29, 2009
Alaska’s young fishermen to gather to become savvy businessmen, chart industry futureCordova, Alaska—Eric Lian was 12 years old when he began commercial salmon fishing on his dad’s purse
seiner in Prince William Sound, Alaska. His dad, Phil, now a veteran of 50 fishing
seasons on the sound, urged him not to take up fishing as a livelihood. Working at
sea is dangerous, and unpredictable salmon prices make it a boom and bust industry,
he said. Those warnings grew especially strong in the years after the 1989 Exxon Valdez
Oil Spill.
“My father started fishing on the sound when he was just a young boy,” recounted Lian.
“He went through the good times and the bad times; he saw it all. Then the spill happened,
and what Exxon did to fishermen really took the wind out of his sails. He was really
pessimistic about me getting into fishing after that.”
So Lian went to college, and in 2007 he graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s
degree in political science from Washington State University. He also learned to weld
at Bellingham Technical College, a skill he knew would come in handy back home in
Cordova.
After school, he did a number of jobs around the sound. But none lasted. Salmon fishing
also was in the midst of one of its bust cycles; prices were way down and the runs
were weak. But it also was a great time to buy into the fishery, as permit prices
were the lowest in decades. So he bought himself a boat and a limited-entry salmon
gillnet permit for Prince William Sound and Copper River Delta.
Lian knew how to catch fish, thanks to a childhood spent on his dad’s seiner, but
there were aspects of the industry he realized he needed to know more about if he
was to be successful in the long term.
“There's a lot to know about running a business, there are more regulations on running
and operating a boat now,” said Lian. “Just getting into the fisheries, buying a boat
and a permit, is really expensive. And then there are the fisheries regulations, the
management, and the politics. It’s just so much more than netting fish and selling
them to the processor.”
The Cordova District Fishermen United (CDFU), the local fisherman’s association, recognized
Lian as an up and coming leader in the industry. In 2007, CDFU sponsored Lian’s participation
in the Alaska Young Fishermen’s Summit. Organized by the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory
Program, the two-day summit brings young fishermen together with leading experts in
business management and finance, marketing and fisheries management.
“It was an eye-opener,” Lian said. “I had just graduated from college, and so this
was a great opportunity to see what was going on in the industry. I am glad I did,
I really am, because you have to understand the fisheries on business terms. My favorite
part of it was learning how to acquire loans, who to talk to about financing, and
how to structure a business.”
For other young fishermen like Lian, the next Alaska Young Fishermen’s Summit will
be held in Anchorage, December 7–9.
The 2009 summit is the third in the series for people just getting started in commercial
fishing, and who want to take leadership roles in the industry. The summit is designed
to help fishermen improve their business management and marketing skills and decision
making; understand the global seafood marketplace; broaden their understanding of
marine and fisheries sciences; and become effective participants in state and federal
fisheries management processes. Small group sessions are designed to directly link
attendees with industry experts in policy, science, marketing and business.
“We started the Alaska Young Fishermen’s Summit with the realization that it’s getting
more complicated to enter into the fisheries,” said Sunny Rice, summit coordinator
and Marine Advisory Program agent based in Petersburg. "So this is an attempt to help
fishermen understand and deal with these changes in ways that can help them be successful.”
Lian said the summit also gives fishermen, traditionally an independent, keep-to-yourself-lot,
the chance to network, develop friendships and share experiences.
“As a fisherman, you have this distance relationship with fishermen who are involved
in other fisheries around the state,” said Lian. “But at the summit you all come together,
and you have the opportunity to establish some common ground, which is rather nice.
You gain an appreciation and respect for one another.”
More than 130 fishermen participated in the previous two summits. Past summit attendees
adopted new quality and handling procedures aboard their vessels as a result of the
training they received. Others were elected to the boards of fishermen’s associations
and have testified before the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and the Alaska
Board of Fisheries. Lian said the help and hands-on training he received at the fishermen’s
summit has inspired him to become more active and outspoken as he seeks to make changes
to keep fishing a viable career in Alaska.
“It’s a cliche , but it’s up to us as the younger fishermen to take up the torch and
bear the responsibility for the future of our industry and our communities; to step
up and give back,” Lian said. “So I’ve been participating in my local fishing association
and talking to other fishermen about ways to make fishing better.”
Last year, Lian was elected to the CDFU Board of Directors, where he serves as a cochair
of the driftnet division. There, Lian has the chance to speak with fishermen, politicians,
and resource managers about ways to make his local fishery more sustainable for himself,
his fellow fishermen and his community.
“Eric has really stepped up in his role as cochair of our gillnet division. We are
definitely getting back our investment in sending Eric and other younger fishermen
to the AYFS training," said Rochelle Van den Broek, CDFU executive director.
This year’s Alaska Young Fishermen’s Summit will coincide with Alaska Board of Fisheries
and North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) meetings in Anchorage. A joint
reception with summit attendees and the NPFMC is scheduled for December 8.
Optional post-conference workshops include training to serve on fisheries and other
nonprofit boards, starting a direct marketing operation, and an Alaska Marine Safety
Education Association drill conductor safety certification course.
AYFS keynote speakers this year include Al Burch, a 40-year veteran of Alaska fishing
and Executive Director of the Alaska Whitefish Trawlers Association, a nonprofit group
representing approximately 40 vessels that fish out of Kodiak; and Linda Behnken,
Executive Director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, a Sitka-based nonprofit
association of independent commercial longline vessel owners and crewmembers. Other
speakers include world seafood market experts, tax advisors from the Internal Revenue
Service, financial advisors, maritime attorneys, state and University of Alaska Fairbanks
marine scientists, and state and federal fishery managers.
November 30 is the deadline for signing up to participate in the 2009 Alaska Young
Fishermen’s Summit.
The Alaska Young Fishermen’s Summit is sponsored by the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory
Program, through a federal Fisheries Extension Education grant and the United States
Department of Agriculture’s Intensive Technical Assistance program. Additional support
comes from the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, the Marine Conservation Alliance,
United Fishermen of Alaska, United Catcher Boats and Northwest Farm Credit Services.
As for Eric Lian, he believes Alaska’s best fishing days are ahead. He’s so optimistic
that he was recently in Blaine, Washington, talking to boat builders about buying
a new purse seiner to go with the seine permit he hopes to buy one day soon.
October 19, 2009
Fall 2009 CFOS Newsletter onlineClick on the image to download the Fall 2009 newsletter (5.6 MB PDF).
The Fall 2009 CFOS Newsletter is now online. View it here.
October 9, 2009
Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program agent receives Earl P. McFee award for commitment to seafood industryKodiak, Alaska—A career spent gutting, grinding, mincing and preparing all manner of seafood in a
quest to help the Alaska seafood industry develop innovative new seafood products
and healthier, more efficient processing methods, would seem a thankless task.
For Chuck Crapo, an Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program seafood scientist at
the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences,
those decades of toil and commitment were recently rewarded.
Crapo’s peers from around the world recently named him recipient of the 2009 Earl
P. McFee award, given by the Atlantic Fisheries Technology Conference. The award was
bestowed recently in Copenhagen, Denmark, during the 3rd Joint Trans-Atlantic Fisheries
Technology Conference. Crapo did not attend the ceremony, but was given the award
last week in Bethel during the Marine Advisory Program’s annual meeting.
"The selection of Dr. Crapo was unanimous, and given for his commitment to seafood
science and technology transfer to the public and industry, and for his dedication
to the industry that shined above the rest of this year's nominees," said Pamela Tom,
a seafood scientist at the University of California Davis, and director of the Seafood
Network Information Center at the California Sea Grant Extension Program.
The Earl P. McFee award was established in 1971 and is presented annually at the Atlantic
Fisheries Technology Conference. The award is presented to the person who has demonstrated
outstanding and extraordinary qualifications, experience and contributions in the
field of seafood science and technology.
"I'm really happy to have this award,” said Crapo from his office at the UAF Fishery
Industrial Technology Center in Kodiak. “It’s truly an honor to be recognized by my
peers for the work I do with the Alaska fishing and seafood industry."
A former seafood product quality control manager, Crapo joined the university in 1983.
He has helped the industry develop new products and improve quality standards for
Alaska-caught seafood. He also trained thousands of seafood workers to meet state
and federal standards for seafood safety and quality.
Earl P. McFee was vice president and director of research and development at Gorton’s
Corporation at the time of his retirement in 1968, after 30 years of service. He is
credited with standardizing the frozen fish block; developing techniques in tempering,
slicing and thawing of fish blocks; and development of the breaded fish portions and
fish sticks. He also worked to improve quality and sanitation practices for the seafood
industry.
View Alaska Sea Grant News Release
Editor's Note: Crapo was honored with an additional award, this one from the International Association of Fish Inspectors. The Special Recognition award was given to Crapo for his “career contributions to
the profession of seafood inspection, science and technology, and related fields,
in industry, academia, and government." The award was given during the World Seafood
Congress, held in Agadir, Morocco, October 3-7, 2009. Crapo did not travel to Morocco
to receive the award.
October 8, 2009
Fairbanks, Alaska—A scholarship has been named in honor of an undergraduate fisheries student, Blake
Nunemann, who died September 30. The Blake Nunemann Memorial Scholarship has been
set up at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
The scholarship fund was set up to celebrate Blake's life and his love for fisheries,
as well as encourage young scientists to broaden their understanding of the field.
Recipients will be selected to receive the annual scholarship based on academic record
and financial need. Recipients will be chosen by an awards committee consisting of
his parents, fisheries faculty and staff.
To contribute to the Blake Nunemann Memorial Scholarship, log onto the UAF Development
website at www.uaf.edu/giving/gift or mail your gift to:
Teresa Thompson
Development Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
P.O. Box 757220
Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-7220.
Please specify that you are making the contribution to the Blake Nunemann Memorial
Scholarship fund. By making this contribution you are paying tribute to Blake and
helping another young student gain an education in the field that Blake was so excited
to enter into and be a part of.
Teresa Thompson
Development Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
P.O. Box 757220
Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-7220
Tel: 907-474-1867
E-mail: teresa@sfos.uaf.edu
October 1, 2009
Fairbanks, Alaska—CoastWise Alaska is a new, free, audio news and feature service that spotlights stories
about coastal Alaska science, business, and the environment.
“CoastWise Alaska is a way to bring useful information and news about the seafood
industry, coastal tourism, scientific research, marine conservation, and economic
development to residents and visitors alike,” according to writer and host Doug Schneider.
Produced by the Alaska Sea Grant College Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks,
CoastWise Alaska stories feature experts from the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory
Program and researchers from the University of Alaska.
CoastWise Alaska stories, together with links to additional information, are available
as text and MP3 audio on the web.
The CoastWise Alaska website currently features stories on how fishermen can save
money on fuel, tips for caring for sport-caught fish, research to rebuild red and
blue king crab stocks off Kodiak and in the Bering Sea, the potential dangers posed
by invasive marine species, and responsible marine wildlife viewing. New stories are
regularly added to the site.
Producer Doug Schneider is an award-winning writer and former host of Arctic Science
Journeys Radio, a news and feature series on science, culture and the environment
of the circumpolar north, produced by Alaska Sea Grant. The program ran for eight
years on many Alaska Public Radio Network stations, as well as several national and
international science and environmental web sites and other outlets.
For more information, please visit the CoastWise Alaska Web site.
Doug Schneider, Information Officer, Alaska Sea Grant, 907-474-7449, doug.schneider@alaska.edu
September 30, 2009
26th Lowell Wakefield Fisheries SymposiumAnchorage, Alaska—Alaska Sea Grant is pleased to announce the 26th Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium, Ecosystems 2010: Global Progress on Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management. This international meeting will take place November 8–11, 2010, in Anchorage, Alaska.
Ecosystems 2010 will bring together international fishery scientists, managers, and stakeholders to share insights into the current status and future prospects of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM). After achieving general international consensus on the need for EBFM in the 1990s, to what extent is it being successfully implemented? This symposium builds on the 16th Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium, Ecosystem Approaches for Fisheries Management, held in 1998, as well as international symposia held in France, Iceland, and Norway in the last decade.
Oral presentations and posters addressing the Ecosystems 2010 symposium theme are sought covering the following topics:
- Progress on regional applications of ecosystem-based management and fishery ecosystem plans, including identification of operational objectives (conservation, social, economic), and eco-regions.
- New analytical tools (strategic vs. tactical models, risk assessment, integrated ecosystem assessments).
- Evaluations of the utility of ecosystem indicators and empirical information needed to support EBFM.
- Human dimensions of EBFM, including successful stakeholder processes and different perspectives on ecosystem approaches.
- Successful case studies and practical solutions (e.g., zoning, marine protected areas).
- Necessary steps for future progress. What’s next?
To submit an abstract for consideration, fill out the online submission form, available through the symposium Web site. The deadline for submissions is June 4, 2010. The symposium Web site will also provide current information such as location, registration, and the meeting agenda.
Sponsors include the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Alaska Sea Grant, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), North Pacific Fishery Management Council, North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES), and U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service.
ContactSherri Pristash, Meetings Coordinator, Alaska Sea Grant, 907-474-6701
September 8, 2009
Dillingham, Alaska—Bristol Bay, home to Alaska’s largest wild commercial salmon fishery, once again has
an Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program (MAP) agent to help fishermen, seafood
processors and marketers, and other marine resource users.
Bay resident Izetta Chambers was hired by MAP to fill the vacant agent position in
Bristol Bay. Chambers will be based in Dillingham at the UAF Bristol Bay campus, and
serve the Bristol Bay, Eastern Aleutians, and Alaska Peninsula region. A longtime
resident of the community of Naknek, an important fishing and seafood processing town
on the east side of Bristol Bay, Chambers recently returned with a law degree from
the University of Arizona.
“I am so glad to be back in my home region, and to be on site to help people with
their ideas,” Chambers said. “I am especially interested in helping people start or
even improve seafood processing or seafood marketing businesses.”
The Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program is a statewide extension and technical
assistance program that helps Alaskans wisely use, conserve and enjoy the state’s
marine and coastal resources. Alaska Sea Grant is a state-federal research, education
and outreach partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) and the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). Alaska Sea Grant and MAP are
based at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. MAP has offices in 10 coastal
towns across the state.
Chambers and her family operate Naknek Family Fisheries, a seafood direct marketing
business that processes and sells about 40,000 pounds of premium-quality, quick-frozen
salmon fillets each year. Chambers said involvement in the family business has given
her first-hand experience she’ll use to help others improve their fishing business
savvy and help entrepreneurs get started in their own businesses.
“I have gone through the processes with venturing into direct marketing, helping my
mom get on board with direct marketing and then delving into it further with the fish
processing business,” Chambers said. “I would really like to bring that real life
practical experience to work for people of the Bristol Bay Region who want to add
more value to their products.”
Together with helping diversify the bay’s fisheries, Chambers wants to help seafood
processors reduce or even eliminate the practice of grinding up fish waste and dumping
it into the region’s rivers and the bay.
“One of my big long term goals is to move the entire Alaska seafood industry from
very wasteful to zero waste,” said Chambers.
To do that, Chambers plans to bring seafood scientists, biologists, economists and
other specialists together to find better uses for the waste products, ranging from
high-tech fish oils to low-tech garden fertilizer that bay residents can use to grow
their own food.
“If you go to a store in the bay region you are likely to pay $2.49 a pound for potatoes.
Now is that crazy?” said Chambers. “My step-dad has a real green thumb and from an
8x10 plot they have enough potatoes to feed two households. If we can just improve
our soil conditions, we would not have to import soil. If you have to buy a bag of
soil, it’s like $36 dollars. If we can produce these things locally, imagine the economic
benefit.”
It’s likely that Chambers’ law degree will help her with more controversial issues
being debated in the Bay. Both the proposed Pebble hardrock mine and offshore gas
and oil development are expected to continue to inflame passions in the region.
“Our role is not to be advocates for or against any issue, or to take a position on
any issue, but I certainly see a role in getting information out there and stimulating
discussion, and educating the people on some of the issues, especially concerning
water quality,” Chambers said. “In the short term I’ll probably be organizing conferences
and putting on workshops, and inviting people from both sides to state their positions
and present data.”
Chambers said she also wants to explore the causes of outmigration of people from
the region to urban areas in search of jobs and higher education.
“In the village of Naknek, so many people have moved away,” Chambers said. “When I
graduated in 1993 from high school, there were 282 students,” explained Chambers.
“ I think this last year it was down to 144. The high cost of fuel has really put
a damper on the economy.”
Prior to leaving the state to pursue her law degree, Chambers managed economic development
projects for the Lake & Peninsula Business Development Center in King Salmon, and
was a general manager with Paug-Vik Inc. Ltd. in Naknek, the local Native corporation.
Chambers also holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University
of Arizona.
In 2009, Chambers was one of nine winners in the Alaska Marketplace competition, sponsored
by the Alaska Federation of Natives, for her new business that makes plant food from
compost derived from salmon processing waste.
The Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program also recently filled vacant and new MAP
agent positions in Nome and Ketchikan. MAP leader Paula Cullenberg said hiring people
with a wealth of local knowledge has been the highest priority.
“We now have MAP positions filled with local residents who understand what we are
trying to do with the program,” said Cullenberg.
Izetta Chambers began her job in mid-August. Chambers can be reached at 907-842-8323
August 14, 2009
Press release courtesy of Kerynn Fisher, communications coordinator, UA Museum of the NorthFairbanks, Alaska—When Alaska’s Kasatochi Volcano erupted on Aug. 7, 2008, it virtually sterilized Kasatochi
Island.
The eruption covered the small Aleutian island with a layer of ash and other volcanic
material several meters thick. It also provided a rare research opportunity: the chance
to see how an ecosystem develops from the very first species to colonize an area.
Next week, a team of researchers organized by the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service will visit Kasatochi to look for signs of life on the island.
The interdisciplinary research team, including two scientists from the University
of Alaska Fairbanks, will spend four days surveying the island, using the USFWS research
vessel Tiglax as an operational base for the on-site research. The team leaves Sunday.
“Since volcanism plays such a big role in shaping the Aleutians, we hope to end up
with a better understanding of how disturbances such as volcanic eruptions shape the
ecology of these islands,” says Tony DeGange, a USGS biologist and one of the research
team coordinators. “There hasn't been a study quite like this done in Alaska where
scientists are taking such a comprehensive ecological view of the impact of an eruption
and its resulting response and recovery.”
Researchers expect that insects and birds will be the first animal species that recolonize
the island. In preparation for the August survey, biologists set up monitoring and
sampling equipment on Kasatochi earlier this summer, including insect traps for Derek
Sikes, curator of insects at the University of Alaska Museum of the North. Sikes visited
Kasatochi in June 2008 for a one-day survey of the insect fauna on the island before
the eruption. He will be part of the research team that visits the island next week.
“Work in similar systems shows that flying and wind-borne insects and spiders form
a fairly constant rain during the summer months,” says Sikes, adding that some of
these species survive by preying or scavenging on other arthropods. “We’ll be looking
for spiders, which are all predators, and ground beetles, which are mostly predators,
as well as other species associated with bird droppings or vertebrate carrion.”
An opportunity like this is extremely rare, according to Sikes. The most comparable
example is the emergence of Surtsey Island off the coast of Iceland in 1963, when
undersea volcanic eruptions reached the surface. That island was declared a United
Nations World Heritage Site for its role as a pristine natural laboratory. Even today,
access to Surtsey remains restricted to a small number of researchers each year who
study the species that have colonized the island over the past 40 years.
Stephen Jewett, a research professor at UAF’s College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, is also part
of the research team. Jewett is a scientific diver and ecologist whose research focuses
on organisms that live on or near the seafloor.
Jewett’s role in the project is to assess the damage to the near-shore marine community
and its recovery. He said that preliminary assessments by scuba divers in June found
little marine life to depths of 10 meters.
“The circumference of the island grew substantially because of the eruption. Dense
and diverse kelp beds were wiped out,” Jewett said. “We have been given a unique opportunity
not only to measure the degree of destruction, but to also begin long-term monitoring
of the recovery of the near-shore marine environment.”
According to the USFWS, the Kasatochi study is unique in that it takes place in an
isolated ecosystem and can draw on pre-eruption ecological data dating from the mid-1990s
for the island and its nearby marine waters.
This summer’s work is funded by the North Pacific Research Board, USGS and USFWS.
According to DeGange, it is expected to be the first phase of a long-term ecological
study.
August 11, 2009
Fairbanks, Alaska—The same things that make Alaska's marine waters among the most productive in the world may also make them the most vulnerable to ocean acidification. According to new findings by a University of Alaska Fairbanks scientist, Alaska's oceans are becoming increasingly acidic, which could damage Alaska's king crab and salmon fisheries.
This spring, chemical oceanographer Jeremy Mathis returned from a cruise armed with
seawater samples collected from the depths of the Gulf of Alaska. When he tested the
samples’ acidity in his lab, the results were higher than expected. They show that
ocean acidification is likely more severe and is happening more rapidly in Alaska
than in tropical waters. The results also matched his recent findings in the Chukchi
and Bering Seas.
"It seems like everywhere we look in Alaska’s coastal oceans, we see signs of increased
ocean acidification," said Mathis.
Often referred to as the "sister problem to climate change," ocean acidification is
a term to describe increasing acidity in the world’s oceans. The ocean absorbs carbon
dioxide from the air. As the ocean absorbs more carbon dioxide, seawater becomes more
acidic. Scientists estimate that the ocean is 25 percent more acidic today than it
was 300 years ago.
"The increasing acidification of Alaska waters could have a destructive effect on
all of our commercial fisheries. This is a problem that we have to think about in
terms of the next decade instead of the next century," said Mathis.
The ocean contains minerals that organisms like oysters and crabs use to build their
shells. Ocean acidification makes it more difficult to build shells, and in some cases
the water can become acidic enough to break down existing shells. Mathis’ recent research
in the Gulf of Alaska uncovered multiple sites where the concentrations of shell-building
minerals were so low that shellfish and other organisms in the region would be unable
to build strong shells.
"We’re not saying that crab shells are going to start dissolving, but these organisms
have adapted their physiology to a certain range of acidity. Early results have shown
that when some species of crabs and fish are exposed to more acidic water, certain
stress hormones increase and their metabolism slows down. If they are spending energy
responding to acidity changes, then that energy is diverted away from growth, foraging
and reproduction," said Mathis.
Another organism that could be affected by ocean acidification is the tiny pteropod,
also known as a sea butterfly or swimming sea snail. The pteropod is at the base of
the food chain and makes up nearly half of the pink salmon’s diet. A 10 percent decrease
in the population of pteropods could mean a 20 percent decrease in an adult salmon’s
body weight.
"This is a case where we see ocean acidification having an indirect effect on a commercially
viable species by reducing its food supply," said Mathis.
The cold waters and broad, shallow continental shelves around Alaska's coast could
be accelerating the process of ocean acidification in the North, Mathis said. Cold
water can hold more gas than warmer water, which means that the frigid waters off
Alaska's coasts can absorb more carbon dioxide. The shallow waters of Alaska's continental
shelves also retain more carbon dioxide because there is less mixing of seawater from
deeper ocean waters.
Ask any coastal Alaskan and they will tell you that Alaska's waters are teeming with
biological life, from tiny plankton to humpback whales. All of these animals use oxygen
and emit carbon dioxide. Mathis and other scientists call this the "biological pump."
"We are blessed with highly productive coastal areas that support vast commercial
fisheries, but this productivity acts like a pump, absorbing more and more carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere," said Mathis. "Because of this, the acidity of Alaska’s
coastal seas will continue to increase, and likely accelerate, over the next decade."
Mathis said that it is still unclear what the full range of effects of ocean acidification
will be, but that it is a clear threat to Alaska's commercial fisheries and subsistence
communities.
"We need to give our policy makers and industry managers information and forecasts
on ocean acidification in Alaska so they can make decisions that will keep our fisheries
viable," said Mathis. "Ecosystems in Alaska are going to take a hit from ocean acidification.
Right now, we don’t know how they are going to respond."
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 55 faculty
scientists and 135 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Contact
Carin Stephens
Public Information Officer
Phone: 907-322-8730
E-mail: stephens@sfos.uaf.edu
Jeremy Mathis
Assistant Professor of Oceanography
Phone: 907-474-5926
E-mail: jmathis@sfos.uaf.edu
July 24, 2009
Fairbanks, Alaska—When completed in 2014, the Alaska Region Research Vesselwill be one of the most technologically advanced oceanographic vessels in the world.
But, it is missing something: a name.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks is asking the public to submit ideas for the name
of the research vessel. Please send your name ideas to shipname@sfos.uaf.edu by September
1, 2009.
The ARRV will be a 242-foot research vessel capable of breaking ice up to 2.5 feet
and is designed for scientific research in arctic and subarctic waters. Once completed,
the university hopes to dock the ARRV in Seward.
The ARRV name selection committee asks that names be appropriate for a ship dedicated
to marine science in Alaska. Terry Whitledge, principal investigator for the ARRV
project, suggests that name ideas could "reflect something evocative of the polar
regions, Alaskana, an outstanding marine scientist, or some oceanographic feature."
The name committee will meet regularly to consider potential names for the vessel.
The final name recommendation will be approved by the dean of the UAF College of Fisheries
and Ocean Sciences, the UAF chancellor and the National Science Foundation.
Whitledge says he hopes a name will be selected and approved by October.
Although the committee will consider all submissions, the name selection process is
not a contest.
For more information on the ARRV, please visit R/V Sikuliaq.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. Sixty faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Contact
E-mail shipname@sfos.uaf.edu to submit your name ideas.
July 23, 2009
Fairbanks, Alaska—President Obama recently awarded CFOS alumnus Dana Hanselman the 2008 Presidential
Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). According to a NOAA press release, the award is "the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on outstanding
scientists and engineers in the early stages of their careers."
Hanselman currently works as a stock assessment scientist at the
NOAA Ted Stevens Marine Research Institute. He produces assessments and reports on Alaska sablefish and rockfish.
He received a Ph.D. in fisheries from the UAF CFOS Fisheries Division in Juneau in
2004. His advisor was Terry Quinn. He also received his master’s degree from CFOS
in 2000. As a graduate student at CFOS, Hanselman was supported as a National Sea
Grant Fellow.
Read more about Hanselman as a graduate student:
- Dana Hanselman student profile from 2000
- Alaska math whiz wins national fisheries fellowship
July 23, 2009
Fairbanks, Alaska—The University of Alaska Fairbanks has appointed David Christie as the director of
the Alaska Sea Grant College Program.
"For me, the opportunity to put science to work in ways that directly benefit coastal
Alaskans is a great new challenge," says Christie. "I'm looking forward to continuing
the excellent work that Sea Grant does for the state of Alaska."
Alaska Sea Grant is a state-federal marine research, education, and advisory program
based at the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
The program has an annual budget of about $6 million, with funding from the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, UAF and external grants. An integral part of
Sea Grant is the Marine Advisory Program, an outreach network of extension agents
who live and work in ten coastal communities across Alaska.
Christie says that Alaska Sea Grant offers an important bridge connecting scientists
who study Alaska’s marine resources with the Alaskans who use those resources.
Since coming to UAF from Oregon State University in 2006, Christie has served as director
of the UAF/NOAA West Coast and Polar Regions Undersea Research Center and as UAF director
of the Kasitsna Bay Laboratory near Seldovia.
Christie is a marine geologist whose research focuses on tectonic forces and volcanic
processes in the deep ocean. He received his doctorate from the University of Hawaii
in geology and geophysics in 1984.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 55 faculty
scientists and 135 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
David Christie
Director, Alaska Sea Grant
Phone: 907-474-7836
E-mail: dchristie@guru.uaf.edu
June 15, 2009
Fairbanks, Alaska—Gerald Wasserburg, an American Geophysical Union Bowie medalist, space rock expert
and authority on the evolution of the solar system, will speak Wednesday, June 17,
at CFOS.
Wasserburg's talk is called "Imagination, Pulp Fiction, Science and Exploration" and
will be held on Wednesday, June 17, at 3:30 p.m. in the Vera Alexander Learning Center
in 201 O'Neill.
The talk is on the past and future of scientific exploration of the universe. According
to Wasserburg, popular culture and its representation of space exploration "both stimulates
and confuses real exploration" and "may lead nations astray in wild 'star wars' enterprises
that are not really exploration."
Wasserburg is a geologist at the California Institute of Technology. He was awarded the 2008 AGU William Bowie medal for his pioneering work in isotope geochemistry. Wasserburg was also awarded the
Crafoord Prize of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences from the King of Sweden in 1986 and the
NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal in 1970.
The talk will be oriented to both scientists and the general public.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. Sixty faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
June 4, 2009
Fairbanks, Alaska—This spring, fisheries senior Shelley Woods received the Outstanding Student Award
for the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. She was recognized at the UAF annual student awards breakfast in late April and at an American Fisheries Society Fairbanks Sub-Unit barbecue in
May.
Woods also received a $2,000 scholarship from CFOS as the outstanding senior in the
fisheries undergraduate program. She plans to graduate this fall with a B.S. in fisheries
and then continue on to graduate studies in fisheries at CFOS.
Other scholarship winners for the fisheries program include outstanding junior Keegan
Birchfield ($2,000), sophomore Chris Oliver ($1,500) and freshman Mark Setzer ($1,500).
May 27, 2009
Fairbanks, Alaska—The National Science Foundation has announced that the Alaska Region Research Vessel will be the first major project
funded from NSF's portion of the nation's economic stimulus funds, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The research vessel is a 242-foot, ice-capable vessel to support scientific research
in high-latitude waters. The vessel will be owned by NSF and operated by the University
of Alaska Fairbanks on behalf of the entire ocean sciences community, through the
University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System. Bids for shipyard construction are due this September. The vessel is expected to
be ready for use in 2014.
"Ocean scientists have been seeking a high-latitude research vessel for over 30 years,"
said Denis Wiesenburg, dean of the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. "We
are delighted that the increased emphasis now being placed on science by the new administration
has allowed funding of this research platform as part of the economic stimulus funding.
UAF has a welder-ready project that will benefit both the economy and the ocean science
community."
As the first vessel in the U.S. academic research fleet capable of breaking ice up
to 2.5 feet thick, the new ship will open up the ice-choked waters of the Alaska region
to scientists from all over the world.
In addition to its ice-breaking capabilities, the ARRV will allow researchers to collect
sediment samples directly from the seafloor, host remotely operated vehicles and use
a suite of flexible winches to raise and lower testing equipment throughout the water
column. The ship will also be able to transmit real-time information directly to classrooms
all over the world. The ARRV will accommodate 26 scientists and students at a time,
including those with disabilities.
With its ability to penetrate the polar and sub-polar regions, the ARRV will allow
scientists and graduate students to study global issues, such as sea-level rise and
climate change and the effects of both on the coastal and arctic ecosystems. The vessel
will be designed to serve scientists in different disciplines, such as those in fisheries,
geology, marine biology, meteorology and oceanography.
Research in this region is particularly important because of the high productivity
of Alaska's continental shelves and the livelihood of thousands of Alaskans directly
connected with the health of Alaska's fisheries.
"The ARRV will greatly expand the nation's capability to understand the nature of
climate change at high latitudes and how the marine environment and its important
fisheries resources are affected," said Buck Sharpton, vice chancellor for research
at UAF.
According to UAF's proposal, the ship will be headquartered out of the Seward Marine
Center. The vessel's size will require a new, all-weather dock and additional support
facilities at the marine center.
The Alaska Region Research Vessel was designed in 2004 by The Glosten Associates,
a group of marine architects located in Seattle. It was developed as a replacement
for the R/V Alpha Helix, a 133-foot research vessel that was built in 1966 and retired
and sold in 2007.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. Sixty faculty
scientists and 150 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
May 26, 2009
Seward, Alaska—The College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences Seward Marine Center hosted an international conference last week on marine law and public policy. The
conference was the 33rd annual Center for Oceans Law and Policy meeting and was called
"Changes in the Arctic Environment and the Law of the Sea."
A major topic at the meeting included climate change issues in the Arctic, such as
the acidification of the ocean and the possible movement of fish species northward.
Subjects discussed also included the Law of the Sea, national security, polar bears,
shipping routes, oil and gas development and more.
Mead Treadwell of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission was the keynote speaker, and other speakers included officials from the U.S. Department
of State and scientists from around the world.
The annual meeting is organized by the Center for Oceans Law and Policy at the University
of Virginia. Last year the conference was held in Singapore. Previous meetings were
held in Germany, Ireland, China and Russia.
The Center for Oceans Law and Policy supports research, education and discussion on
legal and public policy issues relating to the oceans. The Seward Marine Center is
a major marine experimental facility operated by the College of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences. SMC's mission is to support research vessel operations, shore-based fishery
and marine science research and educational resources for our scientists.
May 15, 2009
Anchorage, Alaska—During the coming weeks, thousands of commercial salmon fishermen will wet their nets
and pull in wild salmon, as Alaska's most anticipated fishing season gets underway.
Amid a global economic recession and lingering high fuel prices, fishermen will have
to catch and deliver the highest quality fish possible if they want to make money.
To help both veteran fishermen and greenhorns alike, the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory
Program has released a series of nine videos on improving salmon quality. The videos
were produced with gillnet fishermen in mind, but much of the information will be
valuable to all gear types.
The videos cover topics including quality, boat setup, fishing practices, product
handling, chilling, dressing and pressure bleeding, unloading product, and cleaning
and sanitizing.
All of the videos are available free online at www.MarineAdvisory.org. Single copies
of the videos on DVD are free for as long as the supply lasts. For more information,
contact the Marine Advisory Program at 907-274-9691, or visit the video's web site
on the
Alaska Sea Grant Bookstore
April 23, 2009
Juneau, Alaska—The University of Alaska Fairbanks will dedicate the new Lena Point Fisheries Building
in Juneau on Tuesday, April 28. Construction on the building was completed in October
2008.
Governor Sarah Palin will speak at the ceremony, along with University of Alaska President
Mark Hamilton and Representative Beth Kerttula. Walter Soboleff, a Tlingit scholar
and leader, will lead the invocation.
At about 30,000 square feet, the three-story building offers the UAF College of Fisheries
and Ocean Sciences much needed space, vital for program accreditation and expansion.
The building accommodates ten fisheries faculty, 27 graduate students and nine administrative
and research staff.
The Lena Point Fisheries Building also provides two classrooms, a teaching lab and
11 laboratories, including computer labs for statistical analysis to wet labs with
a running seawater system and saltwater tanks for studying live marine organisms.
The building is located at Lena Point, along the coast of Lena Cove, about nine miles
from downtown Juneau. Located next to the new NOAA Ted Stevens Marine Research Institute, Alaska's largest fisheries research facility, UAF scientists and students can continue
and expand a long collaborative relationship with NOAA.
UAF offers the only graduate-level degrees in fisheries in Alaska and has awarded
more than 150 such degrees. Many of UAF's fisheries graduates go on to work for the
Alaska Department of Fish and Game or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 55 faculty
scientists and 135 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Photograph by Todd Paris, UAF Marketing and Communication
Carin Stephens
Public Information Officer
907-322-8730
April 23, 2009
Alaska Sea Grant and MAP now on YouTubeFairbanks, Alaska—Alaska Sea Grant and the Marine Advisory Program are now on YouTube, where clips of many of their award-winning videos and DVDs on subjects ranging from seafood quality and sea safety to beach walking, marine debris, crab research and others can be viewed. Visit the Alaska Sea Grant YouTube Channel
April 16, 2009
Anchorage, Alaska—The Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, in partnership with Integrated Marine
Systems and the Alaska Vocational Technical Center, is offering marine refrigeration
workshops for commercial fishermen.
The one-day workshops will cover maintenance, troubleshooting and repairs on vessel
refrigeration equipment. Additional topics include refrigeration theory, system winterization,
controller programming, refrigeration safety and Freon handling and charging, system
sizing, and thermal expansion valve adjustment. A refrigerated seawater system will
be used for training activities at each location.
Workshops will be held April 23 in Kodiak; May 7 in Homer; and May 9 in Anchorage.
The workshop fee is $100 and includes the course manual. Space is limited and pre-registration
is advised. To register or for more information, please contact Torie Baker, Alaska
Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program in Cordova at 907-424-7542 or email torie@sfos.uaf.edu.
Participants may also register for the workshops online.
The Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program is a statewide university extension and technical assistance program that helps Alaskans
wisely use, conserve, and enjoy Alaska's marine and coastal resources.
March 26, 2009
Anchorage, Alaska—Marilyn Sigman, a respected marine science educator from Homer, has been named education
specialist for the recently established Alaska Center for Ocean Science Education
Excellence (COSEE Alaska) in Anchorage.
Funding for COSEE Alaska comes from the National Science Foundation. The goal of the
program is to increase ocean and climate change literacy by linking scientists with
formal and informal audiences, particularly educators. A central focus of COSEE Alaska
is to heighten public understanding of climate change occurring in Alaska and the
circumpolar north.
In her new position, Sigman will serve as the marine education specialist for the
Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, and oversee development of marine education
initiatives for COSEE Alaska.
Sigman will engage ocean scientists, teachers, informal educators and community members
in the region in a broad range of programs, including statewide ocean science fairs,
teacher workshops, expanded Communicating Ocean Science Workshops and hands-on sessions
for scientists at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium, plus distance learning and
virtual field trips through the COSEE Alaska web site.
“We are thrilled to have Marilyn join our program,” said Paula Cullenberg, Interim
Director of Alaska Sea Grant
“Her skills and years of experience as a marine educator is a perfect fit to develop
this new and long-needed initiative in Alaska. Marilyn will be the first faculty member
at any of the University of Alaska campuses to focus specifically on ocean and marine
education at the K-12 level.”
Sigman’s roots in environmental education run deep in Alaska. Since 1998, Sigman has
been the executive director of the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies. Based in Homer,
the center promotes environmental understanding and appreciation through school field
trips, nature hikes, beach walks, and programs for teachers and parents, community
members and visitors that make use of Kachemak Bay’s many educational resources and
facilities.
Sigman has created and conducted numerous marine education and outreach programs,
and is the recipient of several awards for her environmental stewardship and educational
work, including the Alaska Conservation Foundation’s 2008 Jerry S. Dixon Award for
Excellence in Environmental Education.
There are 12 COSEE programs across the country. COSEE Alaska is a partnership between
the Alaska Ocean Observing System, the Alaska SeaLife Center, the University of Alaska
Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, the UAF Center for Cross-Cultural
Studies, the Anchorage School District, and the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program.
Sigman began her new job March 16.
Paula Cullenberg, Interim Director, Alaska Sea Grant, 907-274-9691, pcullenberg@uaa.alaska.edu; or Marilyn Sigman, Marine Education Specialist, 907- 274-9612, marilyn.sigman@uaf.edu
March 25, 2009
Fairbanks, Alaska—Proceedings from a statewide workshop on offshore oil and gas development near the
Aleutian Islands and Bristol Bay is now available from the Alaska Sea Grant College
Program.
The proceedings stem from a March 2008 meeting in Anchorage called the North Aleutian Basin Energy-Fisheries Workshop.
The workshop gathered Aleutian stakeholders—fishermen, community leaders and residents,
state and federal officials, Alaska Natives, environmentalists, and oil-gas industry
proponents—to discuss the potential impacts of federally planned offshore oil and
gas lease sales. The goal of the workshop was to exchange information and gain a better
understanding of the possible impacts of oil and gas exploration and development.
“We wanted to get out ahead of the proposed development schedule and bring people
together to identify the possible risks and impacts, both positive and negative,”
said Denis Wiesenburg, Dean of the UAF
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, one of the major sponsors of the workshop.
“The workshop accomplished this objective.”
But the gathering became controversial when Bristol Bay community groups and environmentalists
sought to characterize the meeting as pro-development. The groups chided Alaska Sea
Grant and the University of Alaska Fairbanks, two key organizers of the meeting, for
accepting $25,000 from Shell, an energy company with a large stake in Aleutian oil
and gas exploration.
“A meeting of this size is expensive to put on,” said Wiesenburg. “We sought financial
support from the region’s stakeholders. Fishermen’s groups contributed, as did local
and federal entities, Alaska Native groups, and Shell, which is also a stakeholder.
Environmental groups did not offer financial support.”
Alaska Sea Grant, a federal marine research, education and outreach program at UAF,
hired a court reporter to produce transcripts of the meeting. The raw transcripts
have been publically available on the Alaska Sea Grant web site since shortly after
the meeting. The just released proceedings is an edited and formatted compilation
of all of the presentations, illustrations, question and answer sessions, and public
comments, assembled and published in a bound 200-page book.
More than 30 stakeholder groups participated in the two-day meeting, including the
Alaska Crab Coalition, Alaska Marine Conservation Council, Aleut Corporation, Aleutians
East Borough, At-sea Processors, Bristol Bay Borough, Bristol Bay Native Corporation,
City of Dillingham, City of Unalaska, Cook Inlet Keeper, Curyung Tribal Council, Kenai
Peninsula Borough, Nelson Lagoon Village, North Pacific Fishery Management Council,
Peter Pan Seafoods, United Catcher Boats, United Fishermen of Alaska, Shell, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Minerals Management Service, the World Wildlife
Fund, and others.
The workshop presented a broad spectrum of viewpoints, both for and against offshore
oil and gas development. Participants heard from people and groups opposed to energy
development, saying oil and gas development would damage the region’s large and lucrative
commercial and subsistence fisheries. Others spoke in favor of development, arguing
that commercial fishing jobs are fast disappearing, leaving the region’s younger people
without employment and causing them to leave for urban areas like Anchorage. Still
others said that not enough was known about the intentions of energy companies to
make an informed decision about development. City leaders expressed concern that rural
infrastructure needed significant improvements to support the influx of people, equipment
and services that would come from large-scale development, and that jobs and job training
be part of any development plan.
While residents of Aleutian communities such as Unalaska were cautiously supportive
of development, residents of Bristol Bay were largely against development, citing
the dangers of oil and gas development near the bay and the environmental damages
they expect to see from the proposed Pebble Mine at the headwaters of the region’s
commercial salmon fishery.
In all, 240 people attended the workshop. Some 80 percent of attendees who completed
evaluations said the workshop was effective at helping energy and fishing interests
understand each other. Survey responders were unanimous in their desire to see dialogue
continue through additional workshops.
The proceedings is available online as a free PDF. Bound copies are available for $15 plus postage either online or by calling 1-888-789-0090,
or by visiting Alaska Sea Grant.
For more about the workshop, please visit the North Aleutian Energy-Fisheries initiative
web site.
Contact
Denis Wiesenburg, Dean, UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, (907) 474-7210,
wiesenburg@sfos.uaf.edu
Paula Cullenberg, Interim Director, Alaska Sea Grant College Program, 907-274-9692,
pcullenberg@uaa.alaska.edu
March 18, 2009
Events in Fairbanks and Anchorage center around improving oil transportation and citizen involvementAnchorage, Alaska—Alaska Sea Grant legal scholars who successfully encouraged the state to establish
citizen advisory councils, conduct scientific studies, develop oil spill contingency
plans, and enact other oversight and safeguard measures in the wake of the 1989 Exxon
Valdez oil spill (EVOS) will reunite in Alaska to mark the spill’s 20th anniversary
and discuss steps still needed to protect Alaska's coast.
Alaska Sea Grant is a statewide marine research, education, and advisory program funded
by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the State of Alaska. The
program is based at the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences.
Following the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, Alaska Sea Grant convened a four-person
legal research team that made a series of recommendations to the Alaska Oil Spill
Commission (AOSC) aimed at helping the state exercise greater regulatory authority
and influence the content of the landmark federal Oil Pollution Act of 1990.
“The legal team worked closely with the oil spill commission to frame the debate and
craft the final report on many specific sectors of policy and law,” said Zygmunt Plater,
legal team member and professor at Boston College Law School. “Some specific ideas
recommended by the Sea Grant team and the Commission have been judicially or legislatively
adopted, such as the establishment of regional citizen advisory councils, the state's
Citizens' Advisory Commission on Hazardous Substances, legal preemption advisory,
tank farm management reforms, and provisions in the federal Oil Pollution Act of 1990.”
The Alaska Sea Grant Legal Team recommendations were delivered to the Alaska Oil Spill
Commission; and ultimately, these recommendations influenced new state and federal
laws. For example, the Prince William Sound Citizens’ Advisory Council and the Cook
Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council can find their roots in the legal team and
oil spill commission findings. Oil spill contingency plans are also part of the current
state and federal regulatory process, thanks in part to the Alaska Sea Grant Legal
Team recommendations.
Four public events, three in Anchorage and one in Fairbanks, will reunite members
of legal team and others who played critical roles that helped Alaska strengthen its
marine transportation standards.
The Alaska Sea Grant College Program and the National Sea Grant Law Center at the
University of Mississippi are sponsoring the events in cooperation with the Prince
William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council (PWSRCAC).
In Fairbanks on March 19 at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), legal scholars
Zygmunt Plater from Boston College Law School; Harry Bader from the Betula Group,
a private consulting firm specializing in international resource management issues
in physically and socially challenging environments and former UAF professor; and
Charlie Cole, former Alaska attorney general, will present a special seminar on citizen
involvement in marine transportation safety.
On March 24 in Anchorage, legal team members Plater, Bader, and Alison Rieser, from
the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, together with former Alaska attorneys general
Walt Parker, John Havelock, and Charlie Cole, will recount their 1990 recommendations
and how they were adopted by the Alaska Oil Spill Commission, and ultimately by the
State of Alaska, to improve the safety and reliability of marine transport of crude
oil and other hazardous substances.
Also on March 24, at the University of Alaska Anchorage, Alaska Sea Grant and the
PWSRCAC will show a new retrospective video about the Exxon spill, titled "Then and
Now: The Alaska Oil Spill at 20." The half-hour video showing will be followed by
discussion with PWSRCAC officials and ASG Legal Research Team members Zygmunt Plater
and Harry Bader, focusing on citizen oversight and other regulatory aspects of marine
transport of hazardous substances and high latitude shipping safety.
Public events in Fairbanks:
Through the Lens of EVOS: The Unpredictable and Critical Role of Citizen Input in
Environmental Crisis Management
Thursday, March 19 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., at the Vera Alexander Learning Center,
O'Neill Building, University of Alaska Fairbanks.
This special seminar on citizen involvement in Alaska marine transportation safety
will be videoconferenced to Juneau, Kodiak, and Seward.
Public events in Anchorage:
Spills in the North Pacific and Arctic 1989-2008
Monday, March 23, at the Dena'ina Civic and Convention Center, Anchorage.
Members of the Alaska Sea Grant Legal Research team will participate in a daylong
seminar sponsored by Pacific Environment and led by former Alaska Oil Spill Commission
chair, Walt Parker, on shipping safety in the arctic and subarctic.
EVOS: A Time of Creative Opportunities
Tuesday, March 24 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., at the Dena'ina Civic and Convention
Center, Anchorage.
This panel discussion will be videoconferenced to Kodiak, Seward, Kenai, Valdez, and
Homer. A discussion of the 1990 Alaska Sea Grant Legal Research Team recommendations
and how they were adopted by the Alaska Oil Spill Commission, and ultimately by the
State of Alaska, to improve the safety and reliability of marine transport of crude
oil and other hazardous substances.
Then and Now: The Alaska Oil Spill at 20
Tuesday, March 24 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at Rasmussen Hall, University of Alaska
Anchorage.
The showing of a new retrospective video about the Exxon spill, followed by discussion
with PWSRCAC officials and ASG Legal Research Team members, focusing on citizen oversight
and other regulatory aspects of marine transport of hazardous substances and high
latitude shipping safety.
March 6, 2009
Alaska, SC marine extension programs pool resources to helpPetersburg, Alaska—While Americans consume ever-increasing quantities of imported farmed shrimp, shrimp
fishermen in places like South Carolina—who have for generations relied on wild shrimp
harvests—are finding themselves locked out of markets and undercut in price.
“Shrimpers all over the country have felt the same financial strain from cheaper shrimp
imports that fishermen here in Alaska have felt from farmed salmon coming into the
country,” said Glenn Haight, fisheries business specialist with the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program.
But Alaska fishermen have fought back. And some are winning. The solution, they say,
is becoming more knowledgeable and efficient business people. Some have taken this
to an extreme, diving into direct marketing as a way to stay in business. Such fishermen
catch, process, market and sell their catch directly to tightly held lists of clients
that include local restaurants, food services, and individuals. This Alaskan approach
can work elsewhere, they say, even in places like South Carolina.
Later this month, six shrimp fishermen from South Carolina will come to Alaska to
take part in a unique exchange with Alaska fishermen, biologists, and fisheries business
experts. The March 18-22 event in Juneau and Petersburg is aimed at showing South
Carolina fishermen how Alaska’s fisheries work, and sharing with them strategies to
improve their bottom line.
The South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium and the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program
offices in Juneau and Petersburg are organizing the event.
“It’s a full agenda that will help our South Carolina fishermen understand how some
Alaska fishermen are forging a new way of doing business,” said Amber Von Harten,
fisheries specialist with the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium. “There are aspects
of Alaska’s seafood industry that we may want to emulate in South Carolina.”
The fisheries exchange includes a tour of Alaska commercial fishing operations and
participation in a range of workshops on topics including direct marketing, fisheries
cooperatives, and building leadership skills, among others. Fishermen will learn about
state and federal programs that help fishermen improve their business practices, and
meet with state fishery officials.
The USDA Trade Adjustment Assistance program is funding the exchange through a grant
to the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service and the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium.
March 3, 2009
Seward, Alaska—Juneau high school students have done it again.
For the third year in a row, high school students from Juneau have won first and second
place in the Tsunami Bowl, Alaska's regional version of the National Ocean Sciences
Bowl, a three-day-long, rapid-fire competition about the ocean, complete with jeopardy-style
buzzer sessions, written questions and team research projects. The Tsunami Bowl was
held February 6-8 in Seward.
The winning team, the Juneau-Douglas High School "Naughty Nautili," will travel to
the NOSB finals in April in Washington, D.C., at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural
History's Sant Ocean Hall. Last year, the NOSB finals were held in Seward. At the
finals, the winning teams from 25 regions across the U.S. compete for the national
title.
This year's second place team is a combined team from Thunder Mountain High School,
a new high school in Juneau, and Juneau-Douglas High School. The Juneau teams worked
closely throughout the school year, spending several hours per week studying together
and competing in practice buzzer sessions.
The Juneau-Douglas team was coached by Ben Carney, a three-year NOSB veteran, and
the combined Thunder Mountain/Juneau-Douglas team was coached by Jake Jacoby, a newcomer
to the competition. Juneau high school students have dominated the Tsunami Bowl since
it began in 1998, with nine first place wins in the past 12 years.
"When people congratulate me on our performance, I say: 'The kids did it. It is easy
to look good when surrounded by talent,'" says Carney.
The Juneau teams edged out a third place team from Cordova High School for the overall
win. Although the Cordova team won the quiz portion of the competition, the Juneau
students excelled in the research project portion of the Bowl.
Both first and second place teams won scholarships to their choice of either the University
of Alaska Fairbanks or the University of Alaska Southeast.
The first place team members include Kayla Harrison, Molly Emerson, Stephen Kubota,
Jacob Pernula and Tyler Houseweart.
The National Ocean Sciences Bowl was established in 1998 to encourage learning about
the oceans and increase the teaching of ocean sciences in high schools. Support for
NOSB is provided by the Consortium for Ocean Leadership. The regional competition
is supported by several generous sponsors including the UAF College of Fisheries and
Ocean Sciences and Alaska Sea Grant.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 55 faculty
scientists and 135 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
- Download 2009 Tsunami Bowl event program (2MB PDF)
- Download 2009 complete Tsunami Bowl results (29KB PDF)
Every year, the winning team from Alaska receives an all-expenses paid trip to the
NOSB finals. Last year, the finals were held for the first time in Alaska. To reward
the 2008 Tsunami Bowl winning team from Alaska (the Juneau-Douglas "Naughty Nautili"),
the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences arranged an all-expenses paid marine
education trip for the team to travel to San Francisco and Monterey Bay, California,
last May. Funding for the trip was provided by the donors who supported the 2008 NOSB
finals in Seward.
The students started their journey in San Francisco, where they visited Fisherman's
Wharf and the Exploratorium. During their travels down the California coast, they
had behind-the-scenes tours of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Monterey Bay Aquarium
Research Institute and the Moss Landing Institute. The behind-the-scenes tours were
arranged by CFOS Dean Denis Wiesenburg.
February 26, 2009
Knauss Fellow shares experiences onlineWashington, D.C.—One of three 2009 Alaska Knauss Fellows is blogging about her
exciting and sometimes surreal experiences in the nation's capital. Follow Knauss
Fellow Celeste Leroux's trials and travails at: Celeste Leroux blog
Learn more about the 2009 Knauss Fellows
Learn more about being the next Knauss Fellow
February 22, 2009
Researchers find species that live in both polar seasFairbanks, Alaska—
Last Monday, the Census of Marine Life released a press release announcing that the waters of the Arctic and Antarctic share
235 marine species. CoML also documented the existence of 5,500 marine species in
the Arctic and 7,500 in the Antarctic.
CFOS scientists Russ Hopcroft, Bodil Bluhm and Rolf Gradinger are leading CoML's effort
to catalog the diversity of sea creatures in the Arctic through the Arctic Ocean Biodiversity program.
Hopcroft, Bluhm and Gradinger's work has been featured in hundreds of national and
international news outlets, including USA Today, Reuters, ABC News and Scientific
American.
Photographs by Hopcroft and CFOS graduate student Shawn Harper have also appeared
in hundreds of news outlets including the National Geographic website.
Hopcroft, Bluhm and Gradinger completed 14 expeditions as part of the International
Polar Year. The Census of Marine Life is a ten-year, 70-nation initiative to assess
and explain the diversity, distribution and abundance of marine life in the world's
oceans.
Selected news stories:
- ABC News slide show of images from the project "Hundreds of
'bipolar' species live at both ends of Earth," ABC News. Photographs are by Shawn Harper and Russ Hopcroft.
- Associated Press: "Study: 'Astonishing richness' in polar sea species"
- Reuters: "Antarctic ice fish redefines 'cold-blooded'"
- National Geographic: "PHOTOS: Odd, identical species found at both poles"
- KTUU Channel 2 (Alaska): "Recent discoveries show same species live in Arctic and Antarctic"
- Anchorage Daily News: "Long-lost relatives: Discovery of common species baffles scientists" (Download PDF)
February 10, 2009
Fairbanks, Alaska—Princess Cruises & Tours has donated $100,000 to the University of Alaska Fairbanks for the support of the
Marine Advisory Program. The gift will provide salary and administrative support for
MAP agents in several Alaska coastal communities over the course of three years.
The UAF Marine Advisory Program is a statewide marine extension service comprised
of advisory agents who live and work in nine coastal communities across Alaska. MAP
agents help coastal residents use, conserve and manage the ocean resources that often
provide the economic backbone of Alaska's coastal towns and villages.
"This outstanding gift highlights Princess Cruises & Tours' commitment as stewards
of our ocean environment," said UAF Chancellor Brian Rogers. "With their high-profile
presence in Alaska waters, Princess Cruises & Tours is a strong leader and a prime
example of a private company teaming up with the university and Alaska communities
to help preserve the things that makes this great state so unique."
Because MAP agents are dependent on external funding for a portion of their salaries,
this support from Princess will allow MAP agents to continue working in their communities,
despite the current economic climate. MAP agents are currently located in Petersburg,
Ketchikan, Juneau, Unalaska, Cordova, Anchorage, Bethel, Kodiak and Nome. In each
community, the local MAP agent works to bolster local economies, conserve marine resources
and market fisheries and marine businesses.
Princess first approached UAF last year to find a way to support and promote marine
conservation in Alaska. When informed about MAP, they decided it was the best way
for Princess to directly improve the lives of everyday coastal Alaskans.
"Princess is dedicated to environmental stewardship worldwide - it is the right thing
to do and our visitors expect us to protect the land and sea we share with them,"
said Bruce Bustamante, vice president of community & public affairs for Princess Tours.
"Marine and coastal areas are especially important to us. This investment in Alaska
simply reflects how important protecting marine waters is to our company."
The donation builds on the company's long tradition of generosity and support for
Alaska's university system. Princess Tours supports UAF athletic teams, the University
of Alaska Anchorage Culinary Arts Program and other programs.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 55 faculty
scientists and 135 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Carin Stephens
Public Information Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Phone: 907-322-8730
February 3, 2009
Fairbanks, Alaska—Three CFOS graduate students took home prizes for an outstanding poster or oral presentation
at the 2009 Alaska Marine Science Symposium held in Anchorage the week of January
19. More than 600 scientists attended the conference and many of the attendees were
CFOS faculty, students or staff.
All student posters and presentations were entered into a Symposium-wide contest for
the best student presentation and best student poster. Alaska Sea Grant provided $250 each for the winning master's student and Ph.D. student poster. The
North Pacific Research Board offered $250 each for the best two master's level and best two Ph.D. level oral presentations.
Markus Janout won an award for best oral presentation by a Ph.D. student for his talk on "Temperature
controlling processes and the recent cooling of the northern Gulf of Alaska." Janout's
advisor is Tom Weingartner.
Mayumi Arimitsu won the best M.S. student poster for her work on " The influence of glacial features on oceanographic gradients in Kenai Fjords, Alaska: A closer look at Kittlitz's murrelet foraging habitat." Arimitsu's advisor is Nicola Hillgruber. View her abstract and poster here.
Nathan Stewart, a Ph.D. student studying sea otters with advisor Brenda Konar won the best Ph.D.
student poster award for "Patterns in sea otter resource selection in Kachemak Bay,
Alaska." Last fall, Stewart completed a professional development course taught by
Konar on creating professional posters and presentations. Konar says she plans to
teach the course every fall. View Stewart's winning poster and abstract here.
Many CFOS faculty, staff and students presented talks and posters.
Oral Presentations: CFOS Faculty and Staff
Courtney Carothers, Privatizing the right to fish: Challenges to livelihood and community
in Kodiak, Alaska
Russell Hopcroft, Oceanographic conditions along the northern Gulf of Alaska's Seward
Line, 1997-2008
Arny Blanchard, Long-term investigation of benthic communities in Port Valdez, Alaska
1971-2007
Terrance Quinn, Failure of Population Recovery in Relation to Disease for Pacific
Herring in Prince William Sound
Sarah Mincks, Epibenthic megafauna in the Northern Bering and Chukchi Seas: Environmental
influences on community structure
Andrew Seitz, Behavior of satellite tagged Pacific halibut in the Bering Sea/Aleutian
Islands region and its biological implications
Oral Presentations: CFOS Students
Seth Danielson (for Thomas Weingartner), A satellite-tracked drifter perspective of
the nearshore Bering Sea: science and outreach
Peter-John Hulson, Comparison of Pacific herring in Prince William Sound and Sitka
Sound
Kelly Newman, Temporal and spatial vocal patterns of killer whales at the Pribilof
Islands
Posters: CFOS Faculty and Staff
Maggie Castellini, Mercury levels in Steller sea lion pups in Alaska
Ginny Eckert, Marine Ecosystem Sustainability in Alaska, A new interdisciplinary graduate
study program
Georgina Gibson, Modeling processes controlling the on-shelf transport of oceanic
mesozooplankton populations in the Gulf of Alaska and SE Bering Sea
Georgina Gibson, Collaborative research: Downscaling global climate projections to
the ecosystems of the Bering Sea with nested biophysical models, the NPZ Model
Stephen Okkonen, Upwelling and aggregation of zooplankton on the western Beaufort
shelf as inferred from moored acoustic Doppler current profiler measurements
Jennifer Reynolds, Marine habitat mapping technology for Alaska: Workshop report and
published monograph
Posters: CFOS Students
Mayumi Arimitsu, The influence of glacial features on oceanographic gradients in Kenai
Fjords, Alaska: A closer look at Kittlitz's murrelet foraging habitat (winner)
Mandy Keogh, Impact of health and maternal investment on survival of endangered Steller
sea lion pups
Brooke McFarland, Black oystercatcher breeding territories: biotic and abiotic habitat
characteristics
Megan Murphy, Larval transport of Tanner (Chionoecetes bairdi) and Dungeness (Cancer magister) crab across Kachemak Bay's inner/outer bay boundary
Elizabeth Siddon, Seasonal bioenergetics of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) and Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) in the southeastern Bering Sea
Ashwin Sreenivasan, Differences between observed growth and a physiological growth
index (RNA/DNA ratio) in larval Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) at different temperatures
Nathan Stewart, Patterns in sea otter resource selection in Kachemak Bay, Alaska (winner)
Amy Tippery, Three decades of change in a far north eelgrass food web
Joel Webb, Variability in egg quality for eastern Bering Sea snow crab, Chionoecetes opilio
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
55 faculty scientists and 135 graduate and undergraduate students are engaged in building
knowledge about Alaska and the world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located
in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage and Kodiak.
January 14, 2009
Juneau, Alaska—Helping Alaska's commercial fishermen become business savvy is the aim of a new eleven-week
course called The Business of Fish, offered by the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory
Program.
The best part about the course is that you don't need to leave home to take it.
The class begins January 20 and will be broadcast through the University of Alaska
Television Network (UATV). Most Alaskans can view UATV programming through their local
cable network. The course also is offered online, and in person if you are in Juneau.
Workshops may be taken during actual workshop times or later in recorded versions
at your own convenience. There is no charge for the class but registration is required.
For more information, or to register, go to: The Business of Fish website
The course will cover the basics of business financial management, as well as topics
such as direct marketing, starting seafood cooperatives, transferring your fishing
license, and other topics.
The class is part of the Spring 2009 FishBiz Workshop Series, a University of Alaska
distance delivery business management course targeting the Alaska seafood sector.
Course Schedule:
January 20 Intro and Building Blocks of Financial Management
January 27 Determining Fishing Profits and Valuing Investments
February 3 Is Direct Marketing Right For You?
February 10 Starting a Seafood Cooperative
February 17 Seafood Markets: Alaska’s Place in the Big Picture
March 3 Transferring Your Fishing Business
March 24 Lowering Your Fishing Fuel Bill
March 31 Tapping into RSDAs
April 7 Tracking Shellfish Farm Profits and Production
April 14 Risk Management for a Fishing Operation
April 28 Alternative Fishing Technologies
Glenn Haight, Fisheries Business Specialist, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program,
907-796-6046, ffgeh1@uaf.edu
The Business of Fish website
December 22, 2008
Fairbanks, Alaska—Three University of Alaska Fairbanks researchers are among 486 nationwide to be named
fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
John Kelley and Michael Castellini of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
and John Walsh of the International Arctic Research Center will be honored with other
fellows during a ceremony at the AAAS Annual Meeting in Chicago in February. The names
of this year’s fellows will be published in the Dec. 19 edition of Science.
AAAS fellows are selected by their peers for their efforts to advance science and
its applications.
"This very selective honor by the leading national scientific association illustrates
the strengths of UAF's research in environmental and marine sciences," said Larry
Duffy, interim dean of the UAF graduate school and executive secretary for the AAAS
Arctic Division. "Along with their outstanding contributions to understanding the
role of arctic influences in the global atmospheric and marine systems, these scientists
have have been leaders in policy development and the education of the next generation
of arctic scientists."
John Kelley
John Kelley was selected for his "lifetime dedication as a mentor and teacher and
for outstanding service to Alaskan, arctic and national organizations." He is a professor
of chemical oceanography. At last year’s AAAS Arctic Division meeting, Kelley received
an award for 50 years of advancing science in the far north. He also earned one of
the university's most prestigious awards this spring--the Emil Usibelli Distinguished
Service Award.
Kelley’s research focuses on trace metals, atmospheric gases and contaminants in the
ocean, including the study of radioactive materials in the region of Alaska’s Amchitka
Island. He received his bachelor's degree from Pennsylvania State University and his
doctorate from the University of Nagoya, Japan. He has also served as the director
of the Naval Arctic Research Laboratory, headquartered in Barrow, Alaska.
Michael Castellini
Michael Castellini was selected for his "distinguished contributions as a marine biologist
and as an outstanding mentor of young scientists." He is the CFOS associate dean and
a professor of marine biology. His research focus is on the health of marine mammal
populations, including studies of Weddell seals, harbor seals and Steller sea lions.
Castellini is one of 36 polar scientists participating in Polar-Palooza, a nationwide
International Polar Year public education initiative about the Arctic and Antarctic.
An Antarctic marine mammal expert, Castellini has been to Antarctica 13 times since
1977 and has spent a total of three and a half years there. Castellini's contributions
to Antarctic science resulted in his name being give to Castellini Bluff on the western
side of White Island in the Ross Archipelago. Before joining UAF, Castellini served
as the director of the Alaska SeaLife Center. He received his doctorate in marine
biology from Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
John Walsh
John Walsh was selected for his "fundamental contributions toward understanding feedback
and effects of climate change, particularly modeling of Arctic systems and for his
leadership of the Fourth IPCC Assessment Report." Walsh, President’s Professor of
Climate Change and chief scientist at the International Arctic Research Center, has
studied recent climatic change in the polar regions, particularly the interactions
between sea ice and the atmosphere. He has synthesized several decades of sea ice
data to evaluate trends of ice coverage. More recently, he worked on the synthesis
of climate model output to obtain projections of climate change in the Alaska region.
Walsh’s other scientific interests include the hydrologic cycle in polar regions,
large-scale snow variability and the arctic performance of global climate models.
Walsh also is an advisor and mentor to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows
at UAF and is a scientist mentor to K-12 students participating in the Arctic Climate
Modeling Program, a research-based weather and climate curriculum developed by staff
at the UAF Geophysical Institute. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College
and his doctorate from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
December 16, 2008
Kodiak, Alaska—Kodiak's immigrant community plays a pivotal role in the local economy. They work
as carpenters and electricians, and in the town's seafood processing plants, stores
and supermarkets.
According to Sister Barbara Harrington, coordinator of the Marian Center in Kodiak,
many local immigrants, especially Hispanic women, wish to be business owners.
“Our immigrants here in Kodiak have dreams and great potential for business, but they
are perhaps unsure of how to get started” explained Harrington. “We want to give people
an idea of what the right path is to a successful business.”
With that goal in mind, Harrington joined with several local organizations and the
University of Alaska Fairbanks to organize a Spanish-language workshop aimed at helping
Hispanic women launch businesses.
The workshop will be held December 16 beginning at 7pm at the Marian Center in Kodiak.
For more information, contact Sister Barbara Harrington at 907-486-5214.
“The workshop is basically a primer, or a road map, to help local Hispanic women plan
and start new businesses,” said Quentin Fong, a longtime Kodiak resident and seafood
marketing specialist with the university's Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program.
“We also hope to put together a roundtable discussion among successful business women
that can serve to inspire women new to business.”
The workshop is a collaborative effort between St. Mary's Catholic Church, the Marian
Center, the Alaska Hispanic Women's Association, the Alaska Cooperative Extension
Service, and the Alaska Sea Grant College Program.
Tony Gasbarro is a professor with the Alaska Cooperative Extension Service headquartered
in Fairbanks. He will deliver the presentation in Spanish.
“I guess you can say I am the facilitator,” said Gasbarro. “ "I am not a businessperson,
but being fluent in Spanish, I was asked to help out. I am looking forward to working
with the Kodiak community."
Sister Barbara Harrington, Parish Administrator, St. Mary's Catholic Church, 907-486-5214, cell - 907-539-6237,
Quentin Fong, Seafood Marketing Specialist, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, 907-486-1516;
Tony Gasbarro, Emeritus Professor, Alaska Cooperative Extension Service, 907-474-5190,
December 12, 2008
Seward, Alaska—If the numbers hold up, this small coastal community will host the largest number of Alaska high school teams in the event's history when the annual Alaska Region National Ocean Sciences Bowl takes place in February.
Some 17 teams representing 13 Alaska high schools plan to compete in the Alaska Region
NOSB competition in Seward February 6-8, 2009. The schools represent both large and
small communities, both urban and rural, from Southeast Alaska to the Arctic Circle.
"Last year we had 15 teams, and this year we have 17 signed up," said organizer Phyllis
Shoemaker of the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. "If no team drops out,
we'll beat last year's record, so we are going in the right direction."
The winner of the Alaska Region NOSB competition will compete in the NOSB finals,
scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C. April 25-27, 2009.
The Alaska Region NOSB, also called the Tsunami Bowl, consists of two equally weighted
parts: a tournament-style academic competition designed to challenge students' knowledge
of ocean sciences; and a research project that has both written and public speaking
components. This year students must identify the impacts of ocean acidification on
Alaska communities, considering the atmosphere, ice, ocean, and land. Teams must then
propose policy changes or actions to deal with the specific problem or hazard the
team identifies as most critical.
2009 Alaska NOSB Teams:
- Anchorage; South Anchorage High School (two teams)
- Copper Center; Kenny Lake High School
- Cordova; Cordova High School (two teams)
- Eagle River; Eagle River High School (two teams)
- Juneau; Juneau-Douglas High School and Thunder Mountain (two teams)
- Kodiak; Kodiak High School
- Mountain Village; Ignatius Beans Memorial School Complex (two teams)
- Petersburg; Petersburg High School
- Seward, Seward High School
- Wasilla; Mat-Su Career and Technical High School and Wasilla High School (two teams)
- White Mountain; White Mountain School
Sponsors of the Alaska competition include the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences, Alaska Sea Grant, the Consortium for Ocean Leadership, the University of
Alaska Southeast, Alaska SeaLife Center, Prince William Sound Science Center, the
Unalaska Divers Association and more.
Phyllis Shoemaker, UAF CFOS Seward Marine Center, by phone at 907-224-4312 OR Carin Stephens, public information officer, by phone at 907-322-8730
December 11, 2008
Fairbanks, Alaska—Thanks to a five-year, $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the
University of Alaska Fairbanks will soon offer an interdisciplinary graduate program
in marine ecosystem sustainability.
The Marine Ecosystem Sustainability in the Arctic and Subarctic program will provide
graduate students with a broad education in all aspects of marine ecosystems, including
the biological, chemical, physical and human factors that affect ocean life. The program
will train students in ecosystem-based approaches to the sustainable use of marine
resources.
"Alaska's northern coasts are suffering from rapid and often damaging changes as a
result of global warming and other human influences," said Bill Smoker, principal
investigator for the grant and the director of UAF's fisheries program. "These changes
are affecting Alaska's marine ecosystems and the people who depend on them."
According to Smoker, the new interdisciplinary program will prepare marine scientists
that can address climate change and other important issues like fishing pressure,
habitat loss and pollution.
By transcending traditional boundaries between the natural and social sciences, the
MESAS program will train students in ecosystem-based management, a holistic approach
in natural resource management that considers the entire ecosystem. The academic program
will include courses and case studies in anthropology, ecology, economics, fisheries
science and management, marine policy and oceanography.
Ginny Eckert, program co-director and an associate professor of fisheries, says that
traditional graduate education does not prepare students to be versatile in both the
human and natural components of marine systems.
"That is why we created this program: to provide a new generation of scientists with
a broader background in marine issues," Eckert adds.
The program begins in the fall semester of 2009 and will continue until 2012. MESAS
will support 19 Ph.D. candidates for two years each and UAF will guarantee a third
year of support through teaching assistantships and fellowships. Applications for
MESAS must be submitted by February 15, 2009.
Major participants in the MESAS program include the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences, School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, College of Business
and Security Management and the College of Liberal Arts. MESAS is one of over 120
programs that are part of NSF's Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship
program, which promotes innovative, problem-centered, collaborative training to prepare
scientists and engineers to address the global questions of the future.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 55 faculty
scientists and 135 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Ginny Eckert, associate professor of fisheries, at 907-796-5450 or Carin Stephens, public information officer, at 907-322-8730
December 10, 2008
John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship applications being acceptedFairbanks, Alaska—Hoping to extend their winning streak to a third year, the Alaska Sea Grant College
Program is looking for a few good men and women currently enrolled in higher education
to apply for a paid Washington, D.C., fellowship in marine policy.
Each year, Alaska Sea Grant recruits exemplary students to compete nationally for
the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship. The prestigious fellowship provides eligible students a year of paid experience
working on marine issues with a congressional staff or with an executive branch resource
management agency.
Applications are currently being accepted for the 2010 fellowship. The deadline for
applying is February 20, 2009. The fellowship is open to all students enrolled in
a graduate or professional program in a marine- or aquatic-related field at a U.S.–accredited
institution of higher learning.
“For Alaska’s college and university students interested in marine and aquatic sciences
and policy, the Knauss Fellowship can be a springboard to an exciting career in resource
policy, biology, and management,” said Paula Cullenberg, Interim Director of the Alaska
Sea Grant College Program, based at the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of
Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
During 2009, three UAF students were among 51 people chosen in the national competition.
Celeste Leroux, Erin Steiner, and Mary Bozza, all graduate students at the UAF College
of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, will travel to Washington, D.C., in January to begin
their fellowships.
Former UAF graduate student Seanbob Kelly was named a Knauss Fellow in 2008. He currently
is completing his fellowship with the National Marine Fisheries Service. Much of his
work centers on the implementation of congressional reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
Other past Knauss Fellows from Alaska were Jill Brady and Ashley Evans (1991), Carl
Rebstock and William S. Robie (1992), Erika Feller (1995), and Nina Mollett (1996).
The Knauss fellowship began in 1979 and is run by the National Sea Grant College Program.
Since then, more than 600 Knauss Fellows have worked in the executive and legislative
branches of the federal government.
To learn more or to apply, please visit the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship;
Also on the web:
UAF students named (2009) Dean John A. Knauss Fellows
UAF fisheries graduate student chosen as 2008 National Sea Grant Knauss Fellow
December 10, 2008
Fairbanks—The Alaska Sea Grant College Program is looking for creative research proposals that will help the state address the impacts
of environmental change on coastal communities and increase the value of its coastal
and ocean resources.
Preliminary proposals that meet the program’s criteria will be accepted for consideration
until 5:00 p.m. Monday, January 26, 2009.
Pre-proposals will be accepted from qualified investigators at universities, federal,
state, local, and tribal government entities, and approved nonprofit organizations.
Alaska Sea Grant encourages participation from the broad research community and welcomes
proposals from investigators new to the Alaska Sea Grant proposal application process.
Alaska Sea Grant is a marine research, education, and advisory program headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. Every
two years, the program solicits research proposals. The program is currently taking
pre-proposals for research projects for the 2010–2012 biennium.
Alaska Sea Grant’s interim director Paula Cullenberg said that for this biennium Alaska
Sea Grant sponsored research will emphasize impacts on and adaptation strategies for
coastal ecosystems and coastal communities from environmental change, both human caused
and natural.
We're looking for proposals that improve the economic viability of Alaska coastal
communities through innovations in marketing, processing and other means that add
value to local resources," said Cullenberg. “We are looking for projects that engage
stakeholders or user groups on issues of importance to our coastal communities.”
To learn more about this pre-proposal funding opportunity and how to apply, please
review the Announcement of Research Funding Opportunity for 2010–2012
November 19, 2008
Juneau, Alaska—The members of the Juneau Center of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences' Fisheries Division have moved into the brand new, 30,000 square foot Lena Point Fisheries Facility.
The new building is located about five miles north of the Juneau Center's previous
facility at Auke Bay. The three-story facility houses nine laboratories, three classrooms,
a teaching lab and large saltwater tanks for studying live sea creatures.
The Lena Point Fisheries Facility is co-located with the NOAA Ted Stevens Marine Research Institute, continuing a long tradition of collaboration between NOAA Fisheries and the Juneau
Center.
The new address for the Juneau Center of the Fisheries Division is:
UAF CFOS Fisheries Division
17101 Point Lena Loop Rd.
Juneau, AK 99801
Lena Point Fisheries Facility
The new main phone number is 907-796-5441. All e-mail addresses remain the same.
A ribbon-cutting and building dedication is planned for April 2009.
November 17, 2008
Fairbanks, Alaska—Princess Tours Vice President of Community and Public Affairs Bruce Bustamante has
joined the Alaska Sea Grant College Program Advisory Committee.
The 28-person advisory committee—comprised of marine and coastal community leaders,
policy makers, and stakeholders—guides the program's statewide mission of marine,
coastal and fisheries, research, education, and Marine Advisory Program extension
services.
“Bruce Bustamante’s participation on our advisory committee allows Alaska Sea Grant
and its Marine Advisory Program to engage a major industry in projects and activities
that will help coastal Alaskans,” said Paula Cullenberg, interim director of the program.
Bustamante fills the seat left by John Shively, who until earlier this year was the
vice president of government and community relations for Holland American Line. Now
the executive director of the Pebble Partnership, Shively remains on the advisory
committee, representing the Resource Development Council.
Bustamante has been an Alaska resident since 1992, and holds a degree from UAA in
business administration and marketing. Prior to joining Princess Tours in 2007, Bustamante
spent seven years as head of the Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau. He also
served 17 years with Alaska Airlines, most recently as the company’s regional director
of sales in Alaska.
While with the Anchorage CVB, Bustamante won support for raising the city's hotel
tax to pay for a new convention center. The $108 million Dena'ina Civic and Convention
Center opened downtown Anchorage in September 2008.
According to Princess Tours, Bustamante has served on the boards of a number of regional
organizations, including the Alaska Travel Industry Association (ATIA), Anchorage
Economic Development Corporation (AEDC), Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, Alaska Wildlife
Conservation Center, the Western Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus (WACVB),
and the United States Travel and Tourism Advisory Board.
The Alaska Sea Grant Advisory Committee will hold its annual meeting November 20-21
in Anchorage.
Paula Cullenberg, Interim Director, Alaska Sea Grant College Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 907-274-9692
November 17, 2008
Fishermen netted by high fuel costs take steps both easy and drasticAnchorage, Alaska—When Alaska diesel fuel prices surged passed $5 a gallon this past summer, commercial
fishermen fished less, skipped openings, fished closer to home, and in some cases
quit fishing before the season ended, all in an effort to save money on fuel.
By far the most common belt-tightening step was to simply slow down.
“Cutting back a little bit on the throttle is the easiest and most immediate way to
conserve fuel, and that’s what fishermen did in the short term,” said Mark Vinsel,
president of United Fishermen of Alaska, an umbrella group representing 37 Alaska
fishing organizations.
Some 126 fishermen from across the state responded to an unscientific survey conducted
during September and October by the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program and UFA.
The survey explored the impacts of high vessel fuel prices on Alaska commercial fishermen
during the past summer.
Fuel survey results
“The responses from commercial fishermen across a broad cross-section of the industry
confirm that high fuel costs had a significant impact on how fishermen do business,”
said Glenn Haight, fisheries business management specialist with the Alaska Sea Grant
Marine Advisory Program.
Among the survey’s findings:
• 63 percent of respondents said their fuel expenses more than doubled during the
past five years. Forty-three percent said that between ten and 20 percent of their
gross income was spent on fuel during the past year.
• Among the most popular techniques fishermen reported using to save fuel were (many
fishermen had more than one answer):
Throttling back (76%)
Maintaining engine and fuel systems (77%)
Good route planning and timing (68%)
Keeping a clean hull to reduce drag (56%)
Properly tuned propeller (53%)
• Nearly 62 percent said the high price of fuel impacted the crew. The biggest impact
was that fewer or no crew were hired, and crew shares were lower.
• While 62 percent said they believed fishery management decisions affected their
fuel consumption, nearly 52 percent said managers should not make resource decisions
based on the price of fuel. Thirty-seven percent said they believed fishery managers
should consider fuel costs in their decisions.
Some fishermen received help on their fuel costs. Several fishermen reported buying
fuel from seafood processors, who bought fuel in bulk and passed the savings on to
fishermen. The practice is not unusual, according to Cordova MAP agent Torie Baker.
“Fishermen routinely buy fuel from processor’s and their tenders,” said Baker. “Processors,
especially if they are a larger company in a remote location like the Aleutians or
Bristol Bay, are in many cases bringing in barged fuel purchased at bulk rates.”
Alaska Sea Grant interim director Paula Cullenberg said she believes the value of
the survey will be in helping policy makers and lawmakers design programs to help
fishermen weather tough economic times.
“This survey provides them with insights into what fishermen may need, such as loan
programs and tax breaks that enable fishermen to upgrade their engines,” said Cullenberg.
Cullenberg said the survey provides Alaska Sea Grant with information to develop training
workshops, publications, and other tools aimed at helping fishermen save money and
improve efficiencies. Sunny Rice, the Marine Advisory Program agent in Petersburg,
said the survey has given her some good ideas.
“Many fishermen expressed an interest in getting help to compare different engines
and how to effectively use energy saving devices like flow meters,” Rice said. “We
will be looking at developing ways to give fishermen answers to their questions through
new publications and workshops in their communities.”
But perhaps the most important finding of the survey is that fuel efficiency is now
clearly on the radar of most fishermen. And that, said Sea Grant’s Glenn Haight, is
probably a good thing.
“Fuel consumption in the production of food is an increasingly important issue,” said
Haight. “It’s easy to see as an environmental issue, through such things as the carbon
footprint of the fishing industry, but also through the competitiveness of Alaska
as a seafood producer. Bringing down the cost of Alaska seafood production will make
our products more attractive around the world.”
Fuel survey results
Sunny Rice, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program agent, Petersburg, Alaska, 907-772-3381
October 11, 2008
Provided by Debra Carter, Cooperative Extension ServiceFairbanks, Alaska—Do you want to eat salmon and crackers and further the cause of science?
More than 200 volunteers who like to eat fish are needed for canned salmon taste tests
Oct. 13-17 at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Wood Center. Participants will be
asked to rate the salmon’s appearance, taste and texture on tests conducted by the
UAF Fishery Industrial Technology Center in Kodiak with the assistance of UAF Cooperative Extension Service.
Sampling will run from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. each day in Wood Center Conference Rooms C &
D. The taste test will take 10-15 minutes and cookies will be provided afterward.
Participants must be at least 18.
October 1, 2008
Local painter inspired by CFOS researchersFairbanks, Alaska—This Friday a local art gallery will feature paintings inspired by the arctic research
and photographs of University of Alaska Fairbanks scientists.
Susan Farnham, a Fairbanks artist, has been working with Bodil Bluhm and Rolf Gradinger,
biological oceanographers at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, to create
artwork that celebrates the northern creatures they study.
The exhibit is based on the findings of the Arctic Ocean Diversity project, an international effort to catalog life in arctic seas and sea ice. The
project is led by Bluhm, Gradinger and Russ Hopcroft, another biological oceanographer
at UAF.
The exhibit will be held this Friday, Oct. 3, at the Well Street Art Center gallery.
The show will feature paintings by Farnham as well as 19 photographs by Bluhm, Gradinger
and other scientists. The painter and photographers will be at the exhibit's opening
ceremony.
"We are very excited about this unique opportunity to connect science and art," said
Bluhm. "In a time of climate change, we see this exhibition as a way to attract people
that may not otherwise think or care about the Arctic and the life within it."
Farnham's paintings range from representational to abstract and feature richly colored
arctic sea creatures, including sea stars, jellyfish, amphipods (tiny shrimp-like
animals) and plankton.
According to Farnham, the exhibit commemorates International Polar Year, a global
initiative among scientists to better understand the polar regions of the Arctic and
Antarctic.
The ArcOD project is part of the global Census of Marine Life, which seeks to assess and explain the diversity, distribution and abundance of life
in the world's oceans.
The paintings and photographs will be on display until Nov. 4. After being displayed
in Fairbanks, the exhibit may travel to other venues in Alaska and Canada.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 55 faculty
scientists and 135 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
September 30, 2008
Fairbanks, Alaska—On Monday evening's Alaska News Nightly program, Emily Schwing, a reporter from KBBI
in Homer, reported on the shortage of fisheries and marine scientists in Alaska.
Steve Murawski, the director of scientific programs at NOAA's National Fisheries Service
comments on the lack of scientists trained in the marine sciences but says that "the
University of Alaska Fairbanks is at the head of the pack when it comes to training
NOAA's future marine scientists.".
September 26, 2008
Fairbanks, Alaska—Atmospheric scientist and climate change expert Michael Schlesinger will visit Fairbanks
and present a free public lecture next week.
The lecture is entitled "Climate Change 101: Some Hard Truths You Should Know" and
will be held at the Westmark Fairbanks Hotel on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m.
Schlesinger will discuss the emission of greenhouse gases and how humans have contributed
to global climate change. According to Schlesinger, reducing the emission of greenhouse
gases is a "geopolitical problem of unprecedented scope."
Schlesinger is a professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. An expert in climate change modeling and simulation, Schlesinger was a member of
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which received the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. He is the editor of four books, most
recently Human-Induced Climate Change: An Interdisciplinary Assessment.
The lecture is sponsored by the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and the
Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 55 faculty
scientists and 135 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Carin Stephens
CFOS Public Information Officer
Phone: 907-322-8730
September 24, 2008
Editor's Note: High-resolution photos and video of the buoy drops are available by contacting Carin Stephens, public information officer, at 907-322-8730 or via e-mail at stephens@sfos.uaf.edu.
Quinhagak, Alaska—Schoolchildren from a village on the west coast of Alaska are helping University of
Alaska Fairbanks scientists learn where young salmon go when they enter the ocean.
Since June, students from Quinhagak, Alaska, have been sending out buoys that track
ocean currents into Kuskokwim Bay. Led by Terry Reeve, UAF's Marine Advisory Program
agent in Bethel, the students have already released 28 buoys and will release four
more before the end of September.
The buoys float at the sea's surface and transmit location information via satellite
to oceanographers on the UAF campus. By recording location data every 30 minutes,
the buoys help oceanographers determine the ocean currents that carry juvenile salmon
from the Kuskokwim River into the coastal waters of the eastern Bering Sea. (Track current buoy data here.)
Reeve says that the students and administrators at Quinhagak School have been eager
to help with the project.
Led by Reeve and Quinhagak resident Warren Jones, the students travel by boat about
fifteen miles offshore from Quinhagak, where they release the buoys. The students
are also learning about the project in the classrooms at Quinhagak School, where they
disassemble sample buoys and learn about marine science.
According to Tom Weingartner, principal investigator for the project, many studies
of ocean currents have been conducted in the deeper waters of the Bering Sea, but
scientists lack information about the shallower waters off Alaska's west coast.
Weingartner says that ocean currents, tidal motion and winds at the ocean’s surface
are critical factors in controlling the currents that may affect the survival of young
salmon. By tracking the paths of the drifting buoys, scientists hope to better understand
the marine habitat that may influence the highly variable runs of chinook and chum
salmon in the Yukon and Kuskokwim River drainages.
The project is funded by the Arctic Yukon Kuskokwim Sustainable Salmon Initiative and will be continued through the summer of 2009.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 55 faculty
scientists and 135 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Carin Stephens
CFOS Public Information Officer
E-mail: stephens@sfos.uaf.edu
Phone: 907-322-8730
Tom Weingartner
E-mail: weingart@sfos.uaf.edu
Phone: 907-474-7993
Terry Reeve
Marine Advisory Program
E-mail: terry.reeve@uaf.edu
Phone: 907-543-4560
September 18, 2008
Fairbanks, Alaska—One of the world's preeminent experts on ocean acidification will visit Fairbanks
next week and hold a public lecture on the effects of rising carbon dioxide levels
in the ocean.
Richard Feely is an oceanographer at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association’s
Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory in Seattle.
The public lecture will be held at 7:00 pm, Wednesday, September 24, at the Princess
Riverside Lodge in Fairbanks.
According to Jeremy Mathis, a chemical oceanographer at UAF's College of Fisheries
and Ocean Sciences, Feely has been a leading expert on ocean acidification for at
least twenty years.
In his abstract for the talk, Feely says that today's record high carbon dioxide levels
in the atmosphere are the "direct result of the industrial and agricultural activities
of humans over the past two centuries."
Feely adds that carbon dioxide levels are "now higher than experienced on Earth for
at least the last 800,000 years." Feely believes that these levels will continue to
rise.
Feely will discuss the short and long term implications of ocean acidification on
marine mammals, fish species and the economies that depend on the world’s marine resources.
"Ocean acidification is probably the most imminent threat to the oceans today," said
Mathis. He adds that ocean acidification is particularly harmful in Alaska, where
cooler waters can speed up the rate of acidification.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 55 faculty
scientists and 135 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Carin Stephens
Public Information Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Phone: 907-322-8730
E-mail: stephens@sfos.uaf.edu
Jeremy Mathis
Assistant Professor of Chemical Oceanography
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Phone: 907-474-5926
September 18, 2008
Anchorage, Alaska—Alaska fishermen facing record high fuel prices for their boats are taking steps both
large and small to improve their bottom line.
To learn how high fuel costs have affected fishermen, and to help fishermen exchange
ideas about ways to improve efficiencies, the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program has joined with the United Fishermen of Alaska to launch an online survey of fishermen across the state.
Take the survey.
The brief, unscientific survey, asks fishermen how high fuel prices have affected
their business, and what steps they have taken to combat the high costs of fishing
this year.
“Fuel costs dominated dock talk all summer,” said Mark Vinsel, executive director
of United Fishermen of Alaska. “I encourage all fishermen to complete the survey,
so that we can use the results to find ways to help fishermen reduce the impact of
high fuel prices.”
Paula Cullenberg is leader of the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, which
has extension agents in 11 Alaska coastal communities. Cullenberg, who also is a Bristol
Bay setnetter, said high fuel prices have hit Alaska fishermen especially hard this
year.
"Necessity is the mother of invention," said Cullenberg. "Alaska fishermen are very
good at reacting to all sorts of unexpected challenges with creative solutions. Our
hope is that through this survey, we can offer these solutions to others.
Contact: Sunny Rice, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, Petersburg, Alaska, 907-772-3381
September 17, 2008
Fairbanks, Alaska—The new UAF magazine, the Aurora, features a cover story on the CFOS divers who discovered new species during their work in the Aleutian Islands in the summers of 2006 and 2007. Read the story here.
September 8, 2008
Anchorage, Alaska—A consortium of state marine research organizations will use a $2.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to foster awareness of ocean issues amid a changing Alaska climate.
The award establishes Alaska as a Center for Ocean Science Education Excellence (COSEE),
one of twelve such centers nationwide, created by NSF in recent years, with a theme
of People, Oceans and Climate Change.
COSEE Alaska is a partnership between the Alaska Ocean Observing System, the Alaska
SeaLife Center, the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences, the UAF Center for Cross-Cultural Studies, the
Anchorage School District, and the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program.
COSEE organizers said the purpose of the NSF grant is to increase ocean literacy both
within and outside Alaska and to weave together western science and traditional knowledge
about ocean climate change to share with the nation.
The COSEE designation is especially timely, given the rapidly changing Arctic climate
being blamed for storms that are eroding the seacoast, altering fisheries, thawing
permafrost, and melting sea that ice polar bears, walrus and seals need for survival.
“This program provides a great opportunity to share with the world the dramatic changes
we're experiencing in our region due to climate change and to help the Arctic research
community connect directly with Alaskans, from fishermen, boaters, teachers and students
to other marine stakeholders and the public,” said Molly McCammon. McCammon is the
director of the Alaska Ocean Observing System, and led the COSEE planning efforts.
The NSF funding covers five years of COSEE Alaska outreach activities that will include
workshops among scientists, teachers, and students, real and virtual field trips,
the creation of statewide Ocean Science Fairs, and expansion of the annual Communicating
Ocean Science workshop at the Alaska Marine Science Symposium. The grant also will
enable the Marine Advisory Program to hire an education specialist based in Anchorage.
In addition, the funding will be used to develop a program called SEANET, a formal
network of ocean scientists, marine educators, students, and community members involved
in communicating about research in Alaska's seas. The goal of SEANET is to establish
long-lasting collaborations among these interest groups and strengthen communication
among scientists and informal and formal educators and the public. The grant culminates
in a national ocean education and communication conference to be held in Alaska in
2012.
COSEE Alaska will be based in Anchorage. An advisory board made up of representatives
of the academic community, industry, rural communities, and state and federal agencies
will provide input as the program develops.
Nora Deans, Director, COSEE Alaska, 907-644-6707
(National) Center for Ocean Science Education Excellence (COSEE)
September 3, 2008
Juneau, Alaska—Each year, more than $65 billion worth of seafood is harvested from the world's oceans and grown on high-tech farms. Alaska’s share of that fortune is about $2 billion, claimed mostly by large factory ships and trawlers that harvest pollock and other groundfish, and mom-and-pop fishermen who live in the state's many small coastal communities.
Helping Alaska's mom-and-pop commercial fishermen become more savvy about their business,
and maybe claim a larger slice of the world seafood pie, is the aim of a new course,
"The Business of Fish," being offered by the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
The best part about the course: you won't need to leave home to take it.
The free class begins September 16 and is offered through the University of Alaska
Television Network. There is no charge for the class and registration is not required.
Most Alaskans can view UATV programming through their local cable network. The course also is offered online.
The six-week course will cover the basics of business financial management: accounting,
income tax, business organization, writing a business plan, financing, vessel and
crew insurance, as well as state and federal fisheries regulations. Several subjects
will feature guest lecturers.
A separate course on fishermen direct marketing will air beginning October 22. Instructors
will cover practical considerations to seafood marketing such as regulations, marketing
strategy, and financial management.
To learn more about these distance delivery courses, contact Glenn Haight, Fisheries
Business Specialist, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, 907-796-6046, ffgeh1@uaf.edu,
or visit Glenn Haight's MAP Web site.
Glenn Haight, Fisheries Business Specialist, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, 907-796-6046,
June 20, 2008
Homer, Alaska—Whether you are a commercial or sport fisherman, recreational boater, charter skipper,
water taxi or tour operator, saving money on your vessel fuel bill can be as easy
as slowing down.
It can also be as complicated as deciding whether to replace that tired old fuel-guzzling
engine, or even the entire vessel.
“How much a boater saves on fuel is determined by many factors,” said Terry Johnson,
a Marine Advisory Program agent and boat owner based in Homer. He also has written
articles on fishing vessel maintenance for a popular trade magazine.
“While there are some general steps all boaters can take, maximizing fuel savings
comes down to a number of personal decisions about a specific vessel. No two vessels
will be exactly alike.”
To help boaters weigh their options, Johnson recently prepared a list of steps that
can help lessen the impact of high fuel costs.
First on his list is simply slow down. Seems obvious, but the savings can be dramatic.
For vessels that plow through the water—that is, they displace water rather than skim
over the top—even a small decrease in boat speed will save fuel on most boats. Johnson
said published data indicate that reducing power as little as 10 percent from full
throttle will lessen fuel consumption by 20 percent. Back off the throttle to the
point where the stern wave starts to flatten out and the savings will be greater.
Reducing speed by just one or two knots can cut fuel consumption by 30 percent to
50 percent.
Running your diesel engine at its most efficient rating also will save fuel. Johnson
said diesel engines are most efficient at 80 percent of maximum continuous rating
(MCR). That means they produce the most power for the fuel consumed. But be careful,
most fishing vessels are over-powered and achieve their most efficient vessel speed
at a power setting well below optimum engine speed and load. To get the most nautical
miles per gallon you'll probably have to run your engine at a speed slower than its
most efficient setting. Running too slow for too long, however, could damage your
engine.
Things get a bit more complicated for vessels that plane or displace little water.
These boats rely on skimming the surface; slowing too much causes the vessel to ride
lower in the water, lowering fuel efficiency. Johnson suggests using a fuel flow meter,
or keeping accurate records of gallons burned divided by miles traveled at different
revolutions-per-minute (rpm) until you find your vessel's most efficient engine and
boat speed.
Other tips to beat the fuel crunch:
* Exhaust. Exhaust from a well-maintained diesel engine is virtually invisible. Black
exhaust means the engine is overloaded, starved for combustion air, or has worn injectors.
If the exhaust is white, there is an injector or valve timing problem, burnt valves,
or bad gaskets allowing coolant into the cylinders. Blue exhaust indicates oil in
the combustion chambers from worn rings or valve guides, or a turbo seal failure.
All of these problems decrease engine efficiency and increase fuel consumption.
* Prop. When the boat is out of the water, check the prop for bent blades, dings,
or eroded edges that cause fuel-robbing cavitation. While underway, check the propwash
for excess turbulence and bubbles that suggest a prop that's too small or has too
little pitch. And check your exhaust stack for black smoke that would suggest overloading.
Use your tachometer and pyrometer to ensure you have the right prop. This can change
as the use of the boat changes or it gains weight or resistance from additional equipment
or modifications. The engine should quickly reach rated rpm and exhaust temperature
should be within manufacturer's specs; if not, the prop is too big or has too much
pitch. If the engine exceeds rated speed or exhaust temperature is too low, you may
not be wasting fuel but you could be causing long-term harm to the engine due to carbon
buildup and cylinder glazing. Use a computer prop sizing service to ensure you have
the right diameter, pitch, blade area, and prop configuration.
* Hull. Marine growth on the bottom of a boat saps power and wastes fuel. Get the
weeds and barnacles off and keep them off with proper antifouling paint. The smoother
the paint, the less friction, so find the right paint for your hull. Sponsons, struts,
sea chests, keel coolers, transducers, and stabilizers all increase hull drag. You
probably need those more than an extra fraction of a mile per gallon, but if there's
something below the waterline you don't need, get rid of it.
* Electrical system. Do you need to run a diesel genset around the clock or can you
use batteries and an inverter for your “hotel” power? A larger alternator on an underloaded
main engine may produce electricity more efficiently than a standalone generator.
Can you cook on an oil or propane range rather than an electric one? Consider adding
a wind charger or solar panels to reduce the fuel cost of electricity.
* Steering. You burn fuel to push your boat through the water, but if it's not going
the shortest distance to your destination you may be wasting fuel. If there's play
in your steering, adjust it to eliminate as much as possible. A good autopilot can
steer straighter than any helmsman. Even if you have a great autopilot, watch your
wake and you may see that you're zigzagging through the water. The pilot's control
head probably has adjustments that change steering parameters and allow you to minimize
delayed or oversteering in calm conditions. Modern units even have a no-drift mode
that compensates for wind and current.
* Plan your trip. Remember when vessels used to depart on the tide? It was not so
necessary with big engines and cheap fuel, but now routing to take advantage of tides,
currents, and predicted winds can save money. Remember, the shortest distance between
two points on the water is not necessarily a straight line. Tide and current tables,
and oceanographic current charts, can indicate ways to get a boost from nature. Good
weather forecasts help you avoid headwinds or delaying sea conditions, and also suggest
chances to get a boost from tailwinds.
* Vessel weight. More important on a planing or semi-displacement vessel, weight control
reduces the amount of power needed to achieve a given speed. Boats quickly fill up
with supplies, gear, and spare parts. On short trips, it may not be necessary to run
with full fuel and water tanks. Use trim tabs or shift passengers, gear, and ballast
to achieve proper vessel trim. On displacement boats, additional weight may improve
seakeeping and in some cases may actually improve fuel efficiency by helping the boat
proceed more directly through the water.
* Keep good records. You only know whether you're making an improvement (or making
things worse) if you have good numbers on vessel performance, both before and after
changes. At every fuel-up you should record fuel replaced, operating hours (from your
hour meter or engine hour logbook), and if possible, distance traveled. Other observations
such as changes in coolant and exhaust temperatures, oil temperatures and pressures,
and speed over the ground (as indicated by GPS or LORAN readings) should be logged.
* Do the math. Fuel is only one of the costs of your operation. Capital expenditure
(the price of new equipment), and the value of your time and that of your crew, are
also costs. The cost of a solution, such as buying a new engine or even a new vessel,
may be greater than the savings that could be realized. As fish prices, fuel costs,
regulations, and other factors change, it is important to recalculate the trade-offs.
For more information, visit the Marine Advisory Program's Alaska Boating Fuel Efficiency Resources Web site.
Greg Fisk, fishing consultant, 907-586-4090, prawns@alaska.net.
June 20, 2008
Fairbanks, Alaska—The University of Alaska Board of Regents this week approved a new bachelor of arts
in fisheries and a minor in fisheries. The degree and minor will be offered at the
University of Alaska Fairbanks.
The new bachelor's degree program is part of a multimillion-dollar expansion of the
UAF fisheries program thanks to a grant from the Rasmuson Foundation. The degree will prepare students for careers in fisheries business, policy, anthropology
or rural community development. According to Trent Sutton, associate professor of
fisheries and the coordinator for the undergraduate fisheries program, the program
will train students in the social, economic and business aspects of fisheries.
"Our students will learn not only how to work with fish, but how to work with the
diverse users of this vast natural resource," said Sutton. "Alaska needs more fisheries
experts, especially those trained in Alaska, and we intend to fill that need."
The new program emphasizes hands-on learning through internships and undergraduate
research. Students will work directly with fisheries experts in the workplace, the
laboratory and in the field. The program was created using input from members of Alaska's
fishing industry, including seafood processors, fishing companies and Alaska Native
groups.
Another priority of the program is to increase the number of Alaska Native and rural
Alaska students in fisheries. As part of this effort, classrooms have been equipped
with technology for distance delivery of classes. Students will also be able to begin
their studies at UAF, UAA or UAS and complete their degree through UAF in either Fairbanks
or Juneau.
UAF already offers a Bachelor of Science in fisheries, which prepares students for
more traditional careers in fisheries biology and management. As part of the UAF fisheries
expansion, the Bachelor of Science curriculum is being updated and revitalized to
include more opportunities for hands-on learning.
The minor in fisheries will allow students in other majors to gain a solid introductory
background in fisheries. Both the new bachelor's degree and the minor become officially
available in January 2009.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 55 faculty
scientists and 135 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Carin Stephens, public information officer, at 907-322-8730 or via e-mail at stephens@sfos.uaf.edu OR Trent Sutton at 907-474-7285 or via e-mail at tsutton@sfos.uaf.edu
June 20, 2008
Fellows will spend a year in D.C. learning how federal marine policy is madeFairbanks—Three University of Alaska Fairbanks graduate students have been named Dean John A.
Knauss Fellows. The fellows will spend a year in Washington, D.C., learning how the
federal government makes national marine environmental policy.
Celeste Leroux, Erin Steiner, and Mary Bozza, all graduate students at the UAF College
of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, were among 51 students chosen in the national competition.
The fellowship, begun in 1979 and run by the National Sea Grant College Program, has
introduced hundreds of budding scientists to the complexities of federal environmental
law and policy. In many cases, the fellowships have served as a springboard to related
careers.
"We are extremely proud of UAF's ability to compete with highly ranked universities
across the country," said Brian Allee, who recently retired as director of the Alaska
Sea Grant College Program. "Last year, we had one exceptional student chosen for this
prestigious fellowship. To have three exemplary students chosen this year is wonderful."
Celeste Leroux is completing research aimed at obtaining her master's degree in marine
biology. In 2007, she joined the university, federal, and industry–run Alaska King
Crab Research, Rehabilitation and Biology Program (AKCRRAB), and began studies of
how to culture and raise red and blue king crab in large-scale hatcheries. The overall
goal is to learn whether hatcheries may be a feasible tool to rebuild low populations
of wild king crab in parts of the state.
Leroux said working with the NOAA Aquaculture Program would be a good fit with her
current research. "But I want to keep my options open," said Leroux. "Opportunities
will come up during placement week that I don't know about yet."
Erin Steiner is a master's degree student on the Alaska Sea Grant research project
titled "A Global Analysis of Salmon Prices: How Low Can They Go?" Her economic study
of alternative harvesting strategies is aimed at helping Bristol Bay sockeye salmon
fishermen cope with changing global seafood markets.
Steiner previously worked as a research assistant on arctic stream studies on Alaska's
North Slope, and spent a year as a groundfish fisheries observer in the Bering Sea.
Steiner is fluent in Spanish, and served two years in the Peace Corps in Bolivia.
As a Knauss Fellow, Steiner hopes to work on offshore fisheries issues with NOAA Fisheries.
Mary Bozza is a master's degree student studying immune function in Alaska sea ducks.
Her research on the immune response to viral infection in Steller's eiders seeks to
improve scientific understanding of disease impacts on population ecology. Bozza has
requested placement within the executive branch.
"I'm pretty open-minded as to placement, and I'm excited to see what projects are
offered," said Bozza. "There are many international issues related to climate change
and diseases, and I'm sure there will be many interesting opportunities. There will
be a new administration next year, and so Washington, D.C., will be a very exciting
place to be."
Former UAF graduate student Seanbob Kelly is currently serving as a Knauss Fellow
with NOAA Fisheries. He said Alaska's 2009 fellows will have opportunities and challenges
in the nation's capital.
"I'm excited that Alaska will be represented next year and hopefully in coming years,"
said Kelly. "My experience has been tremendously rewarding in terms of learning about
the many facets of how scientific information is used to make decisions about our
resources and shape overall policy."
In December, Alaska's Knauss Fellows will travel to Washington, D.C, for orientation
and placement interviews with federal legislative and executive branch agencies and
committees. They begin their formal service as Knauss Fellows in February 2009. Each
fellow receives a $34,000 stipend, as well as health benefits and a moving allowance.
Download high-res photos
Doug Schneider, Information Officer, Alaska Sea Grant College Program, 907-474-7449;
fndgs@uaf.edu
Mary Bozza, 907-491-0567; ftmb@uaf.edu
Celeste Leroux, 415-306-2457; scjl4@uaf.edu
Erin Steiner, 978-394-2085; e.steiner@uaf.edu
June 19, 2008
Dillingham, Alaska—The University of Alaska Fairbanks will soon begin a search for a Marine Advisory Program agent for its Dillingham office. MAP is the statewide community extension arm of
the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
The MAP agent in Dillingham will provide fisheries and marine technical assistance
to commercial and subsistence fishermen in more than 30 communities across southwest
Alaska.
"The university recognizes the importance of the fishery in the Bristol Bay region
to the state of Alaska," said Denis Wiesenburg, dean of the UAF College of Fisheries
and Ocean Sciences. "We are committed to providing the support needed by Dillingham’s
fishermen."
The search committee for the position includes both local residents and university
faculty members. Cordova MAP agent and salmon fisherman Torie Baker will chair the
committee. Three of the five committee members are Dillingham residents.
The position was vacated when previous MAP agent Elizabeth Brown took a position with
Georgia Sea Grant last year. Earlier plans to replace the position were put on hold
because of budget constraints within CFOS.
The job will be advertised later this summer.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 55 faculty
scientists and 135 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Carin Stephens, CFOS public information officer, at 907-322-8730 or via e-mail at stephens@sfos.uaf.edu, OR Paula Cullenberg, Marine Advisory Program Leader and Alaska Sea Grant interim director, via e-mail at anpjc@uaa.alaska.edu.
June 11, 2008
Fairbanks, Alaska—While many high school students enjoy their long summer vacation, West Valley sophomore Shamariah Hale will be hard at work. Selected as a Hutton Junior Fisheries Scholar, Hale will spend the next two months gaining hands-on experience as a young fisheries scientist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Hale is one of 36 students across the nation who will participate in the 2008 Hutton
Junior Fisheries Biology Program. Sponsored by the American Fisheries Society, the program works to increase the number of women and minorities in fisheries careers.
Students are paired with a mentor in fisheries and receive a $3,000 scholarship.
Hale will be working with Trent Sutton, an associate professor of fisheries at the
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
Under Sutton's guidance, Hale will study the health and abundance of humpback whitefish
and least cisco in the Chatanika River. Once a productive whitefish fishery, the Chatanika
historically accounted for nearly half of Alaska's whitefish harvest. After fish numbers
decreased dramatically, the fishery was closed in 1994 and reopened last year.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 55 faculty
scientists and 135 students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska and the
world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
For more information, contact Trent Sutton, tsutton@sfos.uaf.edu, 907-474-7285, or Carin Bailey Stephens, stephens@sfos.uaf.edu, 907-322-8730.
June 1, 2008
Fairbanks, Alaska—In 1965, Vera Alexander became the first woman to receive a doctorate at the University
of Alaska. Four decades later, after serving as a professor of marine science, a director
and as a dean, Alexander has been honored with the dedication of a new smart classroom
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
The classroom, room 201 in the O'Neill building on UAF's West Ridge, was renamed the
Vera Alexander Learning Center during a dedication ceremony held on Wednesday, May
28. At the ceremony, UAF chancellor Steve Jones and College of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences dean Denis Wiesenburg thanked Alexander for more than forty years of service
and unveiled the room's dedication plaque.
The recently completed Vera Alexander Learning Center is the most technologically
advanced classroom on the UAF campus. Equipped with complete videoconferencing capabilities,
widescreen plasma displays and an interactive dry erase board called a smart board,
the classroom connects the five major locations of the UAF College of Fisheries and
Ocean Sciences.
The classroom is used to broadcast courses to students at any of the school's five
divisions in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Juneau, Kodiak and Seward. The room will also be
used for thesis and dissertation defenses, seminars and lectures. Funding for the
building of the learning center was provided in part by the Rasmuson Foundation, as
part of a multi-million dollar expansion of UAF's fisheries program.
After receiving her Ph.D. in marine science at the University of Alaska in 1965, Alexander
became an associate professor at the fledgling Institute of Marine Science on the
Fairbanks campus. In 1980, she became the director of IMS. When the UAF College of
Fisheries and Ocean Sciences was formed in 1987, Alexander became its first dean and
served for nearly twenty years, until 2004.
Alexander is currently a professor emeritus and is on the advisory board for the UAF
Pollock Conservation Cooperative Research Center. She is part of various scientific
steering committees, including those for the international Census of Marine Life,
the North Pacific Research Board and NOAA Ocean Explorations. Alexander is the president
of the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 55 faculty
scientists and 135 graduate students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska
and the world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University
of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
May 22, 2008
Fairbanks, Alaska—A research institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks has received an award from
the U.S. Department of the Interior for outstanding conservation through collaboration.
The award is called the Cooperative Conservation Award and was presented last month
in Washington, D.C.
The award recognizes the partnership between UAF's Coastal Marine Institute and the
U.S. Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service. Founded fifteen years
ago, CMI is managed through the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. The institute
works directly with the Minerals Management Service and the state of Alaska to study
marine issues associated with the development of oil, gas and minerals in Alaska’s
outer continental shelf.
According to the Department of the Interior, CMI and MMS made "outstanding contributions
to collecting and disseminating environmental information for use in key decisions
in oil and gas exploration and development" in Alaska's coastal regions.
By partnering with 49 different organizations from Alaska and around the world, CMI
and MMS have raised millions of dollars, as well as in-kind contributions, to fund
marine-based research into the potential effects of oil and gas development in Alaska's
coastal regions. Research projects are selected based on the recommendations and reviews
of a committee made up of UAF, state and MMS members.
The award notes that the CMI/MMS partnership "strengthens research in the areas of
fisheries protection, biomonitoring, physical oceanography and the fate of oil in
the marine environment."
Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne presented the award to Vera Alexander, longtime
former director of CMI and former dean of the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences,
and to Cleveland Cowles of MMS. CMI is currently directed for UAF by Michael Castellini,
Associate Dean of CFOS, and for MMS Alaska by Kate Wedemeyer.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 55 faculty
scientists and 135 graduate students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska
and the world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University
of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Vera Alexander, 907-474-5071, vera@sfos.uaf.edu, or Carin Bailey Stephens, public information officer, 907-322-8730, stephens@sfos.uaf.edu.
May 21, 2008
Marine research, education, and advisory efforts receive fundsFAIRBANKS, Alaska—Improving fisheries management models, increasing the size of farm-raised oysters,
and learning how to raise red and blue king crab in large-scale hatcheries are among
the $1.5 million in new projects, activities, and administration of the Alaska Sea
Grant College Program over the next two years, the program announced today.
Read News Release
May 21, 2008
FAIRBANKS, Alaska—Alaska Sea Grant Director Brian Allee announced his retirement from the University
of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS), effective May
30, 2008.
Read News Release
May 15, 2008
Fairbanks, Alaska—CFOS faculty members Nicola Hillgruber, Murat Balaban, Alexandra de Oliveira, Alan
Springer, Dean Stockwell and Trent Sutton were recently promoted or received tenure,
effective beginning July 1, 2008.
Hillgruber, a fisheries ecology expert at the CFOS Juneau Center, will be promoted
to Associate Professor.
Balaban, director of the Fishery Industrial Technology Center, will be tenured.
Oliveira, a seafood scientist and fisheries chemist, has been tenured and promoted
to Associate Professor.
Springer, a biological oceanographer and seabird specialist, will be promoted to Research
Professor.
Stockwell, a taxonomist and biological oceanographer, will be promoted to Research
Associate Professor.
Sutton, undergraduate fisheries coordinator and fisheries scientists, will receive
tenure.
Congratulations to this year's CFOS promotion and tenure recipients!
May 12, 2008
High school marine science competition scores a series of firstsSeward, Alaska—Top-notch high school students from around the nation gathered in Seward at the end
of April for the finals of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl. It was the first time
in the eleven-year history of the NOSB competition that the finals were held in Alaska.
The students enjoyed a long weekend of adventure and tough competition.
Students and coaches enjoyed a naturalist-guided trip from Anchorage to Portage on
the Alaska Railroad and a Kenai Fjords tour of Resurrection Bay donated by Renown
Tours.
The students hailed from Florida to New Hampshire, and from Hawaii to the Midwest.
A frequent exclamation on the train ride to Portage was "this is the first time I've
ever seen snow!"
In fact, there was so much snow, the train could not continue on its planned trip
to Seward because of an avalanche in the rugged mountains between Portage and Seward.
On the Kenai Fjords tour, many students saw their first bald eagles, puffins, Steller
sea lions and humpback whales. Some also saw their first glaciers. Despite the cold
and rainy weather, students crowded the outside decks to see a sampling of Alaska's
coastline.
Students also enjoyed dinner at the Alaska SeaLife Center, and a barbeque dinner on
Saturday night featuring fresh wild Alaska halibut and salmon. Many of the students
at the barbecue enjoyed their first taste of fresh Alaska halibut and salmon.
On Saturday and Sunday, the students engaged in head-to-head combat over tough questions
about the world's oceans. On the final day of the competition, Sunday, April 27, the
top two teams, Mission San Jose High School and Lincoln-Sudbury High School, faced
off for the first and second place title. Both the first and second place teams won
trips to Costa Rica.
Competition Results:
1st place: Lincoln-Sudbury High School, Sudbury, Massachusetts
2nd place: Mission San Jose High School, Fremont, California
3rd place: Santa Monica High School, Santa Monica, California
4th place: Dexter High School, Dexter, Michigan
5th place: La Jolla High School, San Diego, California
6th place: ExCEL Academic League, Vancouver, Washington
7th place: Poudre High School, Fort Collins, Colorado
8th place: East Carteret High School, Beaufort, North Carolina
More about the NOSB finals in Alaska:
April 25 Seward Phoenix Log story: The sea geeks are coming
May 2 Seward Phoenix Log story: Sea-savvy students lock brains in Seward classrooms
Post-competition press release from the Consortium for Ocean Leadership (Download
292 KB PDF)
Visit the NOSB donors webpage for a list of the donors whose generous donations made
the event possible.
Photo slide shows coming soon!
April 29, 2008
Biologists hope raising king crab will lead to wild stock recoverySEWARD, Alaska—A baby boom of sorts has wrapped up in Seward.
The baby boom was the result of the hatch of several million red king crab larvae
at the Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery. The twelve egg-bearing adult king crab that
were collected from Bristol Bay last fall began releasing their larvae in mid-March.
The hatch is part of a research program, now in its second year, designed to help
scientists and policy makers decide if large-scale hatcheries can be used to rebuild
collapsed king crab populations in places like Kodiak and the Pribilof Islands.
The federal, state and industry–supported research program is called the Alaska King
Crab Research, Rehabilitation and Biology (AKCRRAB) Program, and is run by the Alaska
Sea Grant College Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Read News Release
April 29, 2008
Fairbanks, Alaska—UAF announced today that CFOS faculty member John Kelley earned this year's Emil Usibelli
Distinguished Public Service Award.
The Emil Usibelli Distinguished Teaching, Research and Public Service are considered
one of the university’s most prestigious awards. They represent UAF’s tripartite mission
and are funded annually from a $600,000 endowment established by Usibelli Coal Mine
in 1992.
Each year, a committee that includes members from the faculty, the student body and
a member of the UA Foundation Board of Trustees evaluates the nominees. Each of the
winners receives a cash award of $10,000.
Marsha Sousa, an associated professor of allied health, will receive the teaching
award and Gerald Mohatt, professor of psychology and director of the Center for Alaska
Native Health Research, will receive the research award.
Kelley joined the UAF faculty in 1974 as an assistant professor with the Institute
of Marine Science. Since then, he has served in a variety of research and service
roles, including four years as the director of the Naval Arctic Research Laboratory
in Barrow, where he gained the trust of the communities in the North Slope Borough.
Kelley has continued to serve the region as chairman of the NSB Science Advisory Committee
since 1981.
Kelley also served as director of the National Science Foundation’s Polar Ice Coring
Office at UAF, commissioner on the Fairbanks North Star Borough’s Mombetsu (Japan)
Sister City Commission and member of the Planning Committee for the National Academies
of Science, International Polar Year. Kelley holds a bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania
State University and a doctorate from University of Nagoya in Japan.
Kelley has mentored junior faculty and students, keeping the "best of the university
and its associated community in mind," said Debasmita Misra, associate professor in
UAF’s College of Engineering and Mines, who nominated him.
"Despite all the important service activities that John has performed, his humility
and compassion has always left others seeking his support time and again."
Kelley is credited for working with UAF’s Rural Student Services and the American
Indian Science and Engineering Society to develop a program to encourage Alaska Native
undergraduates to pursue careers in science. The NEWNET/ORION program, created in
1997 with support from the U.S. Department of Energy, was designed to involve Alaska
Native college students in monitoring atmospheric radioactivity in Alaska.
Kelley and the other recipients will be honored at a reception May 5 at 3:30 p.m.
in Wood Center Conference Rooms C & D.
Portions of this story are courtesy of a press release written by Carla Browning,
University Marketing and Communications
Carin Bailey Stephens
Public Information Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Phone: 907-322-8730
April 21, 2008
Seward, Alaska—Later this week, up to 125 marine science experts will converge in Seward to share
their knowledge of the world's oceans.
These experts aren't professors or graduate students. They're teenagers, and they
could challenge any oceanographer in a trivia game about ocean science.
The National Ocean Sciences Bowl, a rigorous high school marine science competition,
will be held in Seward April 25-27. For the first time in competition history, the
NOSB will bring twenty-five teams from high schools around the country to Alaska.
To compete in the national finals of NOSB, high school students compete in regional
competitions across the United States, including Alaska. The winning five-member team
from each region earns a free trip to the finals. Last year, the finals were held
in Stony Brook, New York.
This year's high school teams hail from as far away as Florida, New Hampshire and
Texas. Other regions that will be represented in Seward include Kona, Hawaii; Long
Beach, Mississippi; Cranston, Rhode Island; Dexter, Michigan; Sandy Hook, New Jersey;
and more.
Alaska's own winning team from Juneau-Douglas High School will compete in Seward for
the national title. Team members include Ross Douglas, Stephen Kubota, Kayla Harrison,
Molly Emerson and Trentyn Days. The team is coached by Ben Carney.
Since other regional teams won a trip to Alaska, UAF is sending the Juneau-Douglas
team to California in late May for visits to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Moss Landing
Marine Laboratories and the Exploratorium in San Francisco. The team will receive
the trip as a reward for winning Alaska’s regional NOSB competition.
NOSB organizers estimate that the national event will bring more than 250 students,
volunteers, judges and family members to Seward. Among the activities planned for
the students include a naturalist-guided trip on the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage
to Seward, tours of the Alaska SeaLife Center and a Kenai Fjords cruise in Resurrection
Bay donated by Renown Tours.
This year marks the eleventh year of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl. This event
is supported by multiple sponsors from within Alaska and around the nation.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 55 faculty
scientists and 135 graduate students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska
and the world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University
of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Contact
Carin Bailey Stephens
Public Information Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Tel: (907) 322-8730
April 16, 2008
Fairbanks, Alaska—Several CFOS faculty and students are currently in the Bering Sea, on board the USCG
icebreaker Healy as part of the Bering Sea Integrated Ecosystem Research Program/Bering Ecosystem
Study. The cruise began March 29 and will continue until May 6.
Among the scientists are Rolf Gradinger, Katrin Iken, intern Rebecca Neumann, and
alumnus Alexei Pinchuk.
Follow them on the cruise by visiting the expedition's online "logbook".
The cruise is part of a six-year study of the Bering Sea ecosystem jointly funded
by the National Science Foundation and the North Pacific Research Board.
Carin Bailey Stephens
CFOS Public Information Officer
Phone: 907-322-8730
April 8, 2008
Fairbanks, Alaska—The Pollock Conservation Cooperative Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks
has funded more than $500,000 for the study of Alaska's marine ecosystems.
The eight projects funded by the center this year include scientific studies of Alaska's
fish species, educational support for fisheries students, an investigation into how
scientists tag Steller sea lions and an analysis of the marine food chain in the Bering
Sea.
Administered through the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, the PCCRC provides
funding for peer-reviewed research of North Pacific fisheries, marine mammals and
coastal ecosystem issues, as well as for training and education in issues important
in Alaska's fisheries.
Nearly $85,000 was awarded to a scientist at the Fishery Industrial Technology Center
to study the development of pollock liver oil as a nutritional supplement. If successful,
pollock oil could join cod liver oil, salmon oil and other fish oils on supermarket
shelves as a source of healthy Omega-3 fatty acids.
Another project includes more than $50,000 to increase field research, internship
and on-the-job training opportunities for UAF’s fisheries undergraduates. A major
component of the current expansion of the UAF fisheries program, project leaders say
that training outside the classroom will help prepare students for jobs.
One project funded by the center includes sending data-gathering floats out into the
fishing grounds of the Bering Sea to measure water temperatures. Information gathered
from the instruments will be transmitted to scientists on a weekly basis and then
posted on the Alaska Ocean Observing System website. The temperature data will provide
important information on temperature changes as well as help Alaska’s fishermen and
fisheries managers determine fishing locations.
The research center was founded in 2000 with a donation from the Pollock Conservation
Cooperative. The cooperative is composed of North Pacific pollock fishing companies
of the At-sea Processors Association. These companies, Alaska Ocean Seafood, American
Seafoods Company, Arctic Storm Management Group, Glacier Fish Company, Highland Light,
Starbound LLC and Trident Seafoods, have funded 55 research projects and contributed
more than $8.5 million to UAF for marine research and education. The group also provides
funding for the Ted Stevens Distinguished Professor of Marine Policy.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. 55 faculty
scientists and 135 graduate students are engaged in building knowledge about Alaska
and the world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered at the University
of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau,
Anchorage and Kodiak.
Contact
Denis Wiesenburg
Dean, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Director, PCCRC
Phone: 907-474-7210
Carin Bailey Stephens
Public Information Officer
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Phone: 907-322-8730
February 18, 2008
Castellini to lecture tomorrow at the WestmarkFairbanks, Alaska—Changes in the sea ice at the north and south poles have an immediate effect on the
animals that live there. On Tuesday, Feb. 19, Mike Castellini will describe how disappearing
sea ice affects the breeding, hunting, resting and social systems of polar bears,
seals, penguins and more in his lecture, "On Thin Ice: Marine Mammals Challenged by
Climate Change." The lecture will begin at 7 p.m. in the Westmark Gold Room and all
ages are welcome to attend the free event.
Castellini will use a combination of video and still photographs to share current
research on ice-dependent mammals, and explain how such work contributes to the overall
implications of climate change on the planet in his lecture.
Associate Dean of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences Mike Castellini has
spent a cumulative total of three and half years on the Antarctic ice working with
ice-dependent mammals.
"On Thin Ice: Marine Mammals Challenged by Climate Change" will be the sixth and final
lecture in the 2008 Science for Alaska Lecture Series, presented by the Geophysical Institute at UAF.
The Fairbanks arm of Science for Alaska has welcomed more than 1,400 people to lectures
this year. The popular series includes presenters from each major University of Alaska
campus and is held in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau. The series is sponsored by
the Geophysical Institute, UAF, and Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.
Press release courtesy of Amy Hartley, Geophysical Institute
February 15, 2008
Seward, Alaska—Phil Moser may not know where he wants to go to college yet, but he knows what he
is going to study.
"Anything related to the ocean," says Moser, with a winning smile.
Moser was a competitor in last weekend's Tsunami Bowl, Alaska’s regional version of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl, a day-long, rapid-fire competition, complete with jeopardy-style questions and team
challenge written questions. Moser's team, Team Megatron from Juneau-Douglas High
School, took second place in the competition.
The first place winners were the Naughty Nautili, also from Juneau-Douglas. Composed
of sophomores and juniors, the Naughty Nautili were first-time competitors in the
Tsunami Bowl, while Team Megatron was made up of seniors and competition veterans.
Ben Carney, a teacher at Juneau-Douglas and the coach for both teams, says this isn't
the first time the Naughty Nautili has surprised him.
"They edged out a third team led by the captain of last year’s Tsunami Bowl winning
team to earn the right to get to Seward," said Carney. "And then they edged out Team
Megatron."
"They are talented and motivated-- a powerful combination," adds Carney.
The first and second place winners each won a one-year scholarship to the University of Alaska Fairbanks or the University of Alaska Southeast. The winning team will also get to compete in the national finals of the National
Ocean Sciences Bowl, to be held in Seward in April.
This year’s Tsunami Bowl drew a record fifteen teams from across Alaska, including
teams from Unalaska, Cordova, Soldotna, Anchorage, Kenny Lake, Wasilla and White Mountain
in northwest Alaska.
Last year, Juneau-Douglas swept first, second and third place at the Tsunami Bowl.
One team to watch out for in 2009 is this year’s third place winner, Team Visceral
Mass from Cordova. Visceral Mass had the best overall team record for the competition,
winning seven games and only losing one. The team also beat the first and second place
teams during matches earlier on in the competition. Composed of three juniors and
one sophomore, the team says it will be back for next year’s competition.
Cordova team coach Lindsay Butters of the Prince William Sound Science Center says
that Visceral Mass was "super motivated."
"These kids were at practice every day, asking good questions," she added.
Butters said that it helped that Cordova High School started offering a marine biology
course last fall. That course, and frequent interaction with guest scientists from
the Prince William Sound Science Center, helped the students prepare for the competition.
In April, the national finals will be held in Alaska for the first time in NOSB history.
Hosted by the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, the finals will take place
in Seward April 25-27, 2008. The event will bring 25 teams of high school students
and 250 volunteers, students, judges and family members from across the U.S. to Alaska.
The Naughty Nautili will be there, ready to compete against winning teams from around
the nation.
The National Ocean Sciences Bowl was established in 1998 to encourage learning about
the oceans and increase the teaching of ocean sciences in high schools. Support for
NOSB is provided by the Consortium for Ocean Leadership. The regional competition is supported by the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences, Alaska Sea Grant and the North Pacific Research Board.
February 14, 2008
Kodiak, Alaska—When Murat Balaban took over as director of the Fishery Industrial Technology Center
in Kodiak last month, he immediately went to work publicizing the important work being
done at the research center.
"Fish Tech has excellent faculty and staff, and world-class facilities and capabilities,"
said Balaban. "I’m enjoying spreading the word about the amazing work we do here."
The Fishery Industrial Technology Center is a unit of the UAF College of Fisheries
and Ocean Sciences. Located in Kodiak, at the center of Alaska's fishing industry,
FITC scientists look for new ways to increase the value of Alaska’s seafood products.
Scientists at the center work on developing technologies to help improve the quality
and safety of Alaska seafood, such as a machine that automatically removes pinbones
from fish, an electronic 'nose' to detect quality issues in seafood and net pens to
deliver live salmon to processors.
Other research at the center includes finding new ways to use the more than one million
metric tons of seafood by-products-- fish heads, tails and viscera-- that are annually
dumped or minimally used by Alaska’s fishing industry.
Fish Tech staff also educate members of the fishing industry in seafood quality, marketing
and business practices. The center works closely with the Marine Advisory Program,
another unit in the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, to provide education
and guidance to Alaska’s commercial and subsistence fishermen.
For the past twenty years, Balaban served on the faculty of the University of Florida
in Gainesville as a professor of food processing and engineering. Originally from
Turkey, Balaban received his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Middle
East Technical University. He earned a doctorate in food science from the University
of Washington. Balaban also holds five patents as a food processing engineer.
"We were looking for a director who could really expand on our mission of service
to the state of Alaska and the fishing industry," said Denis Wiesenburg, dean of the
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
"We found that person in Murat Balaban," added Wiesenburg.
Balaban has already begun revamping the FITC website and building bridges between
the center and the community of Kodiak and the state of Alaska. FITC will play a central
role in ComFish, Alaska’s annual commercial fishing conference and trade show held
in Kodiak in March.
Balaban also wants to reinvigorate the academic curriculum at Fish Tech and attract
more high-quality students to the sustainable seafood science and utilization program.
"All we have to do now is keep proving that we are the best in the world," Balaban
added.
The mission of the UAF Fishery Industrial Technology Center is to increase the value
of Alaska's fishing industry and marine resources through research, technological
development, education and service.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
55 faculty scientists and 135 graduate students are engaged in building knowledge
about Alaska and the world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located
in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage and Kodiak.
Carin Bailey Stephens
Public Information Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Phone: 907-322-8730
February 14, 2008
Fairbanks, Alaska—CFOS graduate student Seanbob Kelly is working in Washington, D.C., as the 2008 Alaska
Sea Grant Knauss Fellow. Seanbob is sharing his experiences and adventures through
his new blog. Learn more about the exciting opportunities available to UAF graduate
students as a Knauss Fellow, and read his blog at:
Seanbob's blog
or visit Alaska Sea Grant
February 8, 2008
Seward, Alaska—Every year, a rigorous high school marine science competition in Seward draws dozens
of high school students from across Alaska to answer hundreds of questions about the
ocean. This year, with fifteen teams and 70 competitors, the Tsunami Bowl will set a new record.
The Tsunami Bowl is Alaska's regional version of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl. The bowl is a day-long, rapid-fire quiz style competition, complete with jeopardy-style
questions and team challenge written questions. The bowl will be held next Friday,
February 8, and Saturday, February 9.
Last year, nine teams and 41 students competed in the Tsunami Bowl. Juneau-Douglas
High School swept the competition, with three teams that took first, second and third
place.
"We are thrilled to have so many participants and especially to see new coaches and
students from all across the state," says Phyllis Shoemaker, Alaska regional coordinator
for NOSB.
With team names like the "Tentacular Nematocysts" from Unalaska, the "Sea Geeks" from
Kenny Lake and the "Odd Pisces" from Soldotna, Shoemaker says this year's competition
may be the most exciting Tsunami Bowl yet.
This year's teams hail from Cordova, Anchorage, Wasilla, Soldotna, Unalaska, Kenny
Lake, Seward and White Mountain, a small village on the Seward Peninsula.
"We are always looking for more high schools and communities to get involved," said
Shoemaker. "This is really a wonderful way to encourage marine science education at
the high school level in Alaska."
The winning team will compete in the national finals of the NOSB. Another first for
this year will be the coming of the national finals of NOSB to Alaska. Hosted by the
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, the NOSB finals will take place in Seward
April 25-27, 2008. The event will bring 25 teams of high school students and 250 volunteers,
students, judges and family members from across the U.S. to Alaska.
The National Ocean Sciences Bowl was established in 1998 to encourage learning about
the oceans and increase the teaching of ocean sciences in high schools. Support for
NOSB is provided by the Consortium for Ocean Leadership. The regional competition
is supported by the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Alaska Sea Grant
and the North Pacific Research Board.
Carin Bailey Stephens
Public Information Officer
Phone: 907-322-8730
Phyllis Shoemaker
NOSB Alaska Regional Coordinator
Phone: 907-224-4312
January 28, 2008
Anchorage—At last week's Alaska Marine Science Symposium in Anchorage, more than 600 state, national and international scientists gathered
to share their knowledge of marine issues in Alaska waters. There were nearly 100
presentations given at the Symposium, with sixteen given by students.
All student presentations and posters were entered into a Symposium-wide contest for
the best student presentation and best student poster. Alaska Sea Grant provided $250 each for the winning master's student and Ph.D. student poster. The
North Pacific Research Board offered $250 each for the best two master's level and best two Ph.D. level oral presentations.
Four of the six award winners are graduate students studying fisheries at the UAF
CFOS Juneau Center.
Katie Palof, a master's degree student studying the genetics of Pacific Ocean perch with Tony
Gharrett, received an award for her presentation on her thesis work.
Lisa Kamin is also a master's degree student studying the genetics of Pacific Ocean perch with
Tony Gharrett. Kamin earned the award for best poster for a master's level student.
Joel Webb earned an award for his poster on developing biological reference points for eastern
Bering Sea crab. Webb is a Ph.D. student working with Ginny Eckert and Gordon Kruse.
Cindy Tribuzio is working on her Ph.D. with Gordon Kruse. She is studying spiny dogfish and received
an award for Ph.D. level oral presentation.
One of the remaining awards was received by Steffen Oppel, a Ph.D. student in UAF's Department of Biology and Wildlife.
Many CFOS faculty, staff and students participated in the Symposium, as attendees,
presenters or as poster presenters. CFOS presenters at the Symposium included:
Oral Presentations- CFOS Faculty and Staff
Stephen Jewett
Tom Weingartner
Jeremy Mathis
Lisa Eisner
David Tallmon
Georgina Gibson
Oral Presentations- CFOS Students
Tracie Merrill
Erin Steiner
Gayle Neufeld
Sue Hazlett
Jenefer Bell
Cindy Tribuzio
Alexander Andrews
Katie Palof
Posters- CFOS Faculty and Staff
Bodil Bluhm (2)
Stephen Okkonen
Alan Springer
Arny Blanchard
Kenneth Coyle
Brian Himelbloom
Russ Hopcroft
Mark Johnson
Brenda Konar
Trent Sutton
David Tallmon
Patricia Rivera
Posters- CFOS Students
Markus Janout
Jennifer Marsh
Lisa Kamin
Melissa Deiman
Caroline Jezierski
Paige Drobny
Seth Danielson (2)
Ed Farley
Jeremy Mull
Rebekka Federer
Haixue Shen
Joel Webb
William Bechtol
Jamie Womble (2)
Gayle Neufeld
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
60 faculty scientists and 160 graduate and undergraduate students are engaged in building
knowledge about Alaska and the world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located
in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage and Kodiak.
January 24, 2008
Anchorage, Alaska—Fishermen, community leaders, Alaska Natives, scientists, government officials, environmental
groups, and representatives from energy companies will meet in Anchorage to discuss
what’s needed to safely develop oil and gas in the North Aleutian Basin, a sprawling
region that includes part of the salmon-rich Bristol Bay.
The North Aleutians Basin Energy-Fisheries Workshop, scheduled for March 18–19 at the Anchorage Marriot Downtown Hotel, is aimed at continuing
a dialogue that began last October, when key stakeholders outlined their positions
on development and organized the agenda for the March 2008 meeting.
The meeting seeks insights into the economic, social, and environmental questions
that must be addressed to make energy development environmentally safe as well as
socially and economically beneficial for the region’s residents. It also offers a
chance for energy and fisheries industries to learn about each other’s operations.
The Alaska Sea Grant College Program, a marine research, information, and advisory program headquartered at the University
of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, is coordinating the
meetings. Funding for the meeting comes from grants from Shell, Aleutians East Borough,
the Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation, Peter Pan Seafoods, and others.
In 2007, the U.S. Minerals Management Service announced proposed plans to sell oil
and gas exploration leases in a part of the North Aleutian Basin beginning in 2011.
That announcement came as welcome news to some in the region, such as Stanley Mack,
mayor of the Aleutians East Borough.
“We have seen a lot of outmigration because of the lack of jobs,” said Mack. ”I see
my role as providing jobs and economic stability, making sure our communities survive
and that our schools stay open.”
At stake is the potential revenue energy development might bring to the region. If
developed, North Aleutian Basin oil and gas could be worth $3 to $6 billion per year
for the next 25 to 40 years, according to the U.S. Minerals Management Service. MMS
estimates that region contains 8.6 trillion cubic feet of gas and 750 million barrels
of oil or condensate. Shell, one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, expressed
interest in developing the energy deposits believed to exist beneath the seafloor.
But of concern to Mack and many others is the impact on the region’s abundant salmon,
crab, halibut, pollock and cod fisheries, worth more than $2 billion each year. Possible
impacts include oil spills and navigation hazards, as well as competition for limited
dock space and loss of jobs as deckhands and others take higher-paying energy jobs.
“We are guarded about fisheries,” said Justine Gundersen, administrator for the Nelson
Lagoon Tribal Council. “Fishing is a way of life in our area. But we are open—we will
not fight oil development. Fishing is not as prosperous as before. We want diversification.
These meetings are so important for learning. We want to protect everything we have,
and so we must be at the table.”
Also of concern are issues such as harbors, roads, and other infrastructure, and the
social impacts of population growth and cash that would flow into the region.
In offshore oil and gas proposals elsewhere in Alaska, forces pro and con have lined
up to voice their views, and opposition has led to litigation. In the case of the
North Aleutian Basin, meeting organizer and Alaska Sea Grant director Brian Allee
said the goal of the North Aleutian Basin meetings is to find common ground and build
cordial, working relationships.
“Alaska Sea Grant is convening these meetings both to help people understand the issues
and find ways to work together,” said Allee. “We are doing this years ahead of the
actual lease sales, so everyone can have a voice in how the region plans for the expected
impacts.”
Allee said he hopes the meetings will evolve into a regular forum for discussion about
the research needed to ensure safe development of the region’s resources, and a place
for people to find solutions to their concerns. Over time, Allee said the forum might
evolve into a citizens oversight council, such as those already in place for Cook
Inlet and Prince William Sound. At the very least, Marilyn Crockett, executive director
of the Alaska Oil and Gas Association, said the meetings would help the fishing and
energy industries get to know each other.
“There's a lot that we in the oil industry simply do not know about the fishing industry,”
said Crockett. “As well, there is a lot that people outside our industry do not know
about the oil and gas industry. This forum provides an opportunity for all of us to
better understand each other and build a trust that we all need.”
Following the Anchorage gathering, Alaska Sea Grant is planning a meeting in Kodiak
to explain the lease sale and gather input from local residents. That meeting is scheduled
for March 21 from 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. at the Kodiak High School, in conjunction with
the Kodiak ComFish trade show. The meeting will include a panel of Kodiak residents
discussing the North Aleutian Basin lease sale impacts on Kodiak, and speakers explaining
development issues in the region.
“Kodiak is a place that might not directly benefit from the economic activity associated
with oil and gas production in the basin,” said Allee, “but Kodiak commercial fishermen
would be impacted by a spill or just the presence of the industry. We might expect
a different sentiment there.”
Community meetings also are being planned in the North Aleutian Basin/Bristol Bay
region itself. Those meetings will be announced as details are finalized.
Alaska Sea Grant's Role:
Alaska Sea Grant was asked by members of the energy and fisheries industries, and
coastal community leaders, to facilitate a forum through which interested groups can
discuss possible future energy development North Aleutian Basin. Key to these discussions
is the goal of identifying potential environmental, economic, social, and other impacts--and
research needed to address these impacts--to fisheries and fisheries-dependent coastal
communities that may result from energy development.
In keeping with our national mandate, Alaska Sea Grant does not take a position on
whether to develop the energy resources of the North Aleutian Basin. As is the case
in all our activities, Alaska Sea Grant's policy is to remain impartial while seeking
to deliver unbiased information and knowledge to Alaska residents, stakeholders, and
policy makers.
In this initiative, Alaska Sea Grant seeks to create a forum for interaction and communication
about the potential impacts of possible future energy development. Our overall objective
is to identify the possible impacts and research needs of the region, several years
ahead of lease sales planned by the federal Minerals Management Service.
January 24, 2008
Anchorage, Alaska—Alaska has a reputation for clean waters and pristine vistas. But anyone who has walked
Alaska’s rocky beaches knows that parts of the state’s vast coastline are far from
pristine.
Fishing nets, rope, totes, six-pack rings, bottles, drums, and myriad other trash—much
of it plastic—litter Alaska’s shores. It’s a vexing mess made by both humans and nature.
Humans dump trash into the sea—often thousands of miles away—and ocean currents carry
it onto the state’s rugged and mostly remote Alaskan coast.
Annual beach cleanups and federal laws aimed at ending the coastal carnage have done
little to stem the waves of trash washing onto Alaska’s shores.
At next month’s Alaska Forum on the Environment, concerned residents will regroup
in their war on the trash that fouls Alaska beaches.
The Marine Debris in Alaska Workshop will take place February 14–15 at the Egan Convention Center in Anchorage. Organizers
said the workshop is needed to coordinate and prioritize statewide marine debris removal,
education, and outreach, and to map a strategy for future prevention and cleanup efforts.
Alaska has more than 34,000 miles of mostly uninhabited coastline that lacks significant
road access. The state’s oceans support the largest array of commercial fisheries
in North America, and they serve as major international and intra-state cargo transportation
routes, coastal community transportation, and tourist destinations.
Much of the debris on Alaska’s beaches comes from as far away as Asia, carried on
ocean currents to the far reaches of the state’s vast coast. In addition, inadequate
disposal of waste from Alaska coastal communities also enters the marine environment.
While various groups remove tons of debris from Alaska’s shoreline each year, the
efforts of government agencies, recreational and environmental groups, the private
sector, landowners and tribes operate with few resources and limited coordination.
As a result regional debris removal programs are often spotty and opportunistic, operate
in isolation, and are modestly funded. Complicating cleanup efforts has been the high
cost of removal, difficult access to remote beaches, safety and weather considerations,
and limited landfill sites and recycling options. Effective outreach and education
is challenging because debris sources are often unknown.
The Marine Debris in Alaska Workshop is sponsored by the NOAA Marine Debris Program,
the NOAA/CFOS Alaska Sea Grant College Program, and the Marine Conservation Alliance Foundation.
January 9, 2008
Nome, Alaska—As part of International Polar Year (IPY) 2007–2009, the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program and University of Alaska Fairbanks, Northwest campus, have launched a speaker series in Nome, Alaska. This series is meant to facilitate discussions of current polar issues between local residents and academic experts.
Topics include the effects of climate change on fisheries and the sea ice pack, storm
systems and coastal erosion, and preservation of Native languages and art. Despite
the importance of many of these topics to the northwest Alaska region, experts rarely
have the opportunity to interact with local residents because of the remote location
of these communities and limited communication systems.
The series is being videoconferenced to reach rural communities and schools of northwest
Alaska through the Bering Strait School District.
Series speakers include:
Amber Lincoln, “Bering Strait Artifacts, European Museums, and World History,” January
15, 2008
David Atkinson, “Bering Sea Storms: Not Just Leftover Typhoons,” January 29, 2008
Igor Krupnik, “The Changing Arctic: IPY and Northern Residents,” February (day to
be announced)
Terrence Cole, “Mutiny, Murder and Cannibalism: The Tragic Tale of A.W. Greely,” February
29, 2008
Gay Salisbury, “Inspiration for the Iditarod: Leonhard Seppala, Nome and the 1925
Serum Run,” March 1, 2008
Larry Kaplan, “Eskimo Languages of the Bering Strait and Beyond,” April 15, 2008
Jean Carlo, “Arctic Voices: Contemporary Art from the Circumpolar North,” April 29,
2008
Each speaker event will take place at 7 p.m. at the Nome Elementary School.
For more information, contact Heidi Herter, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program,
University of Alaska Fairbanks, 907-443-2201.
Watch video clips of the MAP-IPY Nome Speaker Series on the Bering Strait School District
Web site.
December 7, 2007
CFOS researchers begin second year of studies aimed at understanding how to hatch and raise king crab in captivityKodiak, Alaska—Fishermen last month harvested boatloads of giant red king crab from Bristol Bay,
where stocks of the tasty crustacean have been increasing. Eighteen crabs harvested
by fishermen aboard the FV Stormbird will end up not on the dinner table, but in research labs in Kodiak and Seward.
The crabs, all females, each bearing hundreds of thousands of eggs in clutches beneath
a hard flap on their underside, will participate in the second year of a UAF-led research
effort aimed at understanding the scientific and technical complexities of hatching
and raising large numbers of red king crab in a hatchery. The knowledge scientists
gain will help policymakers decide whether to use hatcheries to rebuild red king crab
in waters elsewhere in the state, where natural events have not succeeded in rebuilding
king crab populations. Key among those places are the waters around Kodiak Island,
once the scene of the state's largest red king crab harvests. Fishermen there have
not had a commercial red king crab harvest in the last 25 years.
“Six crabs were shipped alive from Bristol Bay to the NOAA Kodiak Laboratory, and
12 crabs were delivered to UAF's marine research lab in Seward,” said Ginny Eckert,
UAF associate professor and lead scientist. “Over the coming months we and our partners
in Kodiak and the Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery in Seward will learn more about
how to keep adults alive and healthy as they progress toward hatching their eggs in
the spring. Once the eggs hatch, we'll study the diet and environmental needs of crab
growing from larval up through to the juvenile stages.”
The efforts are part of a unique federal, state, university, coastal community, Alaska
Native, and fishing industry partnership called the Alaska King Crab Research, Rehabilitation
and Biology (AKCRRAB) program. The program is led by the NOAA Alaska Sea Grant College Program headquartered at UAF.
“It's a big group of diverse people from Kodiak to the Pribilof Islands concerned
about the fate of our red and blue king crab fisheries,” said Jeff Stephan, manager
of the Kodiak-based United Fishermen's Marketing Association and member of the AKCRRAB
steering committee. “We all have banded together to see what we can do to help the
fisheries recover, and that means first obtaining the biological knowledge we need
about these species.”
For a time during the 1960s, Kodiak Island waters teemed with red king crab. Kodiak
itself became the center of the state's crab fishing bonanza. At its peak in 1965,
fishermen harvested more than 94 million pounds of crab worth about $12 million. Fortunes
were made, but the boom soon went bust. By the early 1980s, Kodiak red king crab stocks
had collapsed and the fishery all but disappeared. Decades of fishing restrictions
since have failed to rebuild these populations. Brian Allee, director of the Alaska
Sea Grant College Program, said the time is right to try something new.
“These are the first steps toward what will be a sustained research effort to gain
the body of knowledge we need to make wise choices about how to rebuild these fisheries,”
said Allee.
AKCRRAB scientists launched their research efforts in 2006 with the successful collection
of 16 egg-bearing adults and subsequent hatch of millions of red and blue king crab
larvae. Researchers also plan to continue efforts to understand the hatchery needs
of blue king crab. In March 2008, scientists with the help of subsistence fishermen
from the Norton Sound region plan to collect crabs for similar studies aimed at one
day rebuilding collapsed blue king crab stocks around the Pribilof Islands in the
central Bering Sea.
Alaska Sea Grant's Allee said several years of laboratory and field studies are needed
before the king crab research program can seek state approval to conduct a pilot release
of juvenile crab into Alaska waters.
Alaska King Crab Research, Rehabilitation and Biology (AKCRRAB) Program
Contacts:
Jeff Stephan, AKCRRAB Steering Committee and Manager, United Fishermen's Marketing Association,
cell: 907-350-2088,
Ginny Eckert, AKCRRAB Science Team Leader and Associate Professor, University of Alaska Fairbanks
and UA Southeast, 907-796-6450,
Brian Allee, Director, Alaska Sea Grant College Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 907-474-7949,
November 21, 2007
Talks scheduled for Monday in Juneau and Friday in FairbanksJuneau and Fairbanks—Jeffrey Polovina, a marine scientist with NOAA's Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center in Hawaii, will visit Alaska next week to present two lectures on marine creatures
in the tropics.
The first lecture will be on Monday, November 26, at 7:00 pm at the Egan Library on
the UAS campus in Juneau. Polovina will present a talk entitled "An overview of the
Hawaii longline fishery and our research on the habitat of large pelagic fishes".
On Friday, November 30, at 10:00 am in 214 O'Neill on the UAF campus, Polovina will
give a lecture called "The habitat and migration of loggerhead sea turtles and whale
sharks". Receptions to follow both seminars.
Polovina is the chief of the Ecosystem and Oceanography Division at the PIFSC. His
research focuses on climate and marine ecosystems and the movement and habitat of
large pelagic animals, including turtles, tunas, whale sharks, and whales. He studies
the movement patterns of these animals using satellite telemetry and remotely-sensed
oceanographic data.
The lectures are supported by the Frank and Marjorie Meek Endowment at the University
of Alaska Foundation.
November 5, 2007
Fairbanks, Alaska—Interested energy companies, fishermen, Alaska Natives, community leaders, environmentalists
and others met October 19, 2007, to begin a dialogue on energy development in the
North Aleutian Basin off Alaska. The meeting was aimed at developing an agenda for
a larger public meeting scheduled for March 2008 in Anchorage.
Read Sea Grant News Release
October 30, 2007
Fairbanks, Alaska—There are unknown creatures lurking under the windswept islands of the Aleutians,
according to a team of scientific divers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
This summer, while completing the second phase of a two-year broad scientific survey
of the waters around the Aleutian Islands, scientists have discovered what may be
three new marine organisms. This year's dives surveyed the western region of the Aleutians,
from Attu to Amila Island, while last year's assessment covered the eastern region.
During the dives, two potentially new species of sea anemones have been discovered.
Stephen Jewett, a professor of marine biology and the dive leader on the expedition,
says that these are "walking" or "swimming" anemones because they move across the
seafloor as they feed. While most sea anemones are anchored to the seabed, a "swimming"
anemone can detach and drift with ocean currents. The size of these anemones ranges
from the size of a softball to the size of a basketball.
Another new species is a kelp or brown algae that scientists have named the "Golden
V Kelp" or Aureophycus aleuticus. According to Mandy Lindeberg, an algae expert with NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service and a member of the expedition, the kelp may represent a new genus, or even family,
of the seaweed. Up to ten feet long, the kelp was discovered near thermal vents in
the region of the Islands of the Four Mountains.
"Since the underwater world of the Aleutian Islands has been studied so little, new
species are being discovered, even today," said Jewett. He adds that even more new
species may be revealed as samples collected during the dives continue to be analyzed.
The organisms were found while surveying more than 1000 miles of rarely-explored coastline,
from Attu to the Tigalda Islands. Logging more than 300 hours underwater, the divers
collected hundreds of water, biological and chemical samples during 440 dives. Armed
with underwater cameras and video cameras, the divers took hundreds of photographs
and dozens of short movies of the creatures that inhabit the coast of the Aleutians.
According to Jewett, the scientists are reasonably sure that the kelp is a new species,
but more work is being done to confirm that the sea anemone species are completely
new to science. Correspondence with anemone experts has so far shown the anemones
to be new species, but the analysis is ongoing.
During both years, the chief scientist on the project was Douglas Dasher, a water
quality expert from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. The scientific team operated from the R/V NORSEMAN, a 108-foot vessel originally
designed for crab fishing in the Bering Sea.
The dives were part of a broad health assessment of the Aleutian Islands and were
sponsored by the Alaska Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program, also referred
to as AKMAP. The program is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and managed
through a joint agreement between the ADEC and UAF.
Samples from the dives are being used to catalog biodiversity in the region, assess
water quality and potential contaminants. According to Jewett, this is the first time
the remote nearshore region of the Aleutian Chain has undergone an in-depth marine
assessment.
Not immune from human impacts
The rugged and remote islands of the Aleutians are not immune to the reach of human
activity, say scientists leading the expedition.
"Pollutants traveling through air and water pathways from temperate latitudes have
been showing up in the area," says Jewett. "Debris and spills from World War II in
the Aleutians have left their mark behind in unexploded ordinance and local sources
of pollutants."
Scientists on the project are using water and tissue samples collected during the
dives to gauge the impacts of human activity in the area. Samples are being tested
for nutrient and oxygen levels in the water, acidity, temperature and radioactive
chemicals left over from the underwater nuclear tests conducted at Amchitka Island
between 1965 and 1971.
"Climate change, with changes in water temperature, wind patterns and currents may
impact the region's biological life," added Jewett. "It is important that we collect
this information before any major changes occur."
Jewett, Dasher and the other scientists on the expedition hope that this assessment
will help scientists gauge the overall health of the Aleutian Islands, both to provide
a baseline for future comparison and to provide a general evaluation of the region's
marine conditions.
A unique diving experience
Diving to a maximum depth of 60 feet along 1000 miles of mostly uninhabited coastline
is an extraordinary experience, says Jewett.
"This is my fourth diving mission in the Aleutians," said Jewett. "In my view, it's
the best cold-water diving experience in the Northern Hemisphere, because of the outstanding
visibility, coupled with the diverse and colorful marine life."
UAF divers on the expedition included Reid Brewer, marine advisory program agent in
Unalaska; Max Hoberg, marine taxonomist; Heloise Chenelot, research technician; and
Shawn Harper, a graduate student studying marine biology. ADEC scientists included
Jim Gendron, Terri Lomax and Nic Dallman. Other members of the scientific team included
Roger Clark, a marine taxonomist with NOAA, and Roger Deffendall, a volunteer diver
from Unalaska.
The Aleutian Islands dives support the National Coastal Assessment Program, a nation-wide
project to characterize the U.S. nearshore coastline. AKMAP methods provide a practical,
cost-effective system to characterize Alaska's coastal and surface waters. The AKMAP
team has already sampled the marine waters off of Alaska's southcentral and southeastern
coasts. The western Aleutians section of the program is the fourth of five planned
surveys to assess Alaska's entire coastline.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
60 faculty scientists and 160 graduate and undergraduate students are engaged in building
knowledge about Alaska and the world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located
in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage and Kodiak.
October 29, 2007
Endowment helps students learn about Alaska’s marine resourcesFairbanks, Alaska—Throughout his life, John Doyle worked hard to make the world a better place. After
his death last year, his commitment to improving fisheries education continues in
the form of a yearly scholarship to women pursuing careers in science.
Doyle, a fisheries expert who made seminal improvements to Alaska's fishing industry,
endowed the scholarship in 2005 after his wife, Katherine, died. When Doyle passed
away in 2006, his family added his name to the scholarship, making it the Kathryn
'K.' E. and John P. Doyle Scholarship. Each year, two female students studying science
at UAF receive the award.
"Their goal in life was always continuing education, no matter what your age," said
Douglas Doyle, John and Kathryn Doyle's son. "They would be pleased at what this gift
is doing for women at UAF."
Douglas adds that his father was continually concerned with how he could work to "make
things better."
The Doyle Scholarship has certainly made things better for two students at the UAF
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. This year's recipients were Christine Peterson,
an undergraduate fisheries student, and Kelly Newman, a doctoral student in marine
biology.
Peterson is a senior in the UAF fisheries program. She is particularly interested
in studying salmon and would like to pursue a career in fisheries management. Last
year, she completed a semester abroad studying fisheries in Australia, where she joined
a diving club and learned about aquaculture and wild fisheries stocks. Peterson will
begin her master’s degree in fisheries at UAF next fall.
Newman is studying the feeding behavior and the sounds made by killer whales in the
Pribilof Island region. Newman uses a hydrophone, an underwater listening device,
to record killer whale noises as they kill and eat their prey. She is particularly
interested in finding out whether killer whales in the area are eating northern fur
seals. After Newman finishes her Ph.D., she plans on continuing her research and possibly
teaching.
At a reception held recently to honor the donors and scholarship recipients, Douglas
Doyle said that his stepmother, Kathryn, would be proud of this year's scholarship
recipients.
"She was a woman ahead of her time," he said. "She was just always interested in learning."
Douglas Doyle adds that his stepmother flew airplanes loaded with supplies to and
from Russia during World War II, and that she took courses at UAF until the end of
her life.
John Doyle was instrumental in establishing the Marine Advisory Program, the marine
extension arm of CFOS with advisory agents in twelve coastal communities across Alaska.
Doyle served as the leader of the Marine Advisory Program from the mid-1960s until
1987. He continued his work at UAF as a professor until 1996 and became a professor
emeritus in 2003. He also helped establish the UAF Fishery Industrial Technology Center
in Kodiak, Alaska.
Doyle's son, Douglas, told stories at the reception about his father’s lifelong commitment
to improving Alaska's seafood products.
"I would shop with him, and he would point at a fillet and say, 'see that mark on
that fish-- that is because somebody grabbed it by the tail,'" said Douglas Doyle.
"He always wanted to make a better product for consumers."
Judyth Wier, UAF's associate vice chancellor of development, gave a speech at the
reception honoring the Doyle family’s educational legacy.
"This is what it is really all about—it's about the impact of the gift," said Wier.
"The legacy of commitment to the fisheries program that Doug's father has passed down
to his son, who has helped make the education of these two students possible."
The Kathryn 'K.' E. and John P. Doyle Scholarship is available every year to two female
students studying science at UAF. For more information about the scholarship, please
visit the UAF Scholarships website.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
60 faculty scientists and 160 graduate and undergraduate students are engaged in building
knowledge about Alaska and the world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located
in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage and Kodiak.
Carin Bailey
Public Information Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Phone: 907-322-8730
October 24, 2007
Fairbanks, Alaska—Michael Castellini, the associate dean of the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences,
departed this week for the beginning of an International Polar Year public education
initiative about Earth’s polar regions.
The initiative, called Polar-Palooza, includes a tour of various locations in the United States by polar scientists and
arctic residents. Funded by the National Science Foundation and NASA as an official
IPY activity, Polar-Palooza’s mission is to educate Americans about the Arctic and
Antarctic.
"It’s really an amazing program, different than anything I’ve done before," said Castellini.
"It’s 100 percent public outreach."
Polar-Palooza presenters tell personal stories of their work at the poles. Presentations
also include high-definition video of polar life and props such as caribou hides and
sea ice cores. The presentation portion of the tour is supported by online resources,
including blogs, video-logs and podcasts.
Unlike many of the presenters, Castellini has experience conducting research at both
poles. He has spent the equivalent of three and a half years studying Weddell seals
in Antarctica and has also researched Steller sea lions and harbor seals in Alaska.
"Next week, I will be talking to a group of third graders in California about penguins.
It's important to start them off early with these sorts of things,” said Castellini.
"How long can penguins hold their breath underwater? It’s fun."
The associate dean began his participation in the tour in Albuquerque, New Mexico,
on Monday, October 22, at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. His next stop is in San Francisco.
Polar-Palooza will come to Alaska in the spring with presentations in Barrow, Anchorage
and Fairbanks. The University of Alaska Museum will host Polar-Palooza May 8-10, 2008.
Follow Castellini and the Polar-Palooza tour by visiting the Polar-Palooza website.
Contact
Carin Bailey
CFOS Public Information Officer
Phone: 907-322-8730
October 10, 2007
Fairbanks—The University of Alaska Fairbanks and Norway's Bod University announced today an
initiative to open a dialogue between offshore oil and gas interests and fisheries
stakeholders in Alaska's North Aleutian Basin Planning Area, a 5.6-million-acre region
that encompasses most of the southeastern Bering Sea continental shelf and Bristol
Bay.
The effort at dialogue comes in advance of a proposed federal offshore oil and gas
lease sale in the southwest corner of the North Aleutian Basin scheduled for 2011.
The North Aleutian Basin Energy and Fisheries Workshop is being planned as a public
event March 18–19, 2008, in Anchorage, Alaska. Setting the agenda is a 23-member steering
committee consisting of the region's fishermen and seafood processors, Native and
community leaders, energy and fishery regulators, environmentalists, and energy industry
representatives. The initial meeting of the steering committee is scheduled for October
19, 2007, in Anchorage.
Read entire news release
North Aleutian Basin Energy and Fisheries Initiative
September 26, 2007
Fairbanks, Alaska—As an undergraduate studying geophysics in Philadelphia in the 1950s, John Kelley
knew he wanted to learn more about the far north.
Fifty years later, Kelley has been recognized for helping countless scientists and
members of the public learn about Alaska and the polar regions. Yesterday, he was
presented with an award for advancing science in the Arctic at the American Association for the Advancement of Science's Arctic Division annual meeting, also known as the Arctic Science Conference.
A professor of chemical oceanography in UAF's College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences,
Kelley's research focuses on trace metals, atmospheric gases and contaminants in marine
environments, including the study of residual radioactive materials in the region
of Alaska's Amchitka Island, where underground nuclear tests were conducted in the
1960s. He also studies marine acoustics and teaches a course on marine mammals and
underwater noise. Kelley joined UAF in 1968.
"John has had so much impact across the board, especially on science education and
the inclusion of more Alaska Natives in marine science," said Lawrence Duffy, executive
secretary of the Arctic Division AAAS and the interim dean of the UAF Graduate School.
For the past 25 years, Kelley has encouraged minority and especially Alaska Native
students to pursue careers in science, math and engineering.
The award also recognizes Kelley's long-time service as a member of multiple professional
societies. He is the president of the AAAS Arctic Division and the chair of the planning
committee for this year's Arctic Science Conference. Kelley is a regional director
and a former president of Sigma Xi, a scientific research society with more than 60,000 members worldwide.
"He is remarkably dedicated to his convictions of service to others," said Gary Laursen,
the master of ceremonies for the Arctic Science Conference and an instructor in UAF's Biology and Wildlife Department.
Kelley received his bachelor's degree from Pennsylvania State University and his Ph.D.
from the University of Nagoya, Japan. He has also served as the director of the Naval
Arctic Research Laboratory, headquartered in Barrow, Alaska. From 1989 to 1995, Kelley
was the director of the National Science Foundation's Polar Ice Coring Office. He
has also chaired the North Slope Borough Science Advisory Committee since its founding
in 1980.
"John has become an important mentor to so many, including myself," added Laursen.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
60 faculty scientists and 160 graduate and undergraduate students are engaged in building
knowledge about Alaska and the world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located
in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage and Kodiak.
September 16, 2007
Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta high school students learned about fisheriesFairbanks, Alaska—This June, eleven high school students from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta learned fisheries
science and techniques at a special summer camp on Nunivak Island in the eastern Bering
Sea.
Students at the summer camp learned about the anatomy and life history of fishes,
proper fish handling, and fisheries sampling and study techniques. The course included
classroom instruction as well as field trips to nearby watersheds to learn different
fish capture methods. Students also learned how to identify fish and aquatic invertebrates
in the field using scientific keys.
The camp was led by Nicola Hillgruber, assistant professor of fisheries at UAF’s College
of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, and Eva Patton, a biologist with the Association of Village Council Presidents in Bethel.
Funded by the National Science Foundation, students who attended the summer camp earned credit toward an undergraduate degree
at UAF.
"It is anticipated that this field-based fisheries course will increase the enrollment
of Y-K Delta students in the fisheries undergraduate program at UAF," said Hillgruber.
Field surveys conducted during the camp will provide the basis for the collection
of several data sets, including measurements of water temperature, smolt outmigration
and hydrology.
September 4, 2007
UAF's Tuula Hollmen leads successful breeding programSeward, Alaska—The Alaska SeaLife Center has successfully bred threatened Steller’s eiders in captivity for what appears to
be the first time in North America.
The Alaska breeding population of Steller’s eiders is listed as threatened under the
U.S. Endangered Species Act due to significant reductions in nesting range. On the
Arctic Coastal Plain near Barrow where the population is most plentiful, Steller’s
eiders probably number in the hundreds; on their other traditional home in the Yukon
Delta, possibly in the tens.
"This successful event shows that we have the capability of breeding Steller’s eiders
in captivity at the SeaLife Center facility," says University of Alaska Fairbanks/Alaska
SeaLife Center Eider Program Manager, Dr. Tuula Hollmen. "We have taken one big step
forward in developing methods and capacity to support recovery efforts for this species,"
adds Hollmen.
Partners in the eider studies and captive breeding program include the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Dry Creek Waterfowl of Washington, and the North Slope Borough of
Alaska.
Steller’s eiders face multiple threats in the wild including predation of eggs and
ducklings, contaminant exposure, ingestion of lead shot left over from hunting, habitat
changes, harvesting, food limitations, and collision with human made structures.
Steller’s eiders have also met with poor breeding success in Alaska over several years.
Even in Barrow, the core breeding area for the Alaska breeding population, the eiders
have not been found to nest every year. Since 2005 the Center has been learning how
to increase success in wild nests through captive breeding experiments.
Knowledge gained through successful breeding at the Center may aid in captive breeding
and in planning for establishing genetic reservoirs of birds. Knowledge derived from
breeding also will help researchers better pinpoint the most pressing threats to wild
eiders.
A Patient Journey to Egg and Duckling
Mike Grue, aviculturist at the Alaska SeaLife Center was performing his daily checks
on the Steller’s eiders on the morning of June 6th when he discovered the olive-green
eider egg in one of the breeding pens for the eiders. Soon he was asking fellow aviculturists
if someone was trying to play tricks on him.
While the finding of the eider egg was surprising for caretakers, it also was expected
after years of patient day to day testing of hypotheses and methods for breeding.
"After four years of professional work, we knew the viable egg would come someday,"
says Hollmen. "But the day the egg came was still a welcome, happy day."
Steller’s eiders eggs are approximately the size and weight of an extra-large chicken
egg. There are few established protocols for captive health care, husbandry or breeding
in regard to Steller’s eiders.
Center staff attempted a variety of techniques to breed the eiders including providing
space to single pairs, encouraging flock environments, mimicking a spring migration
by moving birds at particular times, and providing a variety of nest materials similar
to those found on the eiders’ tundra home.
Researchers at the Center worked with both wild and captive birds. Solo’s mother was
raised in captivity at the center, which may have made it easier for her to breed
in the familiar captive surroundings. By providing nest areas about 8 inches off the
ground, avian staff mimicked the raised ridges of tundra on which the ducks sometimes
breed.
The mother eider is only two years old. She met the male bird only 30 days before
laying her first egg.
Surprisingly, she laid 23 eggs total – one clutch of 15 and one of eight. The maximum
known number of eggs found in one clutch in the wild is nine. The high productivity
of the mother duck is welcome news for eider researchers as they work to discover
ways to conserve wild populations.
Center researchers also discovered that foster care was viable. The mother duck did
not demonstrate an inclination to care for the duckling, and the duckling was fostered
to an adult female that was willing to adopt her.
"It was one of our research goals to determine whether a duckling could be fostered
to non-laying females," says Cline. "This was an unknown."
"We have been thrilled about the successful fostering," says Hollmen. "As far as we
know, it has not been done before with eiders, and the success holds promise for adding
methods to our tool box."
Steller’s eiders typically weigh under 2 pounds, or between 600 and 900 grams. Males
have white heads with greenish tufts and small black eye patches, a black back, and
white shoulders. Females are mottled dark brown.
This release was written by Jason Wettstein and is provided courtesy of the Alaska
SeaLife Center. All photos taken by Jason Wettstein.
Jason Wettstein
Public Relations Manager
Alaska SeaLife Center
Tel: (907) 362-2263
Carin Bailey
Public Information Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Tel: (907) 322-8730
September 3, 2007
Fairbanks, Alaska—The West Coast & Polar Regions Undersea Research Center of NOAA's Undersea Research
Program invites pre-proposals for research and technological innovation beginning
in FY 2008. Particular foci for this period will be (1) the International Polar Year
and (2) technological innovation in marine ecosystem and fisheries research. This
departure from the Center's traditional call for full proposals has been developed
in response to ongoing budget uncertainties. It is anticipated that a limited number
of full proposals will be requested from those submitting pre-proposals in the Fall
2007, with funding decisions early in 2008.
Pre-Proposals are due by October 19, 2007.
August 23, 2007
Fairbanks, Alaska—After 30 years of planning and development, the University of Alaska Fairbanks has
been awarded the first phase of funding for the construction of the Alaska Region Research Vessel, a 236-foot*, $123-million ice-capable vessel to support research in high latitudes.
The National Science Foundation announced the $2.5 million award in early August. It will fund the first of four
phases of construction of the research vessel. The ARRV will be owned by NSF and operated
by UAF on behalf of the entire ocean sciences community, through the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System. Funding for the remaining phases is contingent upon UAF satisfactorily meeting designated
milestones. The estimated completion date for the vessel is 2011.
The new vessel will open up the ice-choked waters of the Alaska region to scientists
from all over the world, said Terry Whitledge, director of the Institute of Marine
Science at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and the project leader.
"The ARRV will be the first vessel in the U.S. academic research fleet capable of
breaking ice up to 2.5 ft thick. With this level of ice-breaking technology, it will
literally allow us to go where we haven't been able to go before."
In addition to its ice-breaking capabilities, the ARRV will allow researchers to collect
sediment samples directly from the seafloor, host remotely operated vehicles and use
a suite of flexible winches to raise and lower testing equipment throughout the water
column. The ship will also be able to transmit real-time information directly to classrooms
all over the world. The ARRV will accommodate 26 scientists and students at a time,
including those with disabilities.
With its ability to penetrate the polar and sub-polar regions, the ARRV will allow
scientists and graduate students to study global issues, such as sea-level rise and
climate change and the effects of both on the coastal and arctic ecosystems.
"Scientists today need to be able to take a big-picture look at all factors affecting
an ocean ecosystem," said Whitledge. "With its ability to accommodate scientists from
different disciplines-such as fisheries, geology, marine biology, meteorology and
oceanography-the ARRV will let researchers take an integrated approach to understanding
the entire system."
Research in this region is particularly important because of the high productivity
of Alaska's continental shelves and the livelihood of thousands of Alaskans directly
connected with the health of Alaska's fisheries, he said.
According to UAF's proposal, the ship will be headquartered out of the Seward Marine
Center. The vessel's size will require the university to build a new, all-weather
dock and additional support facilities at the marine center.
The Alaska Region Research Vessel was designed in 2004 by The Glosten Associates,
a group of marine architects located in Seattle. It was developed as a replacement
for the R/V Alpha Helix, a 133-foot research vessel that was built in 1966 and officially
retired last year.
"This is a huge accomplishment for the entire U.S. oceanographic community," said
Whitledge. "The scientific value of this vessel is a large step upward in the new
and exciting capabilities that it brings to researchers in the North Pacific, Bering
and Beaufort Seas."
Mike Prince, executive secretary for the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory
System, an organization of academic institutions that oversee the national academic
fleet of research vessels, says that the ARRV is like "a field of dreams."
"The ARRV will provide new opportunities for U.S. scientists and their colleagues
worldwide to work in the rich and varied waters of Alaska without having to bring
a ship from elsewhere at great expense," said Prince. "The academic research fleet
has long been missing a fully capable year-round vessel in Alaska waters, which has
made the scheduling of research and educational projects difficult and has limited
the ability of scientists to request field work in Alaska."
UAF Chancellor Steve Jones sees the award as an important accomplishment for UAF during
the International Polar Year, a major global initiative among scientists to better
understand the polar regions of the Arctic and Antarctic.
"An award of this magnitude signals that the National Science Foundation recognizes
the extraordinary stature of our university as well as our outstanding College of
Fisheries and Ocean Sciences faculty and staff," said Jones. "The ARRV will stand
as an IPY legacy for UAF, America's Arctic University."
Learn more about the ARRV at /cfos/sikuliaq/index.php
ARRV Quick Facts
Overall length: 236 feet
Draft: 18 feet
Beam: 52 feet
Speed, calm open water: 14.2 knots
Endurance: 45 days
Icebreaking: 2.5 feet at 2 knots
Scientist berths: 26
Crew berths: 17-20
Science labs: 2100 square feet
Deck working area: 3,690 square feet
Freshwater storage: 13,400 gallons
Water-making capacity: 6,000 gallons per day
Fuel capacity: 179,000 gallons
Disability accommodations: Yes, labs, galleys, staterooms
*Editor's Note: As of 2008, the ARRV is now 242 feet long and the cost of the ship
is currently being determined.
Terry Whitledge, Director
Institute of Marine Science
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Tel: (907) 474-7229
Carin Bailey
Public Information Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Tel: (907) 322-8730
June 29, 2007
Climate change the theme of 2008 Alaska Coastal CalendarFairbanks, Alaska—Across the state, bookstores and gift shops showcase Alaska-themed calendars filled
with postcard-perfect images of wild landscapes and charismatic animals. At less than
20 bucks, an Alaska calendar is just the sort of memento tourists are eager to take
home.
But one Alaska calendar pushes the envelope when it comes to value. Beyond its stunning
images, the 2008 Alaska Coastal Calendar offers Alaskans and visitors alike a chance
to actually learn something—in this case about the impacts of a warmer climate on
the Last Frontier.
Climate change in Alaska is the theme of the 2008 International Polar Year (IPY) edition
of the award-winning Alaska Coastal Calendar, available directly from Alaska Sea Grant
and from outlets across the state.
read entire article
go directly to 2008 Alaska Coastal Calendar
June 26, 2007
Juneau native heads to D.C. to learn how marine resources are managed, policies madeFairbanks, Alaska—Seanbob Kelly, a University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
graduate student, will soon work in the nation's capital as a 2008 National Sea Grant
Knauss Fellow.
"We are proud that Seanbob Kelly completed both his undergraduate and graduate degrees
at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences," said Dean Denis Wiesenburg. "I
know that this background and his interest in fisheries policy issues provide a solid
foundation for his tenure as a Knauss Fellow."
The prestigious fellowship was established in 1979 to provide insight and training
to graduate-level university students interested in how the nation's marine resources
are managed and how marine policies are made.
Knauss Fellows receive a year's stipend to work in Washington, D.C., either within
marine resource agencies of the federal executive branch or in Congressional and Senate
committees that help set the nation's marine policies. The fellowship is widely viewed
as a key step in the career path of scientists and managers.
"I can't imagine a nicer end to my college life or a better beginning to my professional
career," said Kelly. "The fellowship will be a lot of work, with many challenges,
but it will offer opportunities as well. I want to bring back to Alaska as much knowledge
and experience as I can."
read entire article
June 20, 2007
Fairbanks, Alaska—The University of Alaska Fairbanks has launched a new website to help bring more rural Alaskans and Alaska Natives into fisheries and marine science
careers.
The Future Alaskans in Fisheries and Marine Sciences website, provides listings of
scholarships, degree programs, and internship and summer opportunities. The site also
offers links to employers and contact information for fisheries and marine scientists
in various communities around Alaska.
"Alaska is a big state and fisheries and marine science are critical to our economy
and well-being as Alaskans," said Paula Cullenberg, leader of the Marine Advisory Program in Anchorage.
"Unfortunately, Alaska Natives and other rural Alaskans are often not employed as
professionals in these fields in any number. We are working together to change that."
The Future Alaskans website is the result of a collaborative effort between UAF and multiple organizations across Alaska. Partners include the Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation, Tanana Chiefs Conference, Sheldon Jackson College, the Rasmuson Foundation, NOAA Fisheries, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service. The site was created and is hosted by the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
"The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is very interested in attracting young Alaskans
to the many career opportunities we provide in fisheries and marine science," said
Deborah Hart, coordinator of the Fish and Wildlife Careers for Alaskans program at
Fish & Game.
"This new website is an excellent portal and provides our agency with a direct link
to young Alaskans across the state," added Hart.
The new website also includes curriculum resources and grant opportunities for K-12
teachers in Alaska, as well as pre-college preparation programs for high school students.
Future plans for the website include the development of success stories to highlight
the accomplishments of homegrown fisheries and marine scientists.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
60 faculty scientists and 160 graduate and undergraduate students are engaged in building
knowledge about Alaska and the world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located
in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage and Kodiak.
Paula Cullenberg
Marine Advisory Program Leader
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Tel: (907) 274-9692
E-mail: anpjc@uaa.alaska.edu
Faculty webpage: https://alaskaseagrant.org/about/directory/paula-cullenberg/
May 16, 2007
Scientist testifies to U.S. Senate about global warming and Alaska’s fisheriesWashington, D.C.—Gordon Kruse, a professor of fisheries at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, testified
before the U.S. Senate last week on how climate change is affecting Alaska’s fisheries.
Citing his own and others’ research, Kruse testified that rising ocean temperatures
in the Alaska region are causing a dramatic shift in species distribution and a restructuring
of Alaska’s marine ecosystems.
With nearly 60 percent of the U.S. total fish catch and some of the most productive
marine ecosystems in the world, Kruse claims that higher temperatures in Alaska’s
waters will have a profound effect on the globe’s most valuable marine resources.
"Alaska has seven of the top twenty U.S. seafood ports, including the highest seafood
producing port-- Dutch Harbor-Unalaska," said Kruse. "Our waters also support thousands
of marine mammals, millions of seabirds, and trillions of fish and shellfish that
belong to hundreds of species.”
Kruse cautions that Bering Sea crabs may fare poorly under global warming. Red king
crab and snow crab in the eastern Bering Sea have shifted north since the early 1970s
because of a preference for cooler water. This shift is reducing the survival of crab
larvae because they are often too far north of productive nursery areas.
On the other hand, warming water temperatures are creating favorable conditions for
some species of groundfish, such as pollock and Pacific cod.
"Unfortunately, some of the species that are responding well to global warming, such
as arrowtooth flounder, spiny dogfish and Pacific and Jack mackerel, are species that
prey on species that are highly valuable for Alaska’s commercial fishermen," said
Kruse.
“Arrowtooth flounder not only eat our high-value species, but they are also species
that have a low market value."
Kruse said that the warming trend in Alaska waters are also punctuated by temperature
spikes from more intense and more frequent El Ni os that may provide windows into
Alaska's warmer future.
"Sightings of ocean sunfish and albacore tuna may become much more common in the future,"
Kruse said.
Rising water temperatures may also favor some commercial fishermen over others. For
example, during last fall’s Bering Sea pollock fishing season, pollock were found
farther north and west than usual. The larger, at-sea pollock fleet was better able
to travel to the fish than smaller, shore-based fishing vessels.
Kruse also referred to recent research naming global warming as the cause of melting
sea ice in the waters around Alaska.
“The loss of sea ice will have serious impacts on ice-dependent marine mammals, like
polar bears, ring seals, bearded seals and walruses,” said Kruse.
According to Kruse, one consequence of global warming will be greater uncertainty
about future productivity of fish stocks.
“Under science-based management, increasing uncertainty translates into more precaution,
which means more conservative fish harvests in Alaska.”
Kruse’s testimony concluded with a recommendation for more research to better forecast
and address likely changes in Alaska’s marine ecosystems. Among his recommendations
were suggestions for improved ecosystem monitoring, more process-oriented studies,
increased climate-fisheries modeling and the expansion of ecosystem-based fisheries
management.
Other members of the witness panel included Admiral James Watkins, co-chair of the
Joint Ocean Commission Initiative; Lara Hansen of the World Wildlife Fund; David Conover,
dean of Stony Brook University’s marine research center; Richard Feely, an oceanographer
at NOAA; and Scott Doney, a senior scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute.
After the panel’s testimony, Senator Ted Stevens issued a press release encouraging
increased research into the impact of global warming on fisheries. He also thanked
panel witnesses.
“I would also like to thank our panelists and, in particular, Dr. Gordon Kruse, who
has traveled all the way from Juneau, Alaska to participate in today’s hearing. Dr.
Kruse has studied fisheries in Alaska for decades, most recently serving as chair
of the Scientific and Statistical Committee of the North Pacific Fishery Management
Council. Their committee plays a vital role in what the Pew Commission has stated
is `the best managed fishery in the world,'” said Stevens.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
60 faculty scientists and 135 graduate students are engaged in building knowledge
about Alaska and the world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located
in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage and Kodiak.
Download Gordon Kruse's entire testimony here (98KB PDF).
Gordon Kruse
President's Professor of Fisheries
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Tel: (907) 796-2052
E-mail: gordon.kruse@uaf.edu
Faculty webpage
Carin Bailey
Public Information Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Tel: (907) 322-8730
E-mail: bailey@sfos.uaf.edu
May 14, 2007
Fairbanks, Alaska—When Frankie Wakefield, the widow of Lowell Wakefield, died last fall, she left a
gift of over $857,000 to the University of Alaska Fairbanks to continue her husband's
longtime commitment to the wise management of Alaska's fisheries.
Her gift will be used to memorialize Lowell Wakefield's contributions to Alaska's
fishing industry, expand fisheries educational opportunities for Alaskans and continue
the annual Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium Series, which has been hosted by Alaska Sea Grant since 1982.
Widely considered to be the founder of Alaska's modern king crab industry, Lowell
Wakefield believed that a high quality product and a well-managed fishery were key
to the healthy development of Alaska's king crab fishery. Wakefield and his company,
Wakefield Seafoods, played a prominent role in the development of quality control
legislation, fishing regulations and international agreements for the high seas. In
the 1950s, Wakefield struggled against a well-established Japanese canned king crab
industry. According to a TIME magazine interview in 1967, Wakefield claimed that "when
you are so far from the market that your costs are relatively high, your only hope
is a product of the highest quality."
His solution, freezing the king crab at sea, revolutionized the industry. From 1956
to 1967, the sale of Alaska king crab rose from 9 million pounds per year to 150 million
pounds per year.
He also served as an adjunct professor of fisheries at the University of Alaska in
the 1960s. During his time with the university, Wakefield helped develop the Law of
the Sea, an international treaty administered by the United Nations that provided
new legal controls for ocean pollution and marine resource management.
The Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium Series is held every fall. Each symposium focuses on a different fisheries-related topic,
including the biology, ecology and economics of Alaska's crab, herring, flatfish,
pollock and rockfish fisheries.
Gordon Kruse, a professor of fisheries at UAF and longtime organizer of the Wakefield
Symposia, calls it a "world-class series."
"It focuses the attention of leading national and international experts on important
and timely fisheries topics of great interest to Alaska. Many of the findings reported
in these symposia have greatly contributed to fishery conservation and management
in Alaska and elsewhere," added Kruse.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
60 faculty scientists and 135 graduate students are engaged in building knowledge
about Alaska and the world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located
in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage and Kodiak.
Carin Bailey
Public Information Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Tel: (907) 322-8730
April 21, 2007
Fairbanks, Alaska—Last Wednesday, UAF Chancellor Steve Jones, Provost Paul Reichardt and Vice Provost
Susan Henrichs toured the Kasitsna Bay Laboratory during their visit to Homer for
the UA Board of Regents meeting.
The Kasitsna Bay Laboratory is owned by NOAA and operated in cooperation with CFOS.
The lab is located across Kachemak Bay from Homer and is the staging point for UAF's
Scientific Diving Program.
The NOAA Kasitsna Bay Laboratory director, Kris Holderied, and CFOS graduate student,
Joel Markis, guided the UAF administrators through the laboratory facilities. Carin
Bailey, CFOS public information officer, also attended the tour.
The visit to the lab included a tour of Kasitsna Bay's running seawater lab, SCUBA
dive facilities, dormitories and dry lab areas.
April 11, 2007
Captain Daniel Oliver to begin May 21Seward, Alaska—The University of Alaska Fairbanks has appointed Captain Daniel Oliver, a former commander
in the U.S. Coast Guard, as the director and marine superintendent of the Seward Marine
Center.
As the new director of the SMC, Oliver hopes to help transform the center into a world
class research facility.
"I am very excited about this challenging, but rewarding, opportunity. The people
working at the SMC are already an outstanding crew," said Oliver.
"Combining this crew with a proposed new research vessel and planned facility improvements
will result in a tremendous leap forward for the Seward Marine Center," Oliver added.
The Seward Marine Center is the primary coastal facility for the UAF College of Fisheries
and Ocean Sciences. Established in 1970, the center is one of Alaska's principal docking
facilities for marine research vessels and was the home port for the 133-foot R/V
Alpha Helix for 25 years.
Staff at the center provide essential laboratory space, accommodations and office
support for Alaska's visiting marine and fisheries scientists, as well as coastal
support for the students, faculty and staff of the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences.
The SMC is proposed to become the main docking facility for the Alaska Region Research
Vessel, according to a proposal submitted by UAF to the National Science Foundation in January. If approved, the proposal would grant UAF the right to build and operate
the 236-foot vessel.
Oliver’s vision for the SMC includes capturing this state-of-the-art new research
vessel, expanding shoreside laboratory and vessel support facilities and developing
the research partnership with the neighboring Alaska Sealife Center.
"Being able to provide enhanced research facilities to the scientific community from
around the world will be a big boost to all who study the Arctic and the waters surrounding
Alaska," said Oliver.
The new SMC director will arrive in Seward and begin work on May 21. Oliver is retiring
from the U.S. Coast Guard after 28 years of active duty. He is currently the operational
forces manager for the Pacific theater of the Coast Guard, stationed in Alameda, California.
Oliver was the commanding and executive officer of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Healy, the Coast Guard’s largest icebreaker. As the commander of the Healy, Oliver directed 80 personnel on 12 multidisciplinary science missions throughout
the Arctic Ocean from 2003 to 2006. He has also served as the engineering officer
of the Coast Guard icebreaker Polar Sea and as an assistant professor at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
As the executive officer of the Healy, Oliver led several scientists and graduate students from UAF on the 2005 NOAA Ocean
Explorer expedition to the Hidden Ocean in the Canadian Arctic. Scientists on this
expedition discovered up to seven new species of marine animals. The chief scientist
on the expedition, Rolf Gradinger, is a biological oceanographer at the UAF College
of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
"Captain Oliver is an outstanding person and a great team leader," said Gradinger.
"I enjoyed his excellent leadership every day while on the expedition."
"I am excited that he will be part of our UAF team," added Gradinger.
Oliver received a master’s degree in naval architecture, marine engineering and mechanical
engineering from the University of Michigan. He earned his bachelor’s degree in marine
science from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.
"Captain Oliver’s experience operating icebreakers in the Arctic makes him the ideal
person to lead the center that plans to operate the nation's premier ice-capable research
vessel," said Denis Wiesenburg, dean of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
Oliver’s
experience in the arctic regions will help solidify UAF’s position as America’s arctic
university."
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
60 faculty scientists and 135 graduate students are engaged in building knowledge
about Alaska and the world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located
in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage and Kodiak.
For more information:
Carin Bailey
Public Information Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Tel: (907) 322-8730
April 6, 2007
Juneau, Alaska—Ole Mathisen, a longtime contributor to fisheries science in Alaska and a professor
emeritus at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, died on March 12 at the
age of 88.
Mathisen was a dean of the former University of Alaska Juneau College of Fisheries
and Ocean Sciences in the 1980s. He also served as a faculty member from 1983 to 1997,
when he was appointed professor emeritus of fisheries.
“Ole was a key architect of the University of Alaska’s academic and research programs
in fisheries science,” said Bill Smoker, director of the UAF Fisheries Division. “He
led us through our early years in the eighties as dean.”
When Mathisen was recommended as a professor emeritus, his colleagues noted that he
was well-known and respected by individuals and groups throughout Alaska’s fishing
industry and management agencies. According to their recommendation, Mathisen mentored
students who now contribute to nearly every facet of Alaska’s fisheries, from agency
managers to industry scientists and consultants.
“He was a driving force for better science in Alaska fisheries management for over
half a century, from his pioneering work on Bristol Bay sockeye biology as a graduate
student to his last papers published in his eighties, some of which are not yet published,”
said Smoker.
Mathisen was born Feb. 9, 1919, in Oslo, Norway, where he attended public school and
graduated with a math/science degree from the University of Oslo, prior to World War
II.
During the war and while the Germans occupied Norway, he belonged to the XU organization,
a secret intelligence group working for the Allied forces. Members were given pills
to take that would kill them instantly if they were captured by German forces.
Mathisen earned his M.S. in zoology from the University of Oslo in 1946. After moving
to Seattle, he pursued his Ph.D. in fisheries while working with W.F. Thompson at
the University of Washington. He received his doctoral degree in 1955.
From 1955-1982, Mathisen taught fisheries at the University of Washington. While teaching
fisheries at UW, he spent his summers researching the population dynamics of sockeye
salmon in Bristol Bay. He also served as a visiting scholar at the University of Moscow
in 1960-1961 and also was a Fulbright Scholar in Norway in 1965-1966 and in Malaysia
in 1988 -1989.
In 1983, Mathisen accepted a position as dean of the University of Alaska Juneau’s
fisheries program. He served as dean and professor until 1987.
In 1994, he received the Wallace H. Noerenberg Award for Fisheries Excellence from
the Alaska chapter of the American Fisheries Society. In 1995, he received the King
Neptune Award from The Norwegian Commercial Club in Seattle. He became a professor
emeritus for UAF in 1996.
Mathisen’s research interests included acoustic stock estimation, studies of krill
abundance and behavior, recruitment in pelagic marine ecosystems and system analysis
of salmon-producing lakes.
Download
"The Life of Sockeye Salmon in Pedro Pond, Lake Iliamna, Bristol Bay, Alaska: A Manual
for Self Study", prepared for the Pedro Bay School District by Ole Mathisen in 2006 (2 MB PDF).
Post your comments about Ole Mathisen by e-mailing them to bailey@sfos.uaf.edu.
"I'm always amazed at how wide-ranging his work was. I knew about his lifetime of
work on salmon fisheries, but I keep finding Ole's name on important papers on everything
from seal surveys and diets to experiments on salmon spawning behavior." --Milo Adkison
"Ole had so many stories. One of his stories was about his new wife Randi and himself
coming to the United States. They traveled via ship, on which the men and women regardless
of marital status were separated. And when they arrived on Ellis Island they remained
separated. This was hard for the newlyweds who wanted to spend time together. Ole
said the only time they were allowed to be together was during church services. After
he said this he would get a little twinkle in his eye and chuckle and then say, "so
we attended every service offered, no matter what denomination". They would sit together
in the pew and hold hands. He said often they could attend services for most of the
day." --Debi Rathbone
"It is a great pleasure to recommend Dr. Ole A. Mathisen for the Carl R. Sullivan
Fishery Conservation Award. Alaska is now recognized world-wide as the leading example
of the success of sustainable fishery management in large part due to the contributions
of Dr. Ole A. Mathisen. I will refer to Dr. Mathisen as Ole because that is how he
preferred to be addressed by students and peers alike. For fifty-eight years, Ole
was a tireless symbol of the conservation of fishery resources as he studied in the
rivers and streams of Alaska, taught in the classrooms of the Pacific Northwest, published
in the scientific literature, and traveled the world to exchange scientific knowledge.
Ole entered the field of fishery science when many of its fundamental principles were
yet to be discovered, let alone transferred to management practitioners. Throughout
his long career Ole worked relentlessly to discover the biological principles of conservation,
and to see those conservation principles implemented in harvest regulations all over
Alaska." -- Phil Mundy, Director, NOAA Auke Bay Laboratory.
"On behalf of a number of individuals who have worked with and have known Professor
Ole Mathisen, we would like to submit his name for consideration of the Carl R. Sullivan
Fishery Conservation award. Dr. Mathisen passed away on March 12, 2007 at the age
of 88. His career spanned 60 dedicated years to fisheries science, through his tenure
as a professor at both the Universities of Washington (1955 – 1982) and Alaska (1983
– 1997), and also in ‘retirement’ where as a professor emeritus he maintained an active
schedule to the very end. In fact during this last six months he had completed, under
contract, a white paper reviewing natural resources that could be impacted by offshore
mineral leases in Bristol Bay, as well as a field study guide on sockeye salmon for
middle school students." -- Peter Hagen, Program Manager, NOAA Fisheries.
Alaska Sea Grant director sets up Mathisen fellowship
Brian Allee, director of Alaska Sea Grant, is establishing a UAF graduate student
fellowship to honor Ole Mathisen. Allee is currently working to secure financial contributions
from industry.
A long-time friend of Alaska Sea Grant, Ole was a mentor and scholar who influenced
the lives of many people. If you are interested in contributing to the Ole Mathisen
fellowship please contact Brian Allee at brian.allee@sfos.uaf.edu.
March 27, 2007
Fairbanks, Alaska—The Pollock Conservation Cooperative Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks
has awarded more than $300,000 to fisheries and marine scientists to study the health
of Alaska’s marine resources.
Projects funded by the center this year include a study of sharks in the Bering Sea,
an investigation into the causes of the Northern fur seal decline, an examination
of how to improve management of Pacific Ocean perch and the continuation of a seafood
processing and marketing training program in Western Alaska.
Administered through the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, the PCCRC provides
funding for peer-reviewed research of North Pacific fisheries, marine mammals and
coastal ecosystem issues, as well as for training and education programs for Alaska’s
fishermen. Research projects often involve UAF graduate students working on their
own thesis research under the supervision of project leaders.
Last year, projects funded by the PCCRC included a study that used local and traditional
knowledge to investigate the history of interactions between Steller sea lions and
Alaska’s fishermen. Other projects included an analysis of fish habitat in kelp communities
in Kachemak Bay and a genetics study of chum salmon.
The research center was founded in 2000 with a grant from the Pollock Conservation
Cooperative. The cooperative is composed of North Pacific pollock fishing companies
of the At-sea Processors Association. The PCC has contributed more than $7.4 million
to UAF for marine research and education and funded more than 40 research projects.
The group also provides funding for the Ted Stevens Distinguished Professor of Marine
Policy.
UAF Chancellor Steve Jones and CFOS Dean Denis Wiesenburg will host a special reception
thanking the Pollock Conservation Cooperative at the Hilton Hotel in Anchorage on
Wednesday.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
60 faculty scientists and 135 graduate students are engaged in building knowledge
about Alaska and the world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located
in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage and Kodiak.
Carin Bailey
Public Information Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Tel: (907) 322-8730
Denis Wiesenburg
PCCRC Director
Dean, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Tel: (907) 474-7210
March 16, 2007
Fisheries development, subsistence, climate change among issues facing regionNome, Alaska—Alaska Sea Grant and the Marine Advisory Program (MAP) welcome Heidi Herter as the
new advisory agent for the Bering Strait region. The position is a partnership with
the Norton Sound Economic Development Association and the University of Alaska Fairbanks
Northwest Campus.
Read the full story here.
March 8, 2007
Seward, Alaska—Thousands of red king crab eggs began hatching at the Alaska King Crab Research and
Rehabilitation Program, a partnership between the University of Alaska Fairbanks,
Alaska Sea Grant, fishing groups, coastal communities, and the Alaska Native-owned
Alutiiq Pride Shellfish Hatchery in Seward.
Read entire news release
March 5, 2007
$5 million award letter from the Rasmuson Foundation arrives at UAFFairbanks, Alaska—With a $5,000,000 grant in hand, the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences is poised
to elevate its fisheries program to one of national prominence. The six-year grant
from the Rasmuson Foundation will allow CFOS to develop a new undergraduate curriculum and expand the opportunities
currently available to fisheries students.
CFOS faculty are currently developing the curriculum for a planned new bachelor of
arts degree in fisheries. The new degree will offer broad, multidisciplinary training
in fisheries with an emphasis on experiential learning. Students will be able to take
courses from several academic disciplines, including business, economics and Alaska
Native studies. The fisheries faculty will also upgrade the bachelor of science degree
and offer a new minor in fisheries to students in other disciplines.
Under this new initiative, all of the school's degree programs will be strengthened
by the creation of the new degree.
CFOS has already hired two new fisheries faculty with the award money, including a
new coordinator for the enhanced undergraduate program. The new undergraduate coordinator,
Trent Sutton, will arrive at UAF from Purdue University this summer. Amanda Rosenberger,
an assistant professor of fisheries and a specialist in fish ecology and conservation,
arrived last fall.
A total of seven new faculty members will be hired within the next two to three years,
including new faculty to support undergraduate students at the Juneau center. In addition
to four new fisheries faculty, CFOS is hiring three new oceanographers who specialize
in ocean observing to enhance the school's ability to develop new tools for ecosystem-based
fisheries management.
Among the planned improvements to the program is the increased recruitment of Alaska
Native and rural Alaska students, the modernization of current teaching facilities
and an increase in the availability of distance-delivered courses.
February 24, 2007
Text and photos from Ad Summum, Chancellor's Report 2006:
DOMINIC HONDOLERO waited to get a little life experience before getting his lab experience.
For him, the dual education is paying off.
When Hondolero returned to UAF in 2004 after an eight-year hiatus, his advisor introduced
him to the American Indian Science and Engineering Society and the Alaska Native Science
and Engineering Program. Through those groups he started working with researchers
Katrin Iken and Brenda Konar at the Institute of Marine Science under the sponsorship of the Experimental Program
to Stimulate Competitive Research, conducting research on marine ecology.
Make no bones about it, KYLE SCHUMANN's research is more than just a fishing expedition.
It's just a tiny bone in a fish's head, but the junior fisheries student has lofty
goals for it.
"We joke in the lab that otoliths will solve the world's problems," he laughs.
A slight overstatement, perhaps, but it indicates how Schumann's research involves
far more than undergraduate grunt work. For more than two years, Schumann has worked
in the field and lab, collecting, processing and analyzing otoliths, which reveal
much about an individual fish's life history, including its age, where it was born
and where it's been swimming around since.
February 20, 2007
Seward, Alaska—Many Alaskans may pride themselves on their coastal knowledge, but some would be stumped
by a question like: "Which of the following genera of marine algae is not calcified?"
The high school students who gathered in Seward over the weekend answered hundreds
of questions like this, often within two to three seconds.
The tenth annual Alaska Region Ocean Sciences Bowl, also known as the Tsunami Bowl,
was held in Seward on Saturday, February 10. The science bowl is a day-long, rapid-fire
quiz style competition, complete with jeopardy-style questions and team challenge
written questions.
Forty-one high school students in nine different teams came from around the state
to compete in this regional version of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB). This
year's teams included three teams from Juneau-Douglas High School, two teams from
Kenny Lake in Interior Alaska and one team each from Tenakee Springs on Chichagof
Island in southeast Alaska, Unalaska, Soldotna, and Cordova.
The three teams from Juneau-Douglas High School dominated the competition, scoring
first, second and third place. The first place team, Team 585, with students Drake
Skaggs, Hillary Buck, Eva Ceder and Deidre Ratigan, won a tuition waiver to the University
of Alaska Fairbanks. Team 585 also won a trip to Stonybrook, New York, where they
will compete in the national finals of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl in late April.
Ben Carney, the coach for Team 585, received a tuition waiver for a marine science
course for teachers to be held at UAF's Kasitsna Bay Laboratory this summer.
Drake Skaggs, the captain of Team 585, says the win was not just about his team's
knowledge of the oceans. "You have to know how to play the game," said Skaggs. "That
can be just as important as knowing the answers. There were a lot of smart kids there--
I think it helped that we had the experience from playing last year."
"Team 585 was ravenous for victory," said Clay Good, longtime Tsunami Bowl coach and
oceanography teacher at Juneau-Douglas High School, "no doubt because they were survivors
of last year's avalanche-crippled Tsunami Bowl in Seward. Even though members of Team
585 won first place in the regional bowl last year, they did not get to attend the
national competition in Pacific Grove, California."
"As a result, they spent this entire year focused on reclaiming the NOSB banner for
Juneau," said Good.
The Tsunami Bowl's second place winners, the Juneau-Douglas High School Ice Pirates,
won tuition waivers to the University of Alaska Southeast. Juneau-Douglas High School
Team Aquarius earned third place. Although Juneau-Douglas High won the top three prizes,
the performance by all of the teams was inspiring for the event judges, volunteers
and audience members.
"The knowledge these students have of the ocean and its living resources is impressive,"
said Denis Wiesenburg, dean of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences at the
University of Alaska Fairbanks. "I hope they will become part of the next generation
of ocean scientists. Alaska will be well represented in the scientific community by
these brilliant students."
For the first time in the quiz bowl's history, next year's national finals of the
NOSB will be held in Alaska. Hosted by the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences,
the NOSB finals will take place in Seward from April 25-27, 2008. The event will attract
26 teams of high school students and approximately 250 volunteers, students, judges,
and family members from around the United States to Seward.
As Drake Skaggs and the rest of Team 585 could tell you, within seconds after hearing
the question, the genera of marine algae that is not calcified is called caulerpa.
The National Ocean Sciences Bowl was established in 1998 to encourage learning about
the oceans and increase the teaching of ocean sciences in high schools. Support for
the NOSB is provided by the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education. The
regional competition is supported by the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of
Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, the Alaska Sea Grant College Program, and the North
Pacific Research Board.
February 19, 2007
Juneau, Alaska—University of Alaska Fairbanks fisheries scientist Gordon Kruse gave a presentation
on climate change and fisheries Monday in Juneau as part of the Science for Alaska
Lecture Series.
Kruse's lecture was entitled "What does climate change mean for Alaska's fisheries?"
and was offered in Juneau's Centennial Hall Convention Center. Approximately 250 people
were in attendance, a near-record turnout for the lecture series in Juneau.
Kruse gave an overview of climate and oceanographic changes observed in Alaska waters
in recent decades and how these changes are beneficial for some fish species and harmful
for others. He offered insights into the implications of global warming for Alaska's
marine ecosystems.
"For the past century, the Arctic has been warming at twice the rate as the rest of
the globe and this disparity is projected to continue in the future," said Kruse.
"Southern species will become more common in commercial fish catches and invasive
species will have a greater chance to gain a foothold to the detriment of indigenous
Alaskan species."
"We can expect a reshuffling of the marine ecosystems upon which Alaskan coastal communities
depend for their livelihoods," Kruse added.
Kruse is the President's Professor of Fisheries at the UAF College of Fisheries and
Ocean Sciences Juneau Center. For the past two years, he has been chair of the North
Pacific Fishery Management Council's Scientific and Statistical Committee, and he
chairs the Fishery Science Committee of the international North Pacific Marine Science
Organization (PICES).
Carin Bailey
Public information officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
(907) 322-8730
Gordon Kruse
President's Professor of Fisheries
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Juneau Center
(907) 796-2052
February 16, 2007
CFOS fisheries scientist to present at AAASFairbanks, Alaska—Fisheries management decisions are often based on population models, however those
models need quality data to be effective. It's that caliber and volume of data that
is lacking in fisheries science, according to Milo Adkison, an associate professor
in the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
"Many fisheries scientists spend a lot of time and effort doing complicated analyses
using complex models of their data," said Adkison. "This effort might be better spent
collecting more and better data."
Adkison is one of several scientists slated to speak during a session on improving
fishery sustainability on Monday, Feb. 19, 2007 from 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at the
American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting in San Francisco. The session, which is chaired by UAF fisheries professor
Terrance Quinn, will focus on whether advances in science and technology can produce
a spectrum of sustainable fisheries and minimize environmental degradation within
an ecosystem.
Adkison's presentation will center on why collecting data is important to accurately
assess the health and population of various fisheries. His presentation is called
"Model Complexity vs. Data Quality: Are our Models too Complex?"
The primary limitation in fisheries management decisions is the absence of quality
data, Adkison says. He says that scientists and fishery managers would be better served
with simpler modeling analyses and improved data.
Milo Adkison
Tel: 907-796-2056
Carin Bailey
Public Information Officer
Tel: 907-322-8730
February 8, 2007
2007 catalog boasts 13 new titles, including an Alaska shark book and International Polar Year Alaska Coastal CalendarFairbanks, Alaska—Alaska Sea Grant, a longtime publisher of popular marine education books, posters,
games, tide charts, marine mammal and fish identification guides, scientific proceedings,
and how-to manuals and videos for commercial fishermen, will offer more than a dozen
new titles in 2007.
Read entire news release
February 6, 2007
SEWARD, Alaska—It's not even tourist season. Yet sometime in the next couple of months, the population
of this small coastal town will surge into the hundreds of thousands. But few people
will notice. There's plenty of room for all.
The arrivals will be newborn red and blue king crab larvae, each only about the size
of a finely sharpened pencil tip. In all, more than one million king crabs are expected
to hatch at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Seward Marine Center in the coming
weeks. The hatch will mark an important milestone in efforts aimed at one day rebuilding
wild king crab stocks around Kodiak and the Pribilof Islands.
read entire news release
December 19, 2006
Preliminary proposals due by 5:00 p.m. Friday, 26 January 2007Fairbanks, Alaska—The Alaska Sea Grant College Program (ASG) is a NOAA-funded program of research, education,
and extension services aimed at helping the people of Alaska better understand, conserve,
and wisely use the state's marine, estuarine, and coastal watershed resources. ASG
sponsors applied social, economic, engineering, and biological research and is soliciting
research proposals for 2008 –2010.
Go to Alaska Sea Grant Preliminary Proposal details
December 19, 2006
Marine research, extension, and education score high marksFairbanks, Alaska—A federal review panel has judged the Alaska Sea Grant College Program as among the
nation's best marine research, education, and extension programs. The high marks the
program received during its five-year program review could result in an increase in
base federal funding for program enhancements.
"This exemplary rating puts Alaska Sea Grant in good company with many of the nation's
best university Sea Grant Programs," said Alaska Sea Grant Director Brian Allee. "It
means that Alaska Sea Grant and our Marine Advisory Program are doing an outstanding
job of working with stakeholders, scientists, policy makers and communities to address
marine and coastal issues important to Alaska and the nation."
Read entire news release
December 5, 2006
Blues join red king crab already in SewardSt. Paul—For the first time in nearly a decade, fishermen late last month harvested blue king
crab from waters surrounding this remote Pribilof Island fishing community in the
Bering Sea. But the crabs they caught were not destined for the seafood display case.
Instead, the crabs were collected as part of a fisherman-led effort aimed at rebuilding
the island's collapsed blue king crab fishery.
The crabs, 15 egg-bearing females and 13 additional males and non-egg bearing females,
will serve as brood stock and research specimens for the Alaska King Crab Research
and Rehabilitation Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). The program,
run by the NOAA Alaska Sea Grant Program at UAF, seeks to develop and test techniques
to mass-culture king crab. The long-term goal is to develop with state and federal
partners a plan to release hatchery-born wild king crab into the wild.
Read entire article, view images
December 4, 2006
Homer, Alaska—Anchor Point and Nanwalek have an unusual new radio station. The next time you are
in the area, scan the radio dial and you might just hear the repeated chirping of
radar signals bouncing off the waves of lower Cook Inlet.
These signals are emitted by two new high frequency radars installed in early November
on the Anchor Point and Nanwalek shoreline by scientists from the University of Alaska
Fairbanks. Installation of the radars is part of an effort to map the surface currents
of a 1,350 square mile region between Kachemak Bay and Augustine Island. The project
is funded by the Minerals Management Service.
"The ability to map real-time surface currents in Alaska waters can greatly increase
safety for all water users," said Rachel Potter, an oceanographer with the UAF College
of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and the deputy program manager on the project. "Having
this data at our fingertips can aid in contaminant spill response, search and rescue
operations, and marine navigation, just to name a few examples."
The radars send high frequency signals over the water’s surface where they are reflected
off the top of the waves. The radar signals are bounced back to the antennae where
the signal data is transmitted to Potter and other technicians at UAF.
Information gathered by the signals includes the speed of the current and the direction
the current is traveling. By combining the signals from both the Anchor Point and
Nanwalek sites, scientists can produce a map on an hourly basis that displays the
surface current speed and direction for lower Cook Inlet.
"If a kayaker gets stranded in lower Cook Inlet, it’s likely that we could tell rescuers
where that kayaker may end up," said Andrew Bray, a research technician on the project.
The information collected by the radars will also help other scientists understand
how winds, tides and seafloor topography affect changes in surface currents. Scientists
and organizations can also use the information to predict the movement of pollutants,
sediments, and living organisms.
"Most importantly, this information can be used by those people who live, work, and
recreate around the ocean," said Bray.
To see the real-time direction and speed of the currents in lower Cook Inlet, visit Salmon Project website.
ContactRachel Potter
Institute of Marine Sciences
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Tel: 907-474-5709
Carin Bailey
Public Information Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Tel: 907-322-8730
September 29, 2006
Fairbanks, Alaska—When the Aleutian Islands were scheduled for a health check-up this summer, researchers
donned dive suits and jumped right in.
A team of researchers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the Alaska Department
of Environmental Conservation spent over a month at sea and nearly 140 hours underwater
collecting scientific samples that will help determine the environmental health of
the Aleutian Islands.
"The samples we have collected are unparalleled in both quantity and diversity," said
Stephen Jewett, leader of the dive team and research professor of marine biology at
UAF's College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. "This collection
will provide important snapshots of coastal marine life in the Aleutians.”
In June and July 2006, a team of six divers sampled 23 sites that spanned 240 miles
of coastline along the eastern half of Alaska's Aleutian Islands. The divers dove
as deep as 60 feet to collect fish, algae, bottom-dwelling organisms, and water and
sediment samples from the seafloor. The research dives were conducted from the R/V
NORSEMAN of Seward, Alaska.
"What we are really doing is taking the pulse of the Aleutian marine environment,"
said Doug Dasher, environmental engineer and chief scientist on the project for the
DEC. "For the first time, scientists will be able to take a holistic measurement of
the overall health of the ecosystem. It is important to do this now, so that we have
something to measure against in the future.”
Scientists at UAF and the DEC are currently analyzing the samples for water quality,
possible contaminants in marine organisms, and to measure the distribution of marine
life in the area. The biological specimens, as well
as underwater photographs and videos, will be used to catalog the diversity of the
nearshore ecosystem.
Preliminary findings already show a distinct variation in biodiversity and water chemistry
in at least one of the sampling sites. Results are expected to be released within
the next year.
The dives were sponsored by the Alaska Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program
(AKMAP). The program is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and managed
through a joint agreement between the DEC and UAF. Program scientists are responsible
for monitoring the health of Alaska’s fresh and marine waters.
Other divers included UAF researchers Max Hoberg, Reid Brewer, Heloise Chenelot, and
Shawn Harper, as well as Roger Clark, an invertebrate taxonomist from Oregon. Researchers
on board the NORSEMAN included Mandy Lindeberg, an algae expert, and Jim Gendron and
Terri Lomax, water chemists from the DEC. The team will return to the area next year
to collect samples from the western Aleutian Islands.
“Diving in the western Aleutians is the ultimate cold-water dive experience," said
Jewett. "There is no other place in Alaska or maybe in the North Pacific where you
can find water visibility approaching 100 feet and see such an incredible diversity
of marine life."
The AKMAP Aleutian effort supports the National Coastal Assessment Program, a nation-wide project to characterize the U.S. nearshore coastline. AKMAP methods
provide a practical, cost-effective system to characterize Alaska’s coastal and surface
waters. The AKMAP team has already sampled the marine waters off of Alaska's southcentral
and southeastern coasts. The Aleutians section of the program is the third of five
planned surveys to assess Alaska's entire coastline.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
60 faculty scientists and 150 graduate students are engaged in building knowledge
about Alaska and the world’s coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and serves the state from facilities located
in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage and Kodiak.
6 September 2006
ASG— Finding ways to preserve and enhance fishing as an important part of the coastal
Alaska economy is the subject of a statewide conference in Anchorage September 21–22,
2006.
5 September 2006
ASG— Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program Agent Reid Brewer is helping to collect,
tag, and recover carcasses of what are at this time more than 1,600 shearwater seabirds
that have washed ashore during the last several days.
15 August 2006
ASG— What might be the future of Kodiak's red king crab fishery arrived in Seward
recently, wrapped in wet burlap and packed in coolers marked "live crab." Learn more
July 18, 2006
Fairbanks, Alaska—The NOAA Alaska Sea Grant College Program is a marine research, education, outreach
and advisory service headquartered at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, College
of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. This fall, Alaska Sea Grant will undergo a National Sea Grant review of its programs and activities conducted
from late 2001 to present. In advance of this review, scheduled for September 10–14,
2006, public comment on the performance of Alaska Sea Grant toward meeting its mission
goals and objectives is invited. Written comments from interested individuals, groups,
associations, and others, are welcome. These may include, but are not limited to,
fishermen and fishing associations, resource managers, seafood processors, marine
and fisheries scientists, oceanographers, coastal engineers, K–12 and university educators,
Alaska Native groups, community and environmental activists, tourism industry groups,
harbormasters, city planners, and others. Written comments must be received by the
close of business August 18, 2006. Comments can be submitted online or in writing
to:
Jerry Schubel, Ph.D., Chairman
Program Assessment Team c/o Brian Allee
Alaska Sea Grant College Program
PO Box 755040
Fairbanks, AK 99775-5040
or
Megan Agy, NSGO Program Officer
National Sea Grant College Program
NOAA R/SG
1315 East-West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910
For more information about the Alaska Sea Grant Program Assessment, please contact
Brian Allee, Ph.D., Director, Alaska Sea Grant College Program, at 907-474-7086, allee@sfos.uaf.edu; or visit the Alaska Sea Grant Program Assessment Web site. Alaska Sea Grant is funded
by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in partnership with the State
of Alaska and private industry.
July 14, 2006
Kodiak, Alaska—Jiaqi Huang, a master's degree student at the Fishery Industrial Technology Center,
has earned second place in the 2006 Institute of Food Technologists Aquatic Food Products
graduate student paper competition.
Huang's paper, Pollock skin protein hydrolysates coatings affect yield and lipid oxidation of pink
salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) fillets during frozen storage, was presented at the annual meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists in Orlando,
Florida last month.
The Institute of Food Technologists is an international scientific society with over
22,000 members. Peter Bechtel, CFOS affiliate professor, and Subramaniam Sathivel,
Huang's advisor and an assistant professor at FITC, contributed to the project.
Huang's paper has also been selected as a semi-finalist for the 2006 Institute of
Food Technologists Student Association/Phi Tau Sigma/Proctor & Gamble graduate paper
competition.
July 11, 2006
Fairbanks, Alaska—The University of Alaska Fairbanks has appointed David Christie as the director of
the West Coast and Polar Regions Undersea Research Center (WC&PR Center) and the Global Undersea Research Unit (GURU).
The WC&PR Center is one of six regional centers in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Undersea Research Program and GURU is an academic research unit within the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences. Both programs support undersea research for marine scientists and geologists
by providing access to manned submersibles, remotely operated vehicles, scuba diving,
and underwater labs.
"I'm looking forward to developing new ways to make our research facilities and technologies
accessible to more students and scientists," said Christie.
Christie previously served as a professor of marine geology and geophysics at Oregon
State University. He received his doctorate from the University of Hawaii in geology
and geophysics in 1984. His research interests focus on the interplay of tectonic
forces and volcanic processes in the deep ocean.
"The challenges of this new position will be to develop new partnerships and continue
to offer outstanding opportunities in a time of diminished national funding," said
Christie.
In 2006, the WC&PR Center has awarded $760,000 to nine projects. Funded projects include
studies of hydrothermal vents in the Juan de Fuca Ridge, squid reproduction near Monterey
Bay, and essential fish habitat for juvenile rockfishes. The research center also
provides funding for science conferences, including the Kachemak Bay Science Conference
held this spring.
The Global Undersea Research Unit emphasizes seafloor research in marine biology and
geology and administers the University of Alaska Cold Water Diving Program. The diving
program trains and certifies scientific divers and has approximately 47 active divers.
GURU offers courses at the Kasitsna Bay Laboratory, a marine lab near Seldovia jointly
operated with NOAA.
"Dr. Christie brings the dedication and experience necessary to help our programs
evolve,'' said Denis Wiesenburg, dean of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
"His appointment comes at a critical time as the National Undersea Research Program
centers take on a new role within NOAA."
In 2008, the undersea research center will partner with its Hawaii counterpart, the
Hawaii Undersea Research Lab, and other NOAA groups to sponsor a joint expedition
along the West Coast and in the Gulf of Alaska. The expedition will focus on research
using manned submersibles at depths as great as 6000 feet.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
60 faculty scientists and 150 graduate students are engaged in building knowledge
about Alaska and the world’s coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and serves the state from facilities located
in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage and Kodiak.
June 5, 2006
Fairbanks, Alaska—In 1966, having just earned his master's degree in chemistry from Western Illinois
University, Terry Whitledge knew he didn't want to end up working the rest of his
life inside a chemical company. He wanted to work outside.
"I first thought of fisheries, and it was while looking at fisheries PhD programs
that I saw a program called chemical oceanography," Whitledge said. "I thought I'd
give that a try."
That chance encounter would send Whitledge on a 34-year adventure with the sea, to
places like the Bering Sea, Mediterranean, South Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Arctic
Ocean.
Recently, Whitledge was named director of the UAF Institute of Marine Science. IMS is a unit within the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. Although Whitledge
has been interim director of IMS for eight months, his appointment became official
last month.
"I've had some really great experiences," said Whitledge, professor of chemical oceanography
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. "I've been at sea and seen so many whales that
I couldn't count them all. I've even traveled underneath the Arctic ice pack in a
submarine. How many people could say that?"
Whitledge's extensive resume traces a career that began in 1972 when he graduated
from the University of Washington with a PhD in oceanography. In the years since,
Whitledge has led scientific exploration and understanding of the Gulf of Alaska and
Bering Sea. In 1997 he was among the first civilian scientists to conduct measurements
of Arctic sea ice thickness from aboard a U.S. Navy submarine beneath the Arctic ice
pack.
"Now that sounds like you're in a sardine can with 25 other guys," Whitledge said.
"What was special was that there was a camera pointed up at the underside of the ice.
You could see the composition of the ice, and look through the pools of water above
the ice. And you could see the jellyfish. I listened to whales on the sonar. That
trip totally dominates my perspective."
Whitledge joined UAF in 1998, following stints at Brookhaven National Laboratory,
the University of Texas Marine Science Institute, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution,
and the State University of New York. Until his appointment as IMS Director, Whitledge
served as professor of marine science at CFOS, and held an affiliate faculty position
at the UA International Arctic Research Center.
As director of the UAF Institute of Marine Science, Whitledge will oversee 20 academic
and research faculty and 50 graduate students engaged in marine biology, biological,
physical, chemical and geological oceanography throughout the sub-Arctic, Arctic,
and Antarctic. IMS scientists secure about $5.5 million each year in research funding,
with the majority coming from federal sources.
Whitledge replaces Mike Castellini, who served as IMS director until being promoted
earlier this year to Associate Dean of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
Whitledge's appointment comes at a time of increasing state and national research
needs and declining faculty numbers.
"Our critical mass is down. Fixing that is my priority," Whitledge said. "I am working
to achieve some consensus to figure out what positions we want to hire and how many."
Whitledge said IMS would evolve in the next few years to meet state and national research
priorities. He said IMS researchers and graduate students will become more involved
in partnerships within the university, as well as with state and federal scientists
studying the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, and Arctic Ocean.
Bringing the nation's first university-based ice-capable research ship to UAF is also
high on Whitledge's list. Whitledge has been instrumental in the design of the Alaska Region Research Vessel. He says federal funding for the $98 million ship is anticipated in 2006. Whitledge
said he will also be involved in ongoing efforts to build a new land, sea and space-based
Alaska Ocean Observing System.
"All of these tools will offer IMS scientists new ways to study the marine ecosystem,"
Whitledge said.
Despite the demands of his new job, Whitledge says he doesn't intend to stay tied
to a desk. He'll continue his Bering Sea research and efforts to integrate U.S. and
Russian marine research.
"I've been out on the Bering Sea every summer since 1975," Whitledge said. "Every
time I go to sea, I learn something new. It gives me a realistic feeling for what
the sea is all about and what is going on. I feel connected."
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
60 faculty scientists and 150 graduate students are engaged in building knowledge
about Alaska and the world’s coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located
in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage and Kodiak.
June 2, 2006
Fairbanks, Alaska—If you work or study at CFOS, chances are you've called Steve Sweet or Gary Newman
for help with a forgotten password, frozen computer, or defunct printer. Now you can
call them if you want to learn about the complex hierarchy that makes up the structure
of a Wide Area Network or the exact meaning of an Internet Protocol address.
After a year-long intensive series of courses and a grueling exam, Sweet and Newman
have earned their Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certifications. The CFOS
computing experts were certified in May 2006.
"To be honest, I'm glad it's over," said Sweet, the Systems Network Manager for the
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. "This was one of the best courses I've ever
taken, but with eight hours of class time per week, and the same amount of study time,
it was also one of the hardest."
Certified CCNA professionals have advanced knowledge of networking theory and designing,
building, and maintaining computer networks. Courses leading to the CCNA examination
are offered as a 14-credit, year-long series at UAF's Tanana Valley Campus. Although
many students may take the courses, not everyone passes the examination at the end.
Newman, a systems engineer at CFOS, says the CCNA training and certification is particularly
useful for bridging the geographic distance between the School's remote locations.
"Our increased understanding of how networks function, both locally and over long
distances, will allow us to address the particular technology issues faced by a geographically
distributed school like CFOS," said Newman.
Sweet has worked at CFOS for over six years and earned his master's degree in physical
oceanography from the School in 1995. Newman joined CFOS in 2005 and has a background
in telecommunications and a psychology degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
Both plan on applying their new knowledge to improving the School's networking systems.
May 15, 2006
Fairbanks, Alaska—Russell Hopcroft, a biological oceanographer at the University of Alaska Fairbanks,
knows how to photograph difficult subjects. As an expert sea "bug" photographer and
taxonomist, Hopcroft's subjects are tiny, squirming creatures pulled up from the depths
of the ocean.
On a recent cruise through the tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean with 27 other
marine experts, it was Hopcroft's job to document hundreds of minuscule sea animals
and shrimp-like creatures-- zooplankton-- collected by deep-sea divers and trawlers.
As part of an international effort to inventory the vast biota of the world's oceans
with the Census of Marine Life, Hopcroft often spent hours swaying behind a highly
technical camera while the ship rocked with the waves.
"Between the ship's movement, the squirming of the tiny sea creatures, and the sloshing
of the specimen's water, taking photos was often a very complicated process," said
Hopcroft.
The photographs themselves are high-resolution, brightly detailed images of iridescent
larvae-like creatures, tiny jellyfish, baby sea anemones, and insect-like animals
from up to 16,000 feet below the ocean's surface. The images will help scientists
identify and catalog the minute life forms that make up the majority of the ocean's
animal life.
Scientists discovered 10-20 new species of zooplankton during their cruise through
the Sargasso Sea near Bermuda on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) 274-foot research vessel RONALD H. BROWN. The 20-day expedition, completed
April 30, 2006, was funded by NOAA and is part of the Census of Marine Life's broad
effort to inventory the biodiversity of oceanic life.
A professor at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Hopcroft specializes
in these tiny sea creatures and the role that they play in marine ecosystems. As vital
links in the marine food chain, Hopcroft says that zooplankton are critical indicators
of the health of the world's oceans.
Future photography projects for Hopcroft include two cruises near the Indonesian archipelago
in the fall of 2006 and an expedition to Antarctica, where the oceanographer will
again photograph zooplankton at sea for Census of Marine Life projects.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
60 faculty scientists and 150 graduate students are engaged in building knowledge
about Alaska and the world’s coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located
in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage and Kodiak.
May 8, 2006
Coastal erosion, shellfish farming, fisheries models get fundingFairbanks, Alaska—The Alaska Sea Grant College Program will spend more than $1 million over the next
two years on research to protect Alaska’s coastline from erosion and breed oysters
that grow faster, among other projects.
Read entire news release
1 May 2006
CFOS— Dr. Anthony Gharrett, professor of fishery genetics and aquaculture at the College
of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, is the recipient of the 2006 Usibelli Distinguished
Research Award.
April 20, 2006
Study is first step toward documenting state's maritime heritageJuneau, Alaska—The Alaska Department of Natural Resources Office of History and Archaeology collaborated
with scientists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Rhode Island,
NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Program, and U.S. Minerals Management Service to explore
and document several historic gold rush era shipwrecks in Southeast Alaska, April
4-12.
Funded with a grant from the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration, the research team collected
information on the PRINCESS KATHLEEN, PRINCESS SOPHIA, CLARA NEVADA, and ISLANDER.
During the April project, four divers including archaeologists and marine biologists
collected baseline information on the condition of the shipwrecks, to be supplemented
through interviews with recreational divers and historians familiar with the wrecks.
These snapshots in time will set the stage for future studies to better understand
changes that are occurring due to natural and cultural processes. The divers also
placed small markers near the sites identifying their protected status.
One aspect of the study, undertaken by Drs. John Kelley and Sathy Naidu of the UAF
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, focused on trace element analyses of surrounding
sediments. This will contribute to understanding coldwater deterioration and effects
of the wrecks on the marine environment. Dr. Stephen Jewett, UA dive master and marine
ecologist, collected data on the marine biotic communities around the wreck sites.
Participating were archaeologists Dr. John Jensen, from the University of Rhode Island,
State Archaeologist Dave McMahan and Dr. Hans Van Tilburg from the NOAA National Marine
Sanctuary Program, Pacific Islands Region, Hawaii.
Other participants included Mike Burwel, shipwrecks historian, with the U.S. Minerals
Management Service and Ed Grossman, a former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Dive Safety
Officer. Work was conducted off the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service vessel CURLEW,
skippered by Joe McClung.
In addition to scientific research, the project had a public component. Public talks
in Haines and Juneau addressed topics of recent Office of History and Archaeology
maritime collaborations, Alaska's coastal dynamics, the steamer PORTLAND, submerged
resources at Pearl Harbor and the Pacific Islands, and the former Russian American
Company steamer POLITKOFSY.
The researchers hope to nominate the wrecks to the National Register of Historic Places.
This is a small step toward inventorying and documenting Alaska's maritime heritage.
Alaska has almost half the nation's coastline and several thousand known shipwrecks,
but has no dedicated program for managing maritime heritage sites either in government
or academia.
Archaeological and historical sites on state lands, including tidelands and submerged
lands, are protected under state and federal laws. These laws allow for recreational
diving on the wrecks, but not for disturbance or collection unless under state permit.
No artifacts were collected from the wrecks as part of the project.
April 19, 2006
Juneau, Alaska—The University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences broke ground
Thursday, April 20, 2006 on a new facility dedicated to fisheries education and research.
The new Lena Point fisheries facility in Juneau will create the infrastructure for
a world-class center of excellence for studying Alaska's marine resources. At approximately
28,000 square feet, the three-story building will have research space for 16 laboratories,
two classrooms, a teaching lab and large saltwater tanks for studying live sea creatures.
UAF offers the only graduate-level degrees in fisheries in Alaska and has awarded
more than 150 such degrees. Many of the graduating students go on to work for the
Alaska Department of Fish and Game or the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service.
The fisheries division of the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences has operated
in Juneau for more than 20 years next to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) Auke Bay Laboratory. The new building will be located on the same site as the
NOAA Ted Stevens Marine Research Institute, which is currently under construction.
"We are looking forward to continuing our tradition of cooperative research and collaboration
with the scientists and managers of NOAA at our new facility," said Bill Smoker, director
of the UAF fisheries division.
Many of the Alaska legislators who were instrumental in securing the funding for the
$21-million facility attended the Thursday
groundbreaking ceremony. Speakers included Lieutenant Governor Loren Leman and University
of Alaska President Mark Hamilton.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
60 faculty scientists and 150 graduate students are engaged in building knowledge
about Alaska and the world’s coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska
Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage
and Kodiak.
Carin Bailey
Public Information Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
(907) 474-7208
18 April 2006
ASG— John Doyle, an Alaska fisheries pioneer who established the Marine Advisory Program
and worked to improve the seafood industry across the state, passed away at home in
Anchorage, April 8, 2006, at the age of 72.
March 29, 2006
Anchorage, Alaska—Responsible marine wildlife viewing is the topic of the second issue of Alaska Seas and Coasts, a full-color publication of the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program.
read entire news release
March 8, 2006
Avalanche inspires students to make the most of education experience
Cordova, Alaska—When February avalanches closed the only road to Seward, the Cordova High School team
“Flatfish” found themselves floundering on the wrong side of the snow slide and unable
to finish a regional marine science competition for which they had spent months preparing.
Their determination to make the best of the situation has netted them an invitation
to attend the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) championship.
March 1, 2006
Anchorage, Alaska—Commercial fishermen and seafood processors now can turn to a single web site, aptly called FishBiz for information and resources about financing, small business development, education and training, and other seafood industry business needs and services.
February 28, 2006
Kodiak, Alaska—In the basement of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center on Kodiak Island, what just might be the key to rebuilding the state’s crab fisheries swims nearly invisible within tall plastic tanks.
February 24, 2006
Fairbanks, Alaska—Alaska will soon have a new marine policy expert at the University of Alaska Fairbanks
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences recently selected Keith Criddle, professor
of resource economics at Utah State University and a former professor of economics
at UAF, to the Ted Stevens Distinguished Professorship of Marine Policy. The professorship,
named in honor of Senator Ted Stevens, will provide leadership in marine policy with
emphasis on the North Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and the Bering, Beaufort and Chukchi
Seas.
"Congratulations to Dr. Keith Criddle on being selected for this honor," said Senator
Ted Stevens. "I am proud to have my name associated with this effort. Our North Pacific
fisheries have been lauded as an example of successful fisheries management and conservation.
This new distinguished professorship at UAF expands our efforts to ensure the sustainability
of our marine resources and will enable us to train the next generation of marine
policy scholars."
Headquartered in Juneau, one of the critical roles of the new position will be to
provide advice to government agencies and private entities on matters of ocean policy.
Criddle hopes to expand this role into one of regular collaboration with the many
groups that are involved with protecting and using Alaska's marine resources.
"This is an exciting opportunity to work closely with academic, industry, government
and public interest groups to eventually design a program that will educate the next
generation of marine policy leaders," said Criddle. "This new position will contribute
to the governance, conservation and sustainable use of the marine resources of the
Alaska region."
The Stevens Professorship is an endowed position funded by the Pollock Conservation
Cooperative, a consortium of pollock fishing companies of the At-sea Processors Association.
The cooperative funds the UAF Pollock Conservation Cooperative Research Center and
the Stevens Professorship, and has donated over $6 million to the College of Fisheries
and Ocean Sciences for these causes.
"We are delighted with the appointment of Dr. Criddle to the UAF marine policy professorship
established in honor of Senator Stevens," said Kevin Duffy, executive director of
the At-sea Processors Association. "Alaska's sound stewardship of its marine resources
is recognized around the globe. Expanding the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences'
marine policy program furthers Alaska's leadership in maintaining abundant fish stocks
and healthy ecosystems."
Criddle will resign from his post as head of the Department of Economics at Utah State
University, where he currently teaches courses in econometrics and resource economics.
He received his doctoral and master's degrees in agricultural economics from the University
of California Davis and his bachelors in biological sciences and economics from California
State University. Criddle previously served as the interim dean of UAF's College of
Business and Security Management and has also worked directly with the National Marine
Fisheries Service as an industry economist. He is a current member of the North Pacific
Fisheries Management Council's Science and Statistical Committee.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
60 faculty scientists and 150 graduate students are engaged in building knowledge
about Alaska and the world’s coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located
in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage and Kodiak.
Denis Wiesenburg
Dean and Professor
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
(907) 474-7210
Carin Bailey
Public Information Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
(907) 474-7208
February 22, 2006
Fairbanks, Alaska—President Bush's State of the Union pledge to fund research in the physical sciences
could result in a new 236-foot marine research vessel headquartered out of Seward's
harbor.
As part of his initiative to increase U.S. competitiveness in science and technology,
the president's annual budget request to Congress includes $56 million for the National Science Foundation to begin construction on the Alaska Region Research Vessel (ARRV). Although the vessel
would be owned by the National Science Foundation, the University of Alaska Fairbanks
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences is proposing to be the operator of the vessel.
“Alaska waters play a major role in global processes,” said UAF professor Terry Whitledge,
“not only because of our abundant marine resources, but also because the region acts
as an indicator of global climate change. The Alaska Region Research Vessel would
allow us to explore areas previously unknown to us.”
The Alaska Region Research Vessel is an ocean research vessel designed to operate
in the often ice-choked coastal and open waters of the North Pacific ocean, the Gulf
of Alaska, and the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. The vessel can break nearly
three feet of ice at more than two knots and operate 300 days out of the year. With
the ability to carry 26 scientists at a time, the vessel could accommodate up to 500
scientists and students a year. Technical benefits of the ship include the ability
to transmit real-time information to classroom students around the world, allowing
them to participate in virtual expeditions with scientists on the vessel.
The construction of the Alaska Region Research Vessel has been proposed as a replacement
of the 37-year old Alpha Helix, a research vessel docked in Seward. The Alpha Helix
is owned by the National Science Foundation and operated by the UAF College of Fisheries
and Ocean Sciences through the Seward Marine Center. Planning and design of the ARRV
has been ongoing since 1980, when school faculty first began designing a replacement
for the aging Alpha Helix.
Whitledge and other faculty at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences have
worked closely with scientists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts
and the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System community to develop the
design of the Alaska Region Research Vessel. Scientists from the National Oceanographic
and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) and various universities have contributed to the
project. "This is a significant accomplishment for the oceanographic community, not
just for Alaska, but for scientists across the nation who conduct research in Alaska
waters and the Arctic," said Denis Wiesenburg, dean of UAF's College of Fisheries
and Ocean Sciences.
If Congress approves funding for the vessel, the National Science Foundation will
review proposals from various institutions, including UAF, for construction and operation
of the vessel. If UAF is awarded funding for the vessel, it will be operated out of
the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences’ Seward Marine Center.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
60 faculty scientists and 150 graduate students are engaged in building knowledge
about Alaska and the world’s coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located
in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage and Kodiak.
Terry Whitledge, Professor
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
(907)474-7229
Carin Bailey
Public Information Officer
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
(907) 474-7208
February 10, 2006
Anchorage, Alaska—Career oriented seafood processing workers are invited to apply to a new program that
offers Alaskans specialized training in leadership, seafood handling, safety and sanitation,
marketing and logistics.
Called the Alaska Seafood Processing Leadership Institute, the program aims to promote
the professional development of promising future leaders in the seafood processing
industry.
February 2, 2006
Seward, Alaska—Teams of high school students from across the state will try to unseat reigning champion Juneau-Douglas High School when they gather here Feb. 10–12 for the annual Alaska Region National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB).
February 1, 2006
Fairbanks—CFOS scientists took part in the first comprehensive study since the Cold War of radioactive residues remaining at the site of underground nuclear tests conducted on Alaska's Amchitka Island in the Aleutians. Check out the latest UAF online feature.
January 31, 2006
Fairbanks, Alaska—Donations from a group of North Pacific pollock fishing companies to the College of
Fisheries and Ocean Sciences at the University of Alaska Fairbanks have made them
the single largest private contributor in School history.
The Pollock Conservation Cooperative is composed of member companies of the At-sea Processors Association. The cooperative has donated over $6.3 million to the College of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences to fund the Pollock Conservation Cooperative Research Center. The research center was founded in 2000 and receives over $1 million annually from
the pollock fleet for marine research and education.
The Pollock Conservation Cooperative Research Center provides grants to University
of Alaska faculty and other scientists to study North Pacific marine and coastal ecosystem
issues, fisheries and marine mammals. Recent projects
funded by the center include a seafood technical training program in Western Alaska,
a study of Northern fur seals in the Pribilof Islands and research into pollock reproduction
in the eastern Bering Sea. Projects often involve
University of Alaska graduate students working on their own thesis research under
the supervision of project leaders.
"The Pollock Conservation Cooperative is a model of private industry giving back to
the state of Alaska by promoting sustainability and investing in higher education,"
said Denis Wiesenburg, Dean of the College of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences. "The College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences is proud to be able to provide
these funds to scientists and graduate students to study the health of the North Pacific
and Bering Sea ecosystems."
Contributions by the industry cooperative also fund the Ted Stevens Distinguished
Professorship of Marine Policy, a new position that will provide leadership in the
area of marine policy with emphasis on the North Pacific. The
new professor's responsibilities include the development of an educational program
in marine policy at the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
"One of our goals as a university is to be relevant and responsive to the knowledge
and education needs of Alaska's key industries," said UAF Chancellor Steve Jones.
"UAF and the Pollock Conservation Cooperative enjoy a very positive relationship."
The cooperative has been nominated for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association
Sustainable Fisheries Leadership Award in Stewardship and Sustainability by the Marine
Conservation Alliance, an Alaska non-profit located in Juneau. Pollock Conservation
Cooperative members include Alaska Ocean
Seafood, American Seafoods Company, Arctic Storm, Glacier Fish Company, Highland Light
Seafoods, Starbound, and Trident Seafoods Corporation.
UAF Chancellor Steve Jones will host a special reception to thank the cooperative's
member companies in Seattle on February 9, 2006.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences conducts world-class marine and fisheries
research, education and outreach across Alaska, the Arctic and Antarctic. More than
60 faculty scientists and 150 graduate students are engaged in building knowledge
about Alaska and the world's coastal and marine ecosystems. CFOS is headquartered
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and serves the state from facilities located
in Seward, Juneau, Anchorage and Kodiak.
Denis Wiesenburg
Dean, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
907-474-7210
Carin Bailey
Public Information Officer
907-474-7208
19 January 2006
CFOS— The College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences extends a warm welcome to five new
graduate students in Oceanography, Fisheries and Marine Biology.
December 15, 2005
Fairbanks, Alaska—Dr. Stephen Jewett, CFOS Research Professor and UA Dive Safety Officer, has been named
a 2006 Fulbright Senior Specialist by the Fulbright Scholar Program.
The Fulbright Senior Specialists project provides short-term academic opportunities
to U.S. faculty and professionals at locations throughout the world. Jewett will participate
in a scientific exchange at the Catholic University of the North (CUN), in Coquimbo,
Chile. He also will collaborate with Dr. Carlos Gaymer, a Research Professor at the
CUN Center for Advanced Studies in Arid Zones regarding the recent oil spill that
occurred off Antofagasta, in northern Chile.
The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
of the U.S. Department of State.
Link to Fulbright news release (39K PDF).
December 14, 2005
Icthyology class learns by doingJuneau—Nicola Hillgruber, CFOS Fisheries Division Assistant Professor of Fisheries Ecology,
treated her 12 ichthyology (BIOL/FISH 427) students to a field trip September 26 aboard
the Alaska Department of Fish and Game research vessel Medeia.
The day began at the dock at 7:30 am, where skipper Wade Loofbourrow and crew of the
research vessel warmly welcomed the class.
After thorough instruction in safety, the Medeia steamed down Gastineau Channel toward Taku Inlet, where students were able to observe
pelagic trawling.
Three pelagic trawl hauls were conducted, allowing the students to catch a glimpse
of the rich fish fauna in the coastal waters of Southeast Alaska. Fishes caught included
mesopelagic species such as lanternfishes and the Pacific viperfish, but also more
commonly known fishes such as Pacific hake, arrowtooth flounder, Pacific herring and
eulachon.
The students witnessed trawling operations first-hand and were actively involved in
scientifically working up each catch.
"The goal was to give the students the opportunity to see our study objects alive
and to gain experience with fishing techniques, and with scientifically processing
a catch of fish," Hillgruber said.
Students learned how to identify species, weigh, measure and properly record scientific
data.
Everybody had a great time, and the already wonderful experience was made even better
by the unexpected sunny weather following days of rain, Hillgruber said.
In all, five graduate students and seven undergraduates participated. The students
were accompanied by Corinne Hicken, teaching assistant, research associate Carl Reese,
and lab technician Sara Caldwell from UA Southeast.
Our thanks to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for this wonderful opportunity.
It is our hope such field trips will become a regular part of the ichthyology course.
Nicola Hillgruber
UAF/CFOS Fisheries Division
Juneau, AK 99801
Phone: (907) 796-6288
November 10, 2005
Book, video proceeds will aid hurricane-ravaged seafood industryFairbanks—Alaska Sea Grant, publisher of books and videos about Alaska's marine resources for
fishermen, teachers, and scientists, will donate a percentage of earnings to U.S.
Gulf Coast fishermen affected by hurricanes in 2005.
read entire release
October 10, 2005
Juneau, Alaska—Dr. Gordon H. Kruse was elected to a three-year term as chair of the Fishery Science
Committee of the North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES) during their 14th
annual meeting held in Vladivostok, Russia, during September 29 - October 9, 2005.
PICES is an intergovernmental scientific organization that was established in 1992
to promote and coordinate marine research in the northern North Pacific and adjacent
seas. Member nations include six Pacific Rim countries Canada, Japan, People's Republic
of China, Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, and the United States of America.
Each country has three delegates on the Fishery Science Committee.
The committee is responsible for promoting and coordinating fisheries science and
interdisciplinary research in the northern North Pacific.
Dr. Kruse has served as a U.S. delegate to the Fishery Science Committee since 1995
and he is the first U.S. chair of the committee. Gordon Kruse is the President's Professor
of Fisheries for the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
September 28, 2005
Diversity of species much higher than expectedFairbanks, Alaska—University of Alaska Fairbanks scientists returning from a month-long exploration
of the deep sea beneath the Arctic ice pack say the region is teeming with marine
life, and have found species previously unknown to science.
"We believe we have found perhaps seven new species," said Rolf Gradinger, a marine
scientist at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, and the expedition's
chief scientist. "Not just species new to us, but new to science. We found more species
than we expected and different species than we expected."
Among the new species discovered is a previously unknown type of jellyfish. The cone-shaped
jelly is orange and appears to have ridges running the length of its soft body.
"It's something scientists hadn't seen before," said Gradinger. "It was pretty emotional
for us, because we may be the first people on earth to see it."
The month-long cruise explored the Canadian Basin, a vast region northeast of Alaska
in the Arctic Ocean. Scientists used remotely operated vehicles equipped with specialized
collection devices to capture marine organisms in waters as deep as 11,000 feet. High
definition television was also employed to videotape species in their natural environment.
"From my perspective the highlight of the expedition was being able to see the fascinating
colors and movement of the animals," said Gradinger.
UAF marine scientist Bodil Bluhm said her research team discovered what they believe
are three new species of marine polychaete worms, and five worm species that had not
been previously documented in the Canadian Basin.
"They look a bit like the worms we find in our gardens," said Bluhm. "But these worms
are different in that they can live on the limited food that settles at these extreme
depths."
Scientists also found pelagic snails, feather stars, sea cucumbers, sea anemones,
bristle stars and other species in great abundance.
"The densities were much higher than we expected," said UAF marine scientist Russ
Hopcroft. "What continues to fascinate and motivate us all is the chance to record
species never known before, to accurately map their range and understand their rapidly-changing
habitat."
Bluhm said it will take months to sort through the samples and properly identify the
hundreds of organisms collected.
Scientists have long believed that species biodiversity is reduced in areas closer
to the poles. But scientists say that may be because they haven't been able to look
for marine life in the deep Arctic seas.
"But with the high-tech tools we have now, I think for some groups of animals we can
say that the species diversity is extensive even at these high latitudes," said Bluhm.
Twenty-four scientists from the United States, Canada, Russia, and China explored
the Canadian Basin from the sea ice through the water column to the seafloor. The
expedition, aboard the United States Coast Guard icebreaker Healy, was funded by the
NOAA Ocean Explorer Program. The research will contribute to the Census of Marine
Life, a ten-year, $1 billion project funded by government and private donors.
"The major thing we should all be proud of is that we sampled from 14 stations in
up to 11, 000 feet of water covered by sea ice," said Bluhm. "That's the operational
success we needed to make these important scientific discoveries."
UAF researchers who took part in the expedition include Drs. Rolf Gradinger, Bodil
Bluhm, Russ Hopcroft, Terry Whitledge, Dean Stockwell, and Katrin Iken. UAF graduate
students include Elisabeth Calvert, Shawn Harper, and Mette Nielson. UAF research
technicians include Brenda Holiday and Sarah Thornton.
Upper Right: The comb jelly Aulacoctena sp., a new species collected by means of a remotely operated
vehicle in the deep Arctic Canada Basin. Image by Kevin Raskoff, NOAA.
Left: The USCGC Healy during station work in the high Arctic Canada Basin. Image by Elizabeth
Calvert, NOAA.
Dr. Rolf Gradinger, Assistant Professor
Biological Oceanography
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Phone: 907-474-7407
Dr. Bodil Bluhm, Research Assistant Professor
Marine Invertebrates
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Phone: 907-474-6332
Dr. Russ Hopcroft, Assistant Professor
Biological Oceanography
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Phone: 907-474-7842
Doug Schneider, Public Information Officer
NOAA Alaska Sea Grant
Phone: 907-474-7449
September 19, 2005
Nellie Johnson Baroody Award goes to Shiway WangFairbanks, Alaska—Shiway Wang received the Nellie Johnson Baroody Award for Best Student Presentation
at the 123rd meeting of the American Ornithologist Union in Santa Barbara California. Wang is a graduate student at the CFOS Graduate Program in Marine Science and Limnology.
Presentation Abstract:
Diet assessment of Northern Fulmars in Alaska estimated from fatty acid signature
analysis
Shiway W. Wang, Sara J. Iverson, Scott A. Hatch, Alan M. Springer
Diets of Northern Fulmars in the North Pacific are poorly known, and thus relationships
of fulmars to supporting food webs and their potential sensitivity to ecosystem variability,
such as that driven by a changing climate, also are
uncertain. We employed a newly developed technique, fatty acid signature analysis,
to describe fulmar diets at 3 colonies in Alaska. Fatty acid composition of adipose
tissue and stomach oils from adults and chicks were determined. We predicted that
1) signatures of adipose tissue and stomach oils would differ because adipose tissue
fatty acids are influenced by those acquired from diet and those that are biosynthesized,
while stomach oil fatty acids arise
strictly from diet; 2) fulmar diets would differ between colonies located in distinct
oceanographic settings, which create unique habitats for prey assemblages; 3) diets
would differ temporally within colonies because of high interannual variability in
the physical environment and the life histories of individual prey species; and 4)
diets of adult fulmars and their chicks would be similar because they feed by regurgitation.
We found that fatty acid signatures of adipose tissue were significantly different
than those of the purely diet-derived stomach oil, which supported prediction 1; there
were conspicuous spatial and temporal differences in adipose tissue signatures, which
supported predictions 2 and 3; but adipose tissue signatures in chicks and adults
differed significantly, which did not support prediction 4. Differences in adult-chick
signatures might be explained by differences in the time over which diets are integrated
in adipose tissue, or in patterns of deposition and mobilization of fatty acids.
9 September 2005
CFOS— The Pollock Conservation Cooperative Research Center (PCC Research Center) at
the University of Alaska Fairbanks announces an opportunity for funding of marine
research in the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea.
September 8, 2005
23rd Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium Sept. 13-15 in AnchorageAnchorage, Alaska—The health of Pacific rockfish stocks is the topic of the 23rd Lowell Wakefield Fisheries
Symposium to be held in Anchorage Sept. 13-15. The symposium, "Biology, Assessment,
and Management of North Pacific Rockfishes," is coordinated by Alaska Sea Grant and
is being held as part of the American Fisheries Society's 135th annual meeting.
Read read entire news release
August 18, 2005
Senator Stevens and Alaska Sea Grant help diversify Southeast Alaska economyFairbanks, Alaska—The Southeast Alaska Indian community of Metlakatla has begun shellfish farming, thanks
to the help of Alaska Sea Grant and a federal grant aimed at diversifying the region's
economy.
Oysters grown from seed in a pilot project launched two years ago made their public
debut August 4 in Fairbanks during the annual Military Appreciation Day hosted by
Alaska Senator Ted Stevens.
More than 300 oysters were delivered directly from the sea to Pioneer Park in Fairbanks
for the event attended by several hundred guests. The state-certified oysters were
cooked and served by staff of the Alaska Sea Grant Program, a marine research, education and extension agency at the University of Alaska Fairbanks
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
Sen. Stevens in 2002 secured a $1 million economic development grant to assist Metlakatla
following a downturn in the region's timber and fish harvesting industries. Most of
the money was used to develop sockeye salmon production at the community's existing
hatchery, but about $125,000 was invested in a pilot shellfish-growing program. The
experimental farm has grown one-quarter-million oysters, worth about $200,000 on the
live market. Jeff Moran, Metlakatla's director of fish and wildlife, said the oysters
will be harvested and shipped to waiting restaurants and seafood markets over the
next several months.
"We have done the work and the research to prove the viability of raising shellfish
here," Moran said. "Our goal now is to encourage interest among residents in starting
their own shellfish aquaculture businesses, and help them get started."
The Metlakatla Indian Community is a federally recognized Indian tribe, and the only
Indian reservation in Alaska. Located on Annette Island in Southeast Alaska about
15 miles southwest of Ketchikan, the 129 square mile reservation is home to about
1,500 Tsimshian Indians.
Alaska Sea Grant, through its Marine Advisory Program, provided the reservation with
technical training and expertise.
"This project has been a huge success," said Ray RaLonde, aquaculture specialist with
the Marine Advisory Program. "Annette Island is well-suited for this kind of business
activity. The results mean that shellfish farming can play a major role in the creation
of environmentally sustainable jobs for the region."
While farming finfish such as salmon remains illegal under state law, growing oysters,
geoducks, clams and other shellfish has become a cottage industry in coastal Alaska.
Each year, Alaska's 58 licensed shellfish farms produce about one million oysters.
Yet production still does not meet the burgeoning demand within the state and outside.
"The demand for oysters, geoducks and clams is huge and growing," RaLonde said. "Shellfish
aquaculture is a clean, environmentally sound way to expand the coastal economy."
RaLonde said the next step in the process is to teach interested individuals how to
establish and run their own shellfish farms. The Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory
Program will assist the community with technical training and provide workshops on
business management. He said Annette Island's many roads give access to numerous locations
for shellfish operations. RaLonde said the island could easily produce as many oysters
as the rest of the state's farms combined.
Metlakatla also has regular air and ferry service that can deliver product to markets
quickly. Moran said the reservation-owned cold storage and seafood processing plant
means shellfish also can be turned into value-added products.
Since the closure of a local timber mill, unemployment as high as 80 percent has wracked
the small rural Alaska community, Moran said. But Metlakatla is rebounding. Moran
said the community has started a bottled water facility, a seafood packing plant,
and a tour company, and is developing a crushed stone facility.
"We have become much more diversified since the timber mill closed," Moran said. "Shellfish
farming is another great business for us as we seek to become self-sufficient and
to create good, lasting jobs for people here.
Metlakatla's shellfish plans also include growing geoducks, littleneck clams and cockles.
Experiments with these species are under way to see if they offer moneymaking potential.
Jeff Moran, Director
Department of fish and Wildlife
Annette Island Indian Reservation
Metlakatla, Alaska
Phone: 907-886-4474
Ray RaLonde, Aquaculture Specialist
Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program
Anchorage, Alaska
Phone: 907-274-9697
August 16, 2005
Castellini to help chart School's growth
Fairbanks, Alaska—Alaska marine mammal researcher Michael Castellini has been named Associate Dean of
the University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
I've had a wonderful time at UAF doing research and training the next generation of
marine scientists, said Castellini. I'm excited to now have the opportunity to help
chart the School's future.
As the CFOS Associate Dean, Castellini will be responsible to Dean Denis Wiesenburg
for the School's academic and research programs.
Castellini received his Ph.D. in 1981 from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Prior
to joining UAF in 1989, Castellini held research positions at Scripps, the University
of British Columbia, the University of California San Diego, and UC Santa Cruz.
Castellini's teaching and research career at UAF has focused on investigations into
the health of marine mammal populations, harbor seal and Steller sea lion physiology
and population declines, and Antarctic seal diving physiology. In his 16 years at
UAF, Castellini has given hundred of lectures, published numerous articles in peer-reviewed
scientific journals, and mentored dozens of students.
From 1995 to 1999, Castellini served as Science Director at the Alaska SeaLife Center
in Seward, helping to build the fledgling institution into a world-class marine research
facility.
In 2002, Castellini was appointed Director of the UAF Institute of Marine Science,
a unit within CFOS that conducts marine science and oceanography from Southeast Alaska
to the Arctic Ocean. Castellini will remain acting IMS Director until an interim director
is named.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences was formed in 1987 to unify and strengthen
University of Alaska programs in fisheries, marine mammal, seabird, and ocean sciences.
The School's 60 faculty and 140 graduate students are engaged in research in Alaska
waters and throughout the world.
Today, the School's budget includes $16 million in state and federal research on coastal
and marine resources. Dean Wiesenburg said Castellini's appointment comes as CFOS
is trying to grow its statewide programs of research, education, and outreach amid
tight state and federal budgets.
Mike has done an outstanding job in everything he has undertaken at UAF, said Wiesenburg.
His administrative strengths will be a tremendous help to our expanding research and
academic programs.
The School's plans for growth include hiring additional teaching and research faculty
as well as improving the university's ability to conduct research on fisheries, marine
mammals and oceanography. CFOS anticipates operating the first university-based ice-capable
research ship, slated for funding by the National Science Foundation in 2007. The
$82 million vessel will specialize in Arctic oceanographic research.
The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence
in education, research, and public service concerning marine and freshwater ecosystems,
and to fostering the sustainable use of marine resources for the benefit of Alaska,
the nation, and the world. CFOS supports faculty at the Juneau Fisheries Center, the
Fishery Industrial Technology Center in Kodiak, the Alaska SeaLife Center, the Seward
Marine Center, and the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program at nine locations
around Alaska.
Contact: Dr. Michael Castellini, Associate Dean
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Phone: 907-474-6825
August 11, 2005
Unalaska celebrates ocean heritage, diversity
Unalaska, Alaska— Unalaska will host researchers, students, and government agencies in the first Aleutian
Life Forum August 16-20. The forum will be an annual event whose mission is to celebrate
and encourage understanding of the diversity of life in the Aleutian Islands. Marine
Advisory Agent Reid Brewer is organizing the event.
The three-day forum will feature numerous speakers, and end with a community festival
including food, crafts, music and fun.
In response to the recent M/V Selendang Ayu oil spill, the forum will highlight the
effects of oil on wildlife, fisheries, and the effects of oil on communities.
August 9, 2005
Kodiak, AK—CFOS scientists are among the authors of research appearing in the August 2005 issue
of the Journal of Food Science.
Dr. Subramaniam Sathivel, assistant professor of seafood processing and engineering
at the CFOS Fishery Industrial Technology Center (FITC) in Kodiak, Dr. Scott Smiley,
FITC Director, and Dr. Peter Bechtel with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA)
Seafood Laboratory at CFOS, published "Functional and Nutritional Properties of Red
Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) Enzymatic Hydrolysates."
Their studies were conducted at FITC and were supported in part by the Alaska Fisheries
Byproducts Utilization Program, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research
Service.
Fish processing byproducts including heads, frames, and viscera are often used for
the production of fish meals and oils for the feed industry. Alaska produces over
65% of the total wild fish harvested for human consumption in the USA. The annual
harvest of Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) from Alaska waters is nearly 300,000
metric tons. Major byproducts from salmon processing include approximately 50,000
metric tons of heads and 30,000 metric tons of viscera. One use of salmon byproducts
is to make protein hydrolysates and salmon oil.
Scientists in this study produced protein hydrolysate (FPH) from red salmon heads
using commercial proteolytic enzymes and evaluated attributes such as nutritional,
physical, and nutritional properties. FPH samples exceeded the essential amino acid
requirements for adult humans.
The FPHs were a good source of high quality fish proteins and could compete industrially
with other protein powders in the market place such as soy protein isolate and egg
albumin. The functional properties indicate the FPHs could be used as emulsifiers
agents. This study identifies opportunities to develop value-added products from Alaska
fish processing byproducts.
Reference:
Sathivel, S., S. Smiley, W. Prinyawiwatkul and P. J. Bechtel. Functional and Nutritional
Properties of Red Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) Enzymatic Hydrolysates. Journal of Food
Science. 70(6):401-406 (2005).
July 28, 2005
Whales may be chasing prey closer to shoreKodiak, Alaska—A team of UAF researchers successfully released a young humpback whale that had become
entangled in commercial crab fishing lines and buoys in waters near Kodiak Tuesday
night (July 26, 2005).
The whale was one or two years old and about 20 feet long, according to Kate Wynne,
a Kodiak-based Marine Mammal Specialist with the UAF Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory
Program. Wynne is among the few individuals in the state authorized by the National
Marine Fisheries Service to disentangle marine mammals. Wynne led seven other UAF
researchers in the successful rescue effort.
"The whale was thin and near complete exhaustion when we arrived at the scene," said
Wynne. "The young whale was nearly immobilized by lines, the crab pot, and buoys and
it is likely the whale would not have survived through the night without intervention."
The team used three small boats and specialized disentanglement poles and knives to
cut at least four lines that had ensnared the whale's pectoral fins and flukes.
"It appeared that one line may have gone from his flukes forward along his right side,
over his lower lip and back to his left pectoral fin, and then to his fluke, essentially
hog-tying him," said Wynne. "To surface for air, it had to do a sort of stomach-crunch,
flexing enough so the buoys attached at his flukes submerged when his head was up.
It had to have been quite a workout for the little guy."
After five hours the team was able to cut all the lines. Wynne said the whale finally
swam away when the team cut free the two commercial fishing buoys it had been dragging.
"We are just really happy that everything worked out, that we were able to safely
release the whale without the whale or any of us getting hurt," said Wynne.
Mariners are reminded to report entangled marine mammals to the National Marine Fisheries
Service enforcement or the United States Coast Guard on marine radio VHF Channel 16.
Unauthorized attempts to free marine mammals are a violation of federal law.
Wynne, together with other scientists and graduate students at the UAF Fishery Industrial
Technology Center in Kodiak, monitors humpback whales and other marine mammals as
part of a long-term study of the region's ecosystem. She said the number of whale
entanglements in fishing gear is up slightly this year. She said the whales might
be pursuing prey species like capelin and sandlance nearer to shore, bringing the
whales closer to a variety of fishing gear along the coast.
So far this year, 10 humpback whales have been reported entangled along Alaska's coast,
according to Aleria Jensen, marine mammal stranding coordinator for the National Marine
Fisheries Service in Juneau, Alaska. On average, about eight whales become stranded
each year.
Humpback whales are an endangered species frequently seen in waters around Kodiak
Island each summer. No one knows for sure how many humpback whales feed in Alaska
waters, but scientists estimate at least several thousand of the animals return from
calving grounds off Mexico and Hawaii to feed on abundant stocks of zooplankton and
schooling fish in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea. Adult humpbacks grow to nearly
50 feet and can tip the scales at 25 tons, according to the Guide to Marine Mammals
of Alaska identification book, authored by Wynne.
22 July 2005
CFOS— According to a study led by CFOS researcher Hector Douglas and published in
this month's Journal of Medical Entomology, crested auklets emit a citrus-like odor that effectively repels mosquitoes and other
pests.
July 22, 2005
CFOS students learn salmon management firsthandDillingham, Alaska—Four CFOS graduate students spent three weeks in Bristol Bay watching the salmon fisheries
in action. A joint University of Alaska - University of Washington course, Field Course
in Salmon Management, allowed Tadayasu Uchiyama, Tyler Dann, Sam Decker, and Bev Agler
to get a hands-on look at all aspects of the sockeye salmon fishery during the peak
of the run.
Students spent much of their time mimicking ADF&G's area managers; every day they
would compile catch, escapement, test fishery, Port Moller, and genetic data and decide
which fishing districts should be opened and for how long. Field trips included a
visit to the Peter Pan cannery in Dillingham, the ADF&G counting towers on the Wood
River, and a commercial set net site south of Kanakanak (special thanks to Bristol
Bay campus professor Mike Davis for his hospitality). Guest lectures were provided
by Tim Sands, Slim Morstad, Lowell Fair, Doug Eggers, Jeff Regnart, John H. Clark,
and Molly Chythlook of ADF&G, Terry Hoefferle and Kyle Belleque of the Bristol Bay
Native Association, Bryce Edgmon, Keggie Tubbs, and Helen Smeaton of the Bristol Bay
Economic Development Corporation, Ward Jones of the Nushagak-Mulchatna-Wood-Tikchik
Land Trust, Carol Woody of USGS, Chris Costello of UC Santa Barbara, Norm Van Vactor
of Peter Pan Seafoods, and Brandon Chasco and Lucy Flynn of the University of Washington.
After three weeks of 12 hour days, students gained a deep appreciation for the intensity
and importance of Alaska's salmon fisheries. Instructors Milo Adkison of UAF and Ray
Hilborn of UW plan to continue teaching this course on a biennial schedule. Support
for this course was provided by the Moore Foundation, the University of Washington,
UAF's Graduate School, and UA's President's Special Projects Fund.
-Submitted by Milo Adkison
July 19, 2005
Tom Shirley RetiresJuneau, Alaska—Professor Tom Shirley has retired from Fisheries Division after 23 years of service
at the Juneau Center. Tom was one of the founders of our academic and research programs
in Fisheries and has led our teaching, research and service related to Alaska's shellfish
industry.
Tom's research has been wide-ranging, both in terms of the critters he studies and
the places he studies them. He has published descriptions of new species of priapulids
from the Arctic and Mediterranean and meiofaunal copepods from the Arctic, Antarctic,
Philippines, and several species from outside his office in Auke Bay. He has conducted
a variety of life history and ecological studies of king, Tanner and snow crabs in
Alaska. and has led a decadal study of the population biology of Dungeness crabs in
Glacier Bay National Park. Tom served on the Crab Plan Team of the North Pacific Fisheries
Management Council for the past 20 years. Tom has led undersea explorations of seamounts
in the Gulf of Alaska and the North Pacific Ocean, documenting for the first time
the distribution of crabs, deepsea corals, and the assemblages of organisms associated
with corals.
Dr. Shirley leaves 20 former students at work in Alaska and around the world. CFOS
will miss him and wishes him well as he assumes the role of Distinguished Research
Professor for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Harte Institute for Gulf
of Mexico Studies, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
July 18, 2005
New Orleans, LA—CFOS/FITC professor Subramaniam Sathivel is organizing a symposium on the applications
of chitosan in seafood on July 19, 2005 as part of the Institute of Food Technologists
Annual Conference in New Orleans.
Chitosan is derived from crustacean shells of crab, shrimp, and crawfish and has many
commercial applications in the biomedical and food industries. The biopolymer has
received considerable attention for its antimicrobial and cholesterol-lowering properties.
Chitosan can be used in food industry applications such as edible films or coatings,
as an antioxidant in seafood, and to clarify waste products.
To read more about the conference, please visit the Institute of Food Technologists
Annual Conference website at http://www.ift.org/.
15 July 2005
CFOS—
June 22, 2005
CFOS part of international study of Arctic OceanFairbanks, Alaska—CFOS scientists, divers, and technicians are among a team of 45 researchers from the
United States, Canada, Russia, and China, who will take part in a June-July exploration
of the Canadian Basin, located in the deepest part of the Arctic Ocean.
The expedition is nicknamed Hidden Ocean because the Arctic Ocean is covered by sea
ice much of the year and little is known about the region. The research is sponsored
by the NOAA Ocean Explorer program, and will operate from the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Healy.
Hidden Ocean 2005
Meet the explorers
May 3, 2005
Kodiak, Alaska—Delegates from the Fisheries Law Enforcement Command of the People's Republic of China
visited Kodiak. They are interested in studying
how the United States conducts fisheries management and enforcement. They toured the
Fishery Industrial Technology Center in Kodiak with Quentin S. W. Fong, Assistant
Professor & Seafood Marketing Specialist from the Fishery
Industrial Technology Center/Marine Advisory Program. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration funded the groups visit.
1 April 2005
CFOS— The Discovery Channel will air a documentary mini-series on Alaska's commercial crab fishery beginning
Tuesday, April 12, at 9 p.m. ET/PT across the country.
April 1, 2005
Ray RaLonde helps coastal communitiesAnchorage, Alaska—The UAF Newsroom offers a web feature on Ray RaLonde, Aquaculture Specialist with
the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program. The feature spotlights Ray's work helping
coastal communities diversify their economies through shellfish aquaculture development
and training.
go to UAF Newsroom online feature
March 17, 2005
Creating A Fisheries Mosaic: Connections Across Jurisdictions, Disciplines, and CultureAnchorage, Alaska—The 135th annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society will be held in Anchorage, Alaska, September 11-15, 2005.
The meeting's theme will be "Creating A Fisheries Mosaic: Connections Across Jurisdictions,
Disciplines, and Cultures."
Program, Registration and additional information
More than 50 comprehensive symposia on a wide range of fishery and aquatic science
topics will be presented. The event will coincide with the annual meetings of the
AFS Western Division and Alaska Chapter, along with the 23rd Lowell Wakefield Symposium on the biology, assessment, and management of North Pacific rockfishes.
The AFS annual meeting is sponsored by many state, federal, and university partners
and stakeholder groups, including CFOS, the Alaska Sea Grant College Program, and the West Coast & Polar Regions Undersea Research Center.
March 8, 2005
Natural and human impacts on wild salmon focus of workshopAnchorage, Alaska—The Alaska Sea Grant College Program, Prince William Sound Science Center, Wrangell-St.
Elias National Park, Ecotrust Copper River Program and other pending sponsors is pleased
to announce the first of a two workshop series designed to foster a broader understanding
of the natural and human influenced processes affecting wild salmon stocks within
the Copper River watershed.
The workshop will be held at the Anchorage Captain Cook Hotel, April 12-14, 2005.
Conference Information and Registration.
The theme of this first workshop Elevating our collective knowledge to a common level, reflects the spirit of bringing together watershed stewards, resource managers,
scientists, residents, and resource users to share knowledge and information.
Panel topics for the workshop will include:
* An overview of the changes in distribution, abundance and status of salmon stocks
from the perspective of Traditional Ecological Knowledge.
* Current agency perspectives of salmon stock status and trends.
* Review of recent research results from new technologies, including; radio telemetry,
genetic stock identification and hydro-acoustic assessments.
* An evaluation of productivity changes in the watershed.
* Run timing and exploitation rates for hatchery and wild fish.
The concluding day of the workshop will host synthesis sessions, where workshop participants
will identify problems, issues and focus topics for Workshop No. 2 (Fall/Winter 2005).
A synthesis report of Workshop No. 1, spotlighting the identified issues and problems,
will be prepared in the summer of 2005. This document will guide the development of
the central themes for Workshop No. 2.
Why the Copper River?
The Copper River is world famous for its high oil content wild king and red salmon,
harvested commercially for over 100 years. Subsistence fisheries have rich traditions
throughout the drainage dating back thousands of years. Pressures within the watershed,
including increasing user demands and enhanced/wild stock interactions, require sound
and responsible management practices.
These workshops bring the stewards of the Copper River salmon together to begin to
address what is known and what needs to be learned about the naturally spawning salmon
stocks. With new research, a comprehensive synthesis of available information is not
only timely, but also necessary to adaptively manage the salmon resources of the Copper
River.
March 8, 2005
Conservation, policy focus of 2005 Pacific Rim conferenceAnchorage, Alaska—The State of the Salmon Consortium will host an international conference in Anchorage, Alaska from April 17-20, 2005,
to shape the future of Pacific salmon policy and broaden the reach of scientific research.
The conference theme is "Building the New Agenda for North Pacific Salmon Conservation."
The event will attract key decision makers, opinion leaders, scientists, and fisheries
managers from countries around the Pacific Rim.
Keynote speakers include: The Honorable John Fraser, Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation
Council; Dr. Nathan Mantua, University of Washington School of Marine Affairs; and
Fran Ulmer, former Lt. Governor of AK.
Conferees attend four consecutive panel discussions over three days, featuring presentations
by and discussions with renowned experts on:
BIOLOGY: central questions in salmon research, including appropriate population units for
monitoring and the utility of probabilistic sample designs
HABITAT: approaches to characterizing habitat condition and capacity to inform monitoring
and salmon management
MANAGEMENT: building towards an ecosystem approach to Pacific salmon management: issues, metrics,
and comparative standards for best practices
COMMUNICATIONS: opportunities to improve communications among scientists and decision-maker
A day of workshops is scheduled on April 21, with working sessions on:
The role of habitat-population modeling in salmon conservation
Probabilistic survey designs and statistical analysis
Strategy for Data Exchange: Protocols and Technologies
Posters may be submitted for consideration through March 15th.
TWO MAJOR STATE OF THE SALMON INITIATIVES TO BE ANNOUNCED:
Simultaneously interpreted in three languages, State of the Salmon Conference 2005
will serve as a forum for the Consortium to introduce its own work, which includes
a range of science, policy, and communications initiatives. Two major products will
be features: Pacific Salmon IMAKS, an International Monitoring and Assessment Knowledge
system, which includes an international monitoring strategy and a suite of tools that
will enable scientists to collect and data more effectively. The Conference will also
introduce State of the Salmon's new book, Atlas of Pacific Salmon: The First Map-Based
Status Assessment of North Pacific salmon, published in March 2005 by University of
California Press. The Atlas is the first to present Pacific salmon distribution and
risk of extinction at one consistent scale across the Pacific.
Program and Registration information.
The State of the Salmon Consortium, a partnership between Wild Salmon Center and Ecotrust,
was founded in March 2003 to create a knowledge network across the North Pacific Rim
that will increase global understanding of the status of salmon and contribute to
attempts to sustain salmon biodiversity in perpetuity.
March 8, 2005
Ocean Fury depicts 1964 tsunamis, research
Anchorage, Alaska—The Alaska Oceans Program, Alaska Center for the Environment, and the San Francisco
Ocean Film Festival will kick off the first Alaska Ocean Film Festival in Anchorage,
March 10.
The Alaska festival will feature a selection of films from the San Francisco event
while also incorporating Alaska based films highlighting the wonders of the North
Pacific.
The keynote film is Ocean Fury: Tsunamis in Alaska, produced by Alaska Sea Grant communications manager Kurt Byers. The 25-minute video
explains the cause of the 1964 Alaska tsunamis and highlights research aimed preparing
Alaska coastal communities for the next one.
The video begins with interviews of people in Seward, Kodiak, and Valdez who describe
in chilling detail what they saw when the black waves attacked their towns 40 years
ago, killing more than 100 individuals. It also describes how the tsunami warning
system operates in Alaska and explains how people should react when an earthquake
occurs.
8 March 2005
CFOS— Researchers funded through the Coastal Marine Institute will present their findings Tuesday, March 8, 2005, in the Regent's Conference Room
109 of the Butrovich Building on the UAF campus.
March 7, 2005
Involving communities in fisheries managementAnchorage, Alaska—Alaska Sea Grant is helping NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Region, sponsor Managing Fisheries-Empowering Communities, a conference aimed at better understanding the impacts of commercial fishery management
decisions on Alaska coastal communities.
The conference is scheduled for April 21-23, 2005, at the Anchorage Marriott Downtown
Hotel.
Announcement/Agenda/Registration
March 1, 2005
A number of CFOS employees from around the state have been recognized for their outstanding
work and unique contributions to the success of CFOS, the university, and their units.
Seward Marine Center:
Phyllis Shoemaker
Nicola Murawski
Fisheries Division:
Gabrielle Hazelton
Louisa Hayes
Cathy Magnusen
Debi Rathbone
Institute of Marine Science:
Arny Blanchard
Patricia Kaminsky
Global Undersea Research Center:
Dana Kapla
CFOS Business Office:
Gregory Simpson
Amy Tonkin
Jennifer Deweese
Marine Advisory Program:
Beverly Bradley
Julie Carpenter
Nancy Mighells
Deborah Mercy
Alaska Sea Grant staff asked that rather than being considered for awards, any award money they might
be eligible to receive be directed to student support.
25 February 2005
MAP— Alaska Sea Grant conservation specialist Rick Steiner is helping a coalition of business and conservation groups push for new protections from oil spills in Alaska's Aleutian Islands. Read more in the Environment News Service, Feb. 24, 2005.
February 25, 2005
Seward, Alaska—Having won its third straight Alaska Regional Ocean Sciences Bowl, Juneau-Douglas High School has established itself as a virtual ocean knowledge brain
trust, and a dynasty that's proven difficult to upset.
Juneau-Douglas High School team Steller eked out the overall win, barely beating closest
rival Skyview High School in Soldotna and nine other teams during the annual statewide
competition Feb. 18-20 in Seward. The ocean knowledge competition included a report
and oral presentation, and a rapid-fire, Jeopardy-style quiz.
Early on, it looked like Juneau-Douglas might not fare well this year as team Steller
slipped to a fifth-place showing in the project portion of competition. Steller coach
Clay Good said the team regained its composure and surged ahead during the knowledge
quiz.
"What made the difference was the breadth of team Steller," said Good. "Going into
the quiz, Steller was hard to beat because collectively they had a great depth of
knowledge."
Good has led Juneau-Douglas High School teams to overall competition wins in six of
the past eight years. This year's team Steller included students Ashley Kelly, Bekah
Menze, Devon Kibby, Emily Peyton, and Kelsey Potdevin. Each member of the Steller
team received a one-year tuition waiver to the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Steller won the overall competition with 96.2 points. Nearly upsetting Steller was
a team sent by Soldotna's Skyview High School, with 96 points. Team EZD (Euphotic
Zone Depth) put forth a gallant effort, winning the project portion of the event,
but missing the overall win by just two-tenths of a point.
"It was a heartbreaker. EZD worked really hard and put together a great paper and
presentation that took first place," says Mark Larson. "Then to lose the overall by
two-tenths was especially hard. But the students are very happy and proud of what
they accomplished, and that's what counts."
Although Skyview had to settle for second place in the overall standings, their winning
project earned each student a one-year tuition waiver at the University of Alaska
Southeast. Coach Larson received a $1,000.00 classroom award from the Alaska Sea Grant
College Program.
Taking third place in the overall scoring was the Cordova High School NURDS (Never
Underestimate ouR Determination). The team was coached and supported by staff from
the Prince William Sound Science Center.
Complete 2005 NOSB results
A team new to the competition this year, the Ocean Raiders from Unalaska City High
School, also had a chance at the top spot. The Ocean Raiders were in second place
following the project portion of the competition. But the team withdrew from the quiz
due to scheduling conflicts with their return to Unalaska.
Juneau's team Steller will go on to compete against 24 other regional champions from
across the United States in the National Ocean Sciences Bowl, April 23-25, 2005, in Biloxi, Mississippi.
In all, eleven teams of high schools students from across Alaska made a bid to win
the 8th annual Tsunami Bowl, held at the Seward Marine Center and Seward High School. The competition included high school students from Anchorage,
Bethel, Cordova, Juneau, Noorvik, Palmer, Seward, Soldotna, and Unalaska. See team
pages
"I am so proud of all of the teams," said Phyllis Shoemaker, Alaska Regional Coordinator.
"It was a very tight race this year. All of the teams worked extremely hard in this
competition."
Teams this year faced two challenges. The first was to research and write a detailed
report on the effects of climate change on Alaska's marine ecosystems and coastal
communities, and to propose policy changes aimed at dealing with the problem. Work
on this phase of the competition began months ago. At the competition, teams presented
their findings to a panel of university scientists, who ranked presentations on thoroughness,
balance, clarity, and a host of other criteria. The project report and presentation
accounted for 50 percent of the overall score.
Teams also were tested on their knowledge of ocean science concepts in a rapid-fire
quiz. The quiz was organized as a series of round-robin/double-elimination matches.
In each match, two teams compete against each other and the clock, trying to be the
fastest to answer the toss-up questions.
The competition began in 1998 as a way to teach ocean science education in the nation's
high schools and to encourage high school graduates to pursue careers in science.
This year, approximately 2,000 students from 375 high schools will take part in the
event.
"Our oceans play a significant role in regulating our weather and climate as well
as providing habitat for a vast array of plants and animals," Shoemaker said. "I'm
hoping that the interest and enthusiasm shown by these students will increase the
awareness of our oceans in their daily lives and give them the momentum to move into
the study of marine science, ultimately helping to address the ocean challenges that
lie ahead."
In conjunction with the ocean sciences bowl, high-school students also participated
in a juried art show. Angie Hall, a senior at Skyview High School in Soldotna, won
Best of Show, for her fiber art depiction of jellyfish. Additional awards were given
for painting, drawing, ceramics fiber arts, mixed media and graphic design.
Complete 2005 NOSB Art Show results:
Other Alaska NOSB Awards:
* The Mayor's trophy, given to the team that scores the most points in a single quiz
round, went to the Cordova N.U.R.D.s (Never Underestimate ouR Determination) for having
scored 90 points in the ninth round. The trophy is given in recognition of former
Seward mayor Bob Satin.
* The Enrichment Award went to Seward High School, for having earned the fewest overall
points. The team received a set of science reference books donated by Kenai Fjords
National Park and the Ocean Alaska Science and Learning Center.
* The Most Valuable Player from each team received a $50 cash award, donated by marine
scientist Dolly Dieter.
* The Techie Coach Award went to Heather Pelletier of the Mat-Su Valley Apex Predators
for getting her team registered first on the national web site. The award consisted
of a certificate and gear bag, donated by the Consortium for Oceanographic Research
& Education.
Major support for the National Ocean Sciences Bowl comes from the Consortium for Oceanographic
Research & Education, based in Washington, D.C. Additional support comes from the
University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, the Alaska
Sea Grant College Program, and the North Pacific Research Board.
Complete 2005 NOSB sponsors list
Judges:
Bodil Bluhm, Research Assistant Professor, marine biology. Her specialties include
benthic and sea ice ecology, invertebrate population dynamics and trophic interactions,
and polar marine invertebrates.
Nicola Hillgruber, Assistant Professor, fisheries ecology. Her interests include ecology
and early life history of marine fishes, impacts of biotic and abiotic factors on
larval and juvenile fish, and trophic interactions.
Steven Okkonen, Research Assistant Professor, physical oceanography. His research
interests include polar and sub-polar oceanography, circulation variability, and satellite
remote sensing of the oceans. Dr. Okkonen is a former teacher who taught in rural
Alaska public schools during the 1970s and 1980s.
Dean Stockwell, Research Assistant Professor, biological oceanography. His specialities
include taxonomy and ecology of marine phytoplankton in the Gulf of Alaska, Bering
Sea and polar waters. His work focuses on primary productivity, phytoplankton/nutrient
interactions, and pigment distributions.
Susan Sugai, chemical oceanography. Her research interests include biogeochemistry
and geochronology of marine and lake sediments.
Additional valuable assistance provided by:
Shannon Atkinson
Adie Callahan
Susan Inglis
Tricia Kaminsky
Carol Kaynor
Brendan Kelly
Brenda Konar
Linda Lasota
Deborah Mercy
Stephanie Moreland
Mette Nielson
Dave Partee
Lisa Petrauskas
Doug Schneider
Phyllis Shoemaker
February 23, 2005
Abstract deadline is January 21, 2005Ketchikan, Alaska—The 22nd Annual Northeast Pacific Pink and Chum Salmon Workshop will be held at the
West Coast Cape Fox Lodge in Ketchikan, Alaska, February 23-25, 2005.
The deadline for abstracts is January 21, 2005. Save money by registering by February
15, 2005.
Dr. A. J. Gharrett, professor of fisheries genetics and aquaculture at the University
of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Fisheries Division,
will deliver the keynote address.
Alaska Rep. Mary Kaspner (D-Bethel), is the banquet speaker.
Dr. Thomas P Quinn, Professor of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the University of
Washington, is the guest speaker.
Ray Troll, Fish Artist Extraordinaire, will present a special Friday evening seminar.
More information on the meeting, session topics, speakers, registration, and submitting
papers is available at the Pacific Salmon Commission.
Or contact one of the Workshop Co-chairs for information:
Alex Wertheimer, NOAA Fisheries, 907-789-6040, Alex.Wertheimer@noaa.gov
Steve Heinl, Alaska Dept. Fish and Game, 907-225-9677, Steve_heinl@fishgame.state.ak.us
Rick Focht, DIPAC, 907-463-1629, Rick_Focht@dipac.net
February 15, 2005
Results of 2002 Arctic basin expeditionFairbanks, Alaska—Research papers authored by a host of CFOS researchers dominate the February 2005
issue of the scientific journal Polar Biology.
Researchers Rolf Gradinger, Bodil Bluhm, Gerry Plumley, Terry Whitledge, Russ Hopcroft,
Katrin Iken, and graduate students Sang Lee and Casey Debenham are all either lead
or co-authors of research results presented in the journal. The research papers are
the product of a 2002 expedition into the Arctic basin sponsored by the NOAA Ocean Explorer Program.
For more, go to Polar Biology volume 28, number 3, February 2005
February 14, 2005
Juneau, Alaska—Gordon H. Kruse has been elected chair of the Scientific and Statistical Committee
(SSC) of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC).
The SSC is the body of scientists who advise the Council on scientific and technical
issues involving federal management of fisheries off Alaska.
Dr. Kruse is a professor of fisheries oceanography at the CFOS Fisheries Division in Juneau. He also is the University of Alaska President's Professor of Fisheries.
Kruse was a member of the SSC from 1990-1992 and again has served since 2002. He served
as vice chair from 2003-2004 before being elected chair in 2005.
Other UAF members of the SSC include Drs. Terry Quinn, Fisheries Division, Sue Hills,
Institute of Marine Science, and Mark Herrmann from the College of Business and Security
Management.
Fishery Management Councils were established in 1976 by the federal Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Their purpose is to involve stakeholders in the management of fisheries resources.
Presently there are eight regional fishery management councils in the United States.
The North Pacific Fishery Management Council has the distinction of never having exceeded acceptable biological catches recommended
by its SSC. At its recent February meeting, held in Seattle, the Council voted to
ban bottom trawling in a huge area of Alaska's Aleutian Islands, roughly nine times
the state of Washington. Advice from scientists, including the SSC, played a major
role in this landmark decision.
February 11, 2005
Plan is product of environmentalists, fishermen working together
Seattle, Washington—Federal fishery regulators have recommended placing vast stretches of Alaska seaflloor
off-limits to trawl nets and other commercial fishing gear to protect corals and other
sealife.
Most of the 380,000 square miles of water the council closed to bottom trawlers is
along the remote Aleutian Islands. Government scientists exploring the chain in recent
years have discovered corals, sponge beds and other seafloor life.
Anchorage Daily News 2//11/05
Alaska Marine Conservation Council news release
February 9, 2005
UAF thanks pollock fleet for supportFairbanks, Alaska—Contributions by a group of North Pacific pollock fishing companies to a University
of Alaska Fairbanks research program that studies marine mammals, fisheries and other
coastal ecosystem issues have topped $5 million since the program began in 2000.
The donations by the At-Sea Processors Association support the Pollock Conservation
Cooperative Research Center at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. The
center provides research grants to university scientists and graduate students studying
a wide range of issues affecting the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea.
To date, the At-Sea Processors Association has donated $5.27 million to the marine
research center.
"This is a significant milestone for our scientists, graduate students, and research
efforts to better understand marine resource issues important to Alaska," said Denis
Wiesenburg, Dean of UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
The At-Sea Processors Association represent seven companies that together operate
19 U.S.-flagged catcher/processor vessels in the Alaska pollock fishery. Its membership
includes Alaska Ocean Seafood, Inc., American Seafoods Company, Arctic Storm Management
Group, Glacier Fish Company, Highland Light, Starbound, and Trident Seafoods.
UAF Chancellor Steve Jones and CFOS Dean Wiesenburg will thank the PCCRC donors for
their contributions in support of research and graduate student education at a special
reception scheduled in Seattle, Washington, on Feb. 9, at the Renaissance Seattle
Hotel, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The event is organized and sponsored by the UAF
Office of University Advancement and Community Engagement.
Alaska's pollock industry is among the world's largest commercial fisheries. In 2003,
the fleet caught 1.5 million tons of pollock, worth more than $2 billion, according
to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Contributions by industry to the PCCRC provide approximately $300,000 each year toward
funding for peer-reviewed research on Alaska's important marine and fisheries issues.
Contributions also fund the Ted Stevens Distinguished Professorship of Marine Policy,
a new position that will provide leadership in the area of marine policy with emphasis
on the Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Bering Sea, Beaufort Sea, and Chukchi Sea. A portion
of the funds also go to preserve
Alaska Senator Ted Stevens papers on ocean issues.
Over 30 research projects have been funded to date with six new research projects
recommended for funding in 2005. The amount awarded for research in 2005 stands at
more than $228,000.
Donations to the University of Alaska are made under the State of Alaska Educational
Tax Credit. Under the program, companies and individuals can claim the tax credit
for up to 50 percent of the first $100,000 of the donation, and 100 percent of the
next $100,000 donated to the University. The maximum credit that may be claimed by
a taxpayer in any tax year is $150,000.
Denis Wiesenburg, Dean, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, 907-474-7210,
Ann Ringstad,, Associate Vice Chancellor, Office of University Advancement and Community Engagement,
907-474-5922
John (Jake) C. Poole, Vice Chancellor, Office of University Advancement and Community Engagement, 907-
474-2600; in Seattle (cell) 907-590-0108, fnjcp@uaf.edu
Vera Alexander, Special Assistant for Fisheries and Ocean Science Policy, 907-474-5071, vera@sfos.uaf.edu
7 February 2005
CFOS— More than 1,000 scientists, Native leaders, technicians, health officials and
others will gather in Anchorage Feb. 7-11 for the 7th annual Alaska Forum on the Environment.
Talks are scheduled on the latest developments in contaminants and waste management,
climate change, marine mammal health and other environmental issues.
January 31, 2005
Science diving, Antarctic research explainedFairbanks, Alaska—Some 12 senior citizens visited CFOS January 28 as part of a community outreach program
sponsored by the Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks and Recreation Department.
Drs. Katrin Iken and Brenda Konar, together with graduate students Angie Dubouis and
Nick Harmon, explained the Scientific Diving Program and demonstrated equipment and
technologies used by researchers and students in the program.
Ph.D. candidate Susan Inglis explained research in Antarctica aimed at better understanding
how Weddell seals use and metabolize fat in their diets through studies of blood chemistry
on wild seals.
Both presentations were well-received by an enthusiastic and attentive audience that
asked interesting questions.
January 25, 2005
Doppler radar could help plan oil spill responseBeaufort Sea, Alaska—Associate Professor of physical oceanography Dave Musgrave will lead a Minerals Management
Service-funded project to use high-frequency doppler radar to produce two-dimensional
maps of sea surface currents in Alaska's Beaufort Sea and Cook Inlet.
The maps will provide scientists with important baseline information about the oceanography
of the two regions, as well as provide tools to track and help clean up oil spills
that might occur.
The ocean current mapping project is part of the Sea-Air-Land Modeling and Observing Network (SALMON) Project, a program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences that fosters the implementation and operation of ocean-observing systems
in the Northern Gulf of Alaska.
The SALMON Project, in cooperation with other institutes, provides continuous real-time
or near real-time observations of ocean circulation and ecosystems and linking these
with models to provide ocean forecasts in much the same way that weather forecasts
are made.
24 January 2005
CFOS— Numerous CFOS scientists and graduate students attended the annual Marine Science
in Alaska Symposium, held Jan. 24-26 in Anchorage.
January 19, 2005
Skipper a favorite among scientists studying Bering SeaFairbanks, Alaska—People wishing to remember the life of Gary Edwards and the crew of the fishing vessel
Big Valley are invited to attend an informal Pot Luck on Friday, January 28, 2005,
beginning at 6:30 p.m., at the home of Research Assistant Professor Sue Hills in Fairbanks.
DIRECTIONS to Dr. Sue Hills' home at 3725 Azurite, Ester.
Take Parks Highway south to Ester, turn right by the weigh station. Go past the Ester
Volunteer Fire Station, and turn right on Village Rd, then right on Main Street. Take
immediate left and go up Stone Rd one mile.
At the top of the hill, the road bends to the left. After rounding the bend, keep
to the left at the Y (that's Azurite but the local kids often switch the sign around
so just stay left) and turn in at the second drive on the left. Our home is a two
story cedar sided box with deck and lively curly-tailed black puppy probably around
somewhere. If you don't have 4WD and need a ride, park at the Ester post office and
call us at 479-7203.
STORY:
The Anchorage Daily News reports the fishing vessel Big Valley sunk in heavy seas
in the Bering Sea, Saturday, January 15, 2005.
Longtime Kodiak resident Gary Edwards was the captain of the 92-foot vessel. The U.S.
Coast Guard has called off the search for Edwards and three other missing crewman.
One crewman, Cache Seel, is the only survivor. Two other crewman pulled from the sea
did not survive.
The Big Valley was chartered by CFOS researchers over the years to conduct research
in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. On one such trip, CFOS researchers and graduate
students examined the impacts of bottom trawling on the Bering Sea
"Many of us worked with Gary and we are really saddened by this," said Dr. Brenda
Norcross, professor of fisheries ecology and fisheries oceanography.
Norcross, together with technician Brenda Holladay and graduate student Franz Mueter
were the first CFOS researchers to charter with Edwards and the Big Valley in 1991.
They worked with Edwards again in 1992, 1995 and most recently in 2003.
"Gary was the best and most accommodating skipper anyone could ask for," said Norcross.
"He worked exceedingly hard for us and always gave much more than was required. Besides
being a very hard worker, Gary was fun. He did special things to lighten our loads,
like having a latte machine and serving us brie and apples on the back deck when we
were too busy sorting fish to take a break."
Edwards was a seasoned skipper known for his attention to detail and focus on safety.
He will be greatly missed.
According to the Anchorage Daily News, a memorial service was planned Tuesday night
in Unalaska to honor the six men missing or dead during this year's snow crab season.
In addition to the five from the Big Valley, crewman Manu Lagai, 33, of Spokane, Wash.,
is presumed dead after falling off the Seattle-based crabber Sultan around 11 a.m.
Saturday.
A community memorial service for the crew of the Big Valley in Kodiak is expected,
but details have not yet been worked out, said a member of Fishermen's Wives and Associates.
For more on the sinking of the Big Valley, go to:
Links:
Jan. 15, 2005
Disaster hits crab fishery
Anchorage Daily News
Jan. 16, 2005
Search continues for missing crab boat crews
Anchorage Daily News
Jan. 18, 2005
Search for crab-boat crew suspended
Anchorage Daily News
Jan. 18, 2005
Kodiak Daily Mirror
Photo:
UAF researchers and crew of the fishing vessel Big Valley during a research expedition
in 2001. Skipper Gary Edwards is seated in the center back row. (courtesy Alaska Sea
Grant)
The following is a Letter to the Editor, published in the Kodiak Daily Mirror, Thursday,
Jan. 20, 2005.
Dear Editor:
The loss of the Big Valley and most of her crew is a terrible tragedy, not only for
the families of those lost, but for the community of Kodiak, and the scientific community
as well.
Over the last decade, I and other scientists chartered the Big Valley for many research
cruises, most recently with a team of archaeologists surveying the Kad'yak shipwreck
in July 2004.
Each of us came to know Gary Edwards as a friend and kindred spirit. The Big Valley
wasn't the newest or cleanest boat in the fleet, but Gary made it the best boat to
work on. Gary made everybody feel that supporting their work was the most important
thing he could be doing. He made cappuccino for everybody on board each morning. If
we were too busy to eat, he brought our food out to us on the deck. He rigged up a
hot-water shower on deck for us to use after diving. He built specialized equipment
for us, like anchors for our survey lines.
Gary was a real Renaissance scholar who loved great art, literature and music. He
hung interesting artwork all over the boat, and kept a shelf full of great books at
hand. He went out of his way to ensure that we had the best possible experience on
his boat. My last two grant proposals were written specifically for Gary and the Big
Valley because I could not imagine how to do my work on any other boat, or with any
other skipper.
Gary touched each of us that knew him in many different ways, and we are all deeply
saddened by his loss. But in addition to his friends and family, he also leaves behind
a generation of scientists and graduate students who worked with him, learned from
him, and came to love the sea as he did.
The oceans, and those who study them, have lost a great friend. He was Steinbeck to
our Rickets; he was Lewis to our Clark. We will miss him greatly.
Brad Stevens
NOAA Fisheries
Kodiak, Alaska
The following note was received from Allison Barns, who recently graduated from CFOS
and works for NOAA Fisheries in Seattle. (used with permission.)
Gary's house was three doors down from mine for some of the years I lived in Kodiak.
I had the joy of seeing him in Fairbanks when he came up to visit Fairbanks folks
on a whim.
I now work for NOAA in Seattle, down the hall from many researchers who chartered
the Big Valley. I know that Gary would have been happy (and a bit sheepish) to know
that so many people in these different communities thought highly of him and will
miss him very, very dearly.
Allison Barns
NOAA Fisheries
Seattle, WA
January 6, 2005
Sea Grant-produced video highlights 1964 tsunamis, researchFairbanks, Alaska—KUAC Alaska One Television will air Ocean Fury: Tsunamis in Alaska Thursday, January 6, 2005, at 7 p.m., and again Friday, January 7, at 10:30 p.m.
The documentary was produced by the Alaska Sea Grant Program with the Alaska Earthquake Information Center and the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
Producer Kurt Byers led a team of videographers and researchers to recount the events
of March 27, 1964, when a 9.2 magnitude quake triggered multiple tsunamis that killed
more than 100 people and devastated the Alaska coastal communities of Kodiak, Seward,
and Valdez, among others.
This program commemorates the 40th anniversary of the disaster, and features new interviews
with survivors. They describe in chilling detail what they saw and the thoughts that
raced through their minds as they watched the black waves attack their communities
that fateful day.
The program also presents the science of tsunamis using 3-D computer graphics, and
provides information about how to prepare for tsunamis. The program describes Alaska
Sea Grant-funded tsunami modeling research by the late Juergen Kienle, Zygmunt Kowalik,
and Elena Suleimani.
The video also has been accepted into the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival January
28-30, 2005.
The video is available as VHS or DVD from Alaska Sea Grant for $20.
22 December 2004
ASG— A few hours after Dr. Susan Sugai landed in Unalaska, the Malaysian soybean freighter
Selendang Ayu broke apart on the rocks a few miles away. Suddenly, Sugai found herself in the middle
of an unfolding environmental disaster. Columnist Dermot Cole spotlighted Sugai's
experiences in a recent issue of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.
December 21, 2004
Honor carries three-year termFairbanks, Alaska—Dr. John Kelley, professor of chemical oceanography at the UAF Institute of Marine
Science, was elected Director of the The Scientific Research Society Sigma Xi Northwest
Geographic Region at its annual meeting in Montreal, Canada, November 11-14, 2004.
Kelley will serve a three-year term, and also will serve on the Board of Directors
of Sigma Xi. He currently is Associate Director of the Sigma Xi Northwest Region,
and Secretary/Treasurer of the Alaska Chapter of Sigma Xi.
Sigma Xi is the international honor society of science and engineering. Founded in
1886, it is one of the oldest and largest interdisciplinary scientific organizations
in the world. Its goals are to foster worldwide interaction involving science, technology
and society; to encourage appreciation and support of original work in science and
technology; and to honor scientific achievements. Membership is by invitation. Nearly
200 Sigma Xi members have won the Nobel Prize.
December 17, 2004
experts say mistakes contributed to the accidentAnchorage, Alaska—Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program conservation specialist Rick Steiner is making
local, state and national news with his assertions that the Aleutian Island oil spill
could have been prevented.
Anchorage Daily News 12/17/04
Seattle Post-Intelligencer 12/17/04
Seattle Post-Intelligencer 12/16/04
Rueters 12/13/04
Anchorage Daily News 12/12/04
December 15, 2004
Stephen Jewett featured on Alaska News NightlyFairbanks, Alaska— Professor Stephen Jewett has worked at the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
for 30 years. He says that because of the nature of the bunker oil seeping from the
broken freighter, he suspects the effects to the Tanner crab fishery will be minimal.
Jewett says the timing of the spill is better than if it would have occurred in the
spring from the stand point of juvenile Tanner crab. He says Tanner crab larva are
not in the water until at least April stretching into July.
Jewett says he also doesn't anticipate much impact to the upcoming Pacific cod fishery.
Complete story was aired on the Alaska Public Radio Network's Alaska News Nightly,
Tuesday, December 14, 2004.
December 13, 2004
Juneau, Alaska—A just-released report by the Alaska Department of Labor highlights the significant loss of commercial fishing jobs in the state. More seafood
by weight and value is now harvested by non-resident commercial fishermen.
View the report in the December 2004 issue of Alaska Economic Trends
December 10, 2004
New MAP agent in midst of disasterUnalaska, Alaska— Less than a year after arriving in Unalaska as the Aleutian Island's first Alaska
Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program agent, Reid Brewer finds himself in the midst of
a human and environmental disaster that has likely claimed the lives of six people
and triggered what is almost certainly the state's largest oil spill since the Exxon Valdez gushed 11-million gallons of oil into Prince William Sound in 1989.
On Wednesday, December 8, the Malaysian freighter, Selendang Ayu, carrying a load of soybeans and 500,000 gallons of heavy bunker fuel, foundered
in heavy seas after its engines failed, and then broke apart on the rocks in Skan
Bay, near the fishing port of Dutch Harbor.
A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crashed in an attempted rescue of the freighter's crew.
While the Coast Guard helicopter crew was recovered, six crew from the freighter are
missing and feared dead. Efforts now are focused on the cleanup of thousands of gallons
of oil now washing onto nearby beaches.
Brewer, together with CFOS researcher Dr. Susan Sugai and MAP instructional media
specialist Deborah Mercy are on the scene with university assistance and expertise
in the wake of the spill.
Sugai has met with state and federal oil spill officials and has been invited to participate
in planning/response meetings. Having conducted research in Skan Bay for more than
two decades, Sugai has a great deal of experience and knowledge of the region. She
is advising officials on ecosystem issues such as location of kelp beds and issues
related to the impact of oil on the local marine environment.
Deborah Mercy is scheduled to fly with a Coast Guard survey helicopter to take video
of the site. Brewer is participating in a hazmat training workshop and will soon thereafter
assist in assessment activities on the beach.
Over the next 24 hours (8am Friday 10 Dec to 8am Sat 11 Dec.) state and federal response
efforts will focus on protecting sensitive areas such as salmon streams, assessing
shoreline cleanup needs and the condition of the vessel, and mobilizing needed equipment.
Protecting the health and safety of response personnel is a top priority.
For complete stories and photos of the oil spill, go to the Anchorage Daily News
December 9, 2004
Fairbanks, Alaska—Across the state, Alaska Sea Grant research and Marine Advisory Program activities
are improving the lives of Alaskans.
From helping Alaska's shellfish farmers overcome regulatory hurdles, to training fishermen
and seafood processors, to conducting research that improves fisheries management,
Alaska Sea Grant is there.
In its just-released Biennial Report, feature articles detail the good works and service
of Sea Grant-funded scientists, students, MAP agents and specialists, and communications
professionals.
December 6, 2004
Governor speaks, encourages industry growthAnchorage, Alaska—More than 100 shellfish growers, state and federal regulators, business consultants,
and marketing experts gathered in Anchorage late last week for the Alaska Shellfish
Aquaculture Conference, where they discussed a wide range of shellfish production,
transportation, marketing and policy issues.
The December 3-4, 2004 conference was held immediately following the annual meeting
of the Alaska Shellfish Growers Association, and was sponsored by the Alaska Sea Grant
Marine Advisory Program and a host of state agencies. Ray RaLonde, Sea Grant MAP Aquaculture
Specialist, was a key organizer of the event.
Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski addressed the meeting and voiced strong support for
the efforts of the industry to expand amid complex regulatory, transportation, production,
and marketing challenges.
Doug Schneider, Sea Grant Information Officer, attended the conference and gathered
material for an upcoming feature article for Alaska Business Monthly magazine.
December 2, 2004
Booklet describes over 100 species important to state fishery habitatsJuneau, Alaska—A new field guide to Alaska corals could cool flare-ups between fishermen and scientific
observers when the fragile organisms are hauled aboard Alaska fishing boats. The 67-page
booklet, A Field Guide to Alaskan Corals, is the five-year effort of Juneau oceanographer Bruce Wing and Kodiak biometrician
David
November 30, 2004
Website showcases Alaska Region Research VesselFairbanks, Alaska—A new website devoted to the proposed Alaska Region Research Vessel is open for business. The site offers background on the development of the ship, concept designs, "fly-through" animations, schematics and a host of other interesting information. Please visit the site to learn all about this exciting new ship that may one day soon ply Alaska waters in search of scientific knowledge.
November 30, 2004
McMurdo, Antarctica—Seal researchers led by Dr. Mike Castellini figured it was a fluke when the first
seal they put in the dive hole failed to return. But when the second seal took off,
Castellini knew something was wrong. Read more about Castellini's research in the
Antarctic Sun 11/21/04
SEAL TEAM left to right: Shawn Harper, M.S. student; Mike Castellini, Investigator; Lorrie
Rea, Co-investigator; Maggie Castellini, Research Associate; Susan Inglis, Ph.D student;
Vicki Stegall, Ph.D student; Tami Haase, Volunteer.
Photo courtesy Paul Ulrich
November 30, 2004
CFOS photographers featuredFairbanks, Alaska—The gift of undersea Alaska is just a click away.
Visions of Undersea Alaska, 2005 engagement calendar, is on sale to all CFOS faculty, staff, and students. Save
more than 20 percent off the $12.95 cover price by ordering now.
With more than 50 full-color underwater photos, this calendar provides an up-close
look at Alaska's amazing sea life--from tiny plankton to invertebrates, fish, marine
mammals, and even kelp.
CFOS colleagues Steve Jewett, Brenda Konar, Russ Hopcroft, Stacy Smith, and Don Kramer
are among the photographers featured. The images were taken in Southeast Alaska, the
Aleutian Islands, and other Alaska locations. Captions provide fascinating facts about
each photograph.
Calendars are available for just $10 each and include shipping if needed. Order online
at the Alaska Sea Grant bookstore; or call 907-474-6707, toll-free 1-888-789-0090. Calendars can be purchased in person
during regular business hours (M-F 8a-5p) at the Alaska Sea Grant bookstore, located
in 209 O'Neill Building on the UAF Campus.
November 29, 2004
WCNURC sponsored researchAleutian Islands, AK—A voyage last summer to investigate the causes of one of the most devastating tsunamis
in United States history has uncovered new mysteries about biological and geological
processes off Alaska.
The July 2004 research cruise aboard the Scripps research vessel Roger Revelle was
sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's West Coast National
Undersea Research Program, headquartered at the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences,
located at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Read more in ScienceDaily 11/24/04
News Release: Scripps Institution of Oceanography
November 23, 2004
Juneau, Alaska—More than two dozen CFOS graduate students attended the annual conference of the Alaska
Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, held this year in Sitka, Alaska, November
15-19, 2004. Several students received plaques in recognition of their outstanding
papers and posters presented at the conference.
Charles Adams, a Ph.D student in the Graduate Program in Marine Sciences and Limnology,
was recognized for the Best Professional Poster.
Adam's poster was titled Seasonal changes in the diet of walleye pollock, Theragra chalcogramma, around the
Chiswell Island, 2003. The poster was co-authored by fellow Ph.D. student Alexei Pinchuk and Dr. Kenneth
Coyle.
Fisheries Division graduate students Cindy Trabuzio and Angela Middelton were recognized
for their research.
Trabuzio, a Ph.D. student, was awarded Best Student Paper, while Middelton was awarded
Best Student Poster.
Trabuzio's paper, co-authored with Dr. Gordon Kruse, was titled Advances in Spiny Dogfish Research in the Face of Commercial Fishing.
Middelton, a master's degree student, co-authored her poster with Dr. Nicola Hillgruber
and Auke Bay Laboratory's Dr. Ed Farley, was titled Distribution, Diet, and Energy Density of Walleye Pollock in the Bering and Chukchi
Seas.
Student travel to the conference was made possible with financial support from the
Alaska Chapter of AFS. The funds enabled 50 students from UAF, UAA, and Sheldon Jackson
College to attend.
23 November 2004
CFOS— WASHINGTON (AP,CNN) -- Marine scientists announced today they've discovered
178 new species in the world's oceans, including red-striped goby fish in Guam and
coral-like rhodoliths in Alaska. The new plants, fish, and other animals discovered
raise the number of life-forms found in the world's oceans to about 230,000. MSNBC: Scientists finding two new fish species a week
November 19, 2004
Raising oysters, clams, a way to diversify coastal economyAnchorage, Alaska—All the information you've ever needed to start a shellfish farm, but were afraid
to come out of your shell and ask.
The Alaska Shellfish Aquaculture Conference will take place December 3-4, 2004, at
the Anchorage Hilton Hotel.
Organizers said the conference is aimed at helping people start shellfish farms.
"It's going to be a real nuts and bolts conference about starting and operating a
shellfish farm right here in Alaska," said Ray Ralonde, aquaculture specialist with
the University of Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program in Anchorage. "It's geared toward giving people fundamental information about business
planning, marketing, and financing needed to start their own shellfish farm."
The conference is sponsored by the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development, as well by the Departments of Fish and Game and Natural Resources. The Alaska Shellfish Growers Association and the University of Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program are also sponsors.
Alaska's 61 shellfish farms are based primarily in Southeast and Southcentral Alaska.
In 2003, they collectively produced more than one million oysters, as well as 61,000
pounds of clams and 1,700 pounds of mussels worth a total of $625,000. While impressive,
RaLonde said Alaska's production doesn't even begin to meet the in-state needs of
restaurants and grocery stores.
"Every oyster, clam, and mussel grown in the state is sold even before it is harvested,"
said RaLonde. "Existing farms cannot meet the growing demand unless there's a substantial
increase in production."
State officials see shellfish aquaculture as a way to diversify the state's coastal
communities, some of which have been hit hard by low salmon prices and the loss of
logging and other jobs.
"Shellfish farming is a potential growth sector of the state's seafood industry,"
said Glenn Haight, fisheries development specialist with the state Department of Commerce.
"There's a long road ahead for shellfish aquaculture to match, for example, the more
than $200 million value of the state's commercial wild salmon fisheries. We see this
conference as a way to kick-start interest in aquaculture."
Among the many policy issues state regulators face is how to manage the growth of
the industry. Should incentives and regulations favor small "mom-and-pop" operations,
or should large commercial ventures be encouraged? Haight hopes conference participants
will offer some guidance.
"What we hear from people regarding their vision for the industry, and how it will
mesh with small coastal Alaska communities, will help us set policy," said Haight.
The conference also will feature opportunities for business in the raising of aquatic
plants and other alternative crops. Experts at the conference will even discuss ways
to use aquaculture to rebuild wild species such as red king crab.
Contact: Ray RaLonde, Aquaculture Specialist, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, University
of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, 907-274-9691 ext. 3.,
or Glenn Haight, Fisheries Development Specialist, Alaska Department of Commerce,
Community and Economic Development, 907-465-5464.
The Alaska Sea Grant College Program is a marine research, education and outreach
service headquartered at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries
and Ocean Sciences. Sea Grant is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
in partnership with the State of Alaska and private industry.
Ray RaLonde, Aquaculture Specialist, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, University
of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, 907-274-9691 ext. 3.
Glenn Haight, Fisheries Development Specialist, Alaska Department of Commerce, Community
and Economic Development, 907-465-5464.
November 19, 2004
Proceedings available from Alaska Sea GrantFairbanks, Alaska—Research on sea otters in Southwest Alaska, and the steps needed to address their
decline, are detailed in the just-released proceedings of the Alaska Sea Otter Research Workshop.
The workshop was held in April 2004, and brought together scientists, agency officials
and marine groups. The workshop was sponsored by the Alaska SeaLife Center, the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, and NOAA.
The Southwest Alaska sea otter population showed signs of decline beginning in the
early 1990s. University, state, and federal scientists have been trying to understand
the causes of the decline.
Participants in the workshop detailed the current state of scientific knowledge and
together developed recommendations aimed at better understanding the decline.
The proceedings, edited by D. Maldini, D. Calkins, S. Atkinson, and R. Meehan, also
summarizes sea otter research programs, the status of sea otter populations, and research
methods.
The 104-page proceedings is available from Alaska Sea Grant for $10.00. Contact Sherri Pristash at 907-474-6707 for more information.
November 19, 2004
Sugai to take key post at Center for Global ChangeFairbanks, Alaska— Dr. Susan Sugai has accepted the position of associate director of the university's
Center for Global Change and Arctic System Research and the closely associated Cooperative Institute for Arctic Research (CIFAR). She begins her new job in December.
Sugai is currently an CFOS research scientist and associate director of the Alaska
Sea Grant College Program, where she oversees Sea Grant-funded research and education
projects and participates in the program's strategic planning.
She also is a member of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, created by Congress to recommend national policies regarding Arctic research.
Susan Sugai came to Alaska in 1978 as a graduate student and received her Ph.D. in
oceanography from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 1985.
Sugai started her Alaska Sea Grant career as science director with the Alaska Regional Marine Research Program in 1993,
and served as Alaska Sea Grant interim director in 2002.
As a research scientist, Sugai examined the biogeochemical cycling of natural and
anthropogenic compounds in marine, aquatic, and terrestrial ecosystems in Alaska.
In 1991, she researched, wrote, sought public comment for, and revised the Alaska
Regional Marine Research Plan 1992-1996 for the Alaska Regional Marine Research Board,
an 11-member state and federally appointed board.
The Center for Global Change and Arctic System Research provides a campus-wide framework
for interdisciplinary research and educational activities addressing the role of the
Arctic in global change. CIFAR is one of 13 NOAA-university institutes that foster
research cooperation between the University of Alaska, other institutes, and NOAA,
in the Arctic region.
Sugai will continue her instrumental role in organizing the Alaska Region, National
Ocean Sciences Bowl, an annual statewide high school marine science competition sponsored
in part by CFOS. She also will continue to monitor currently funded Alaska Sea Grant
research and traineeship projects until their completion in 2006.
November 18, 2004
Journal: Auklet odor repels ectoparasitesFairbanks, Alaska—Ph.D. student Hector D. Douglas III is the lead author of a scientific article published
in a recent issue of the Journal of Chemical Ecology. The article clarifies the aldehyde chemical composition of volatile citrus-like
odorants present in crested and whiskered auklets, two planktivorous seabird species
abundant in the Bering Sea and North Pacific Ocean.
The article shows that whiskered and crested auklets produce slightly different citrus-like
odors. Crested auklets emit even-numbered aldehydes while whiskered auklets emit odd-numbered
aldehydes. The article also cites evidence that the crested auklet odorant functions
as a chemical defense against ectoparasites.
The research was supported with grants from the Eppley Foundation for Research, Inc.,
and the Angus Gavin Memorial Bird Research Fund, University of Alaska Foundation.
Logistical support was also provided in part by a grant from the Center for Global
Change and Arctic System Research sponsored by the Alaska Sea Grant College Program.
Interspecific differences in Aethia Spp. Auklet Odorants and Evidence for Chemical
Defense Against Ectoparasites
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Vol. 30, No. 10, October 2004
Hector D. Douglas III, Jason E. Co, Tappey H. Jones, and William E. Conner
For more information contact Hector Douglas at hddouglas@yahoo.com
November 18, 2004
Johnson named MAP Recreation and Tourism SpecialistHomer, Alaska—Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program agent Terry Johnson was recently named Marine Recreation and Tourism Specialist, and has hit the ground running with a host of activities to benefit the
state's marine charter boat industry.
The November/December issue of Great Lakes Boating, a regional journal for recreational boaters, contains Johnson's article Tips for Maintaining Outboards. The article is an adaptation Johnson did of one of his articles in his Boatkeeper series.
Johnson organized a series of seminars called the Charterboat Conference for the at
Pacific Marine Expo, a trade show devoted to the working boat industry held November
11-13 in Seattle, Washington. The conference's four sessions drew more than 150 attendees.
It was the first time that a seminar program has been offered for the sport fishing,
wildlife, cruising, and small tour boat industries on the West Coast.
Johnson, who is based in Homer, Alaska, will continue to work half-time on fisheries
business assistance, commercial fisheries and other issues.
November 18, 2004
Logo design sought for Aleutian conferenceUnalaska, Alaska—The Aleutian Life Forum, a new research conference and community festival to be held
in Unalaska, Alaska, in August 2005, is seeking a logo to be used in its advertising
and promotional campaign. The event will celebrate and encourage understanding of
the diversity of life in the Aleutian Islands.
Entries must contain the words: "Aleutian Life Forum" and the words: air, land, sea.
Entries are limited to a maximum of four colors.
Entries must be two dimensional, 8.5" x 11"
Original artwork must be submitted.
Winner will be notified by December 20, 2004.
All entries become the property of the Aleutian Life Forum (ALF).
Entries must be received by December 15, 2004
Prize for best logo is $500.00
ALF reserves the right to modify the logo as needed.
Mail original artwork to:
Aleutian Life Forum: Air - Land - Sea
Unalaska/Port of Dutch Harbor
Convention and Visitors Bureau
PO Box #545
Unalaska, AK 99685
For more information, please contact:
Unalaska Convention and Visitors Bureau
phone: (907)581-2612
e-mail: unlaskacvb@arctic.net
October 12, 2004
Otolith chemistry to be used to reconstruct past flatfish habitat useFairbanks, Alaska—Dr. Nate Bickford recently received a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship
in Polar Regions Research. The coveted fellowship is offered by NSF's Office of Polar
Programs to highly qualified individuals in U.S. host organizations to support training
and research on any aspect of scientific study of the Antarctic and/or the Arctic.
Bickford's interdisciplinary investigation, in collaboration with Dr. Brenda Norcross,
will assess the life histories of flatfish species in the eastern Bering Sea. These
outer-shelf winter spawners have distinct spawning strategies and thus unique habitat
needs and life histories. The proposed research will explore the utility of otolith
(fish ear stone) chemistry in the reconstruction of past habitat use, the identification
of essential habitat, and the connectivity between flatfish populations within the
eastern Bering Sea. The identification of essential spawning habitat and the ability
to assess recruitment within major commercial flatfish populations will have profound
consequences for these arctic fisheries. The results will assist in the prioritization
of restoration of essential habitats as well as in the continued management and sustainability
of flatfish fisheries.
October 12, 2004
Fairbanks, Alaska—The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) is seeking candidates for a new senior faculty
position in Marine Policy.
The position is endowed by the Pollock Conservation Cooperative, and is named in honor
of Alaska Senator Ted Stevens.
The primary responsibility of the incumbent will be to provide leadership and develop
a program of national prominence in marine policy, complementary to the mission of
the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. This will include generating support
for a cadre of research faculty, post-doctoral associates and graduate students. The
incumbent will have the opportunity to develop and teach a graduate course in the
topic of his/her choice and consider developing a small but eclectic graduate curriculum
of study in Oceans Policy. A critical role will be to provide advice to government
and private entities on matters of ocean policy.
Alaska's marine systems include more than half the nation's coastline and continental
shelf, produce more than half the nation's harvest of wild fish, provide subsistence
resources for coastal communities, support major populations of marine mammals and
seabirds, and attract tens of thousands of visitors to the state. The professional
opportunities in the state are enormous.
Minimal qualifications include an earned doctorate in ocean, environmental or fisheries
policy or a related field, and extensive experience with marine/fishery policy and
planning. The successful candidate will have demonstrated leadership, administrative
and communications skills, and an ability to integrate well with others.
To apply, send a completed University of Alaska Fairbanks Applicant Form, Curriculum
Vita and the name and addresses of at least three references who are familiar with
your professional history to:
UAF Human Resources
Attn: Dr. Vera Alexander
3295 College Road, Room 108
P.O. Box 757860
Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-7860
Phone: 907-474-7700
Fax: 907-474-5859
October 12, 2004
Ocean Exploration: Deep Sea Precious Corals as Habitat for MicroinvertebratesOahu, Hawaii—Researchers including Dr. Tom Shirley from the Fisheries Division are this month studying
coral-associated invertebrate fauna at three large precious coral beds in the Hawaiian
Archipelago; the Makapu'u Bed, on the southeast slope of Oahu; the Keahole Bed, on
the western slope of Hawaii; and the Cross Seamount Bed.
The research cruise is sponsored by NOAA Ocean Exploration and runs from October 2-18, 2004
The most abundant coral species in these three beds are the pink coral, Corallium secundum, the red coral Corallium regale, and the gold coral Gerardia sp. These species are concentrated at depths of 300-500 meters.
Scientists will collect and identify coral-associated invertebrates to use for species
identification and to determine community structure. They also will compare the lists
of invertebrate species associated with each coral species to determine if certain
invertebrates prefer to live on certain species of corals.
To learn more about the research cruise, visit the study's web site.
October 11, 2004
Many seek training to stay competitiveAnchorage, Alaska—Despite low prices and lost markets for some of the state's salmon catch, most Alaska
commercial salmon fishermen remain positive about their industry's future, according
to an informal university survey of more than 2,000 fishermen across the state.
The survey was conducted by the Marine Advisory Program (MAP), the outreach program of the Alaska Sea Grant College Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
"About 52 percent of the fishermen we surveyed said they had no plans to leave the
industry, and in fact they were looking for ways to stay competitive," said Paula
Cullenberg, MAP leader. "They expressed a desire for more training in things like
vessel maintenance, marketing, and value-added processing. This tells me they are
thinking of ways to stay in the industry, not ways to get out of it."
Another 21 percent of salmon fishermen said they would continue fishing for up to
five years, while 20 percent indicated they would stay in commercial fishing for up
to ten years. The number of fishermen saying they would keep fishing for the rest
of their lives was highest in Bristol Bay and the Yukon at 62 percent, and lowest
on the Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak Island at 45 percent.
The survey was conducted over several months this past winter with thousands of salmon
fishermen who attended 257 technical workshops across the state. The workshops were
aimed at helping fishermen develop ways to stay competitive in their fishing businesses
and were a required step toward qualifying for federally funded financial aid, training,
and education benefits under the United State's Department of Agriculture's Trade
Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program.
More than 4,300 fishermen attended the workshops and 2,343 fishermen completed the
survey, which was meant primarily to help MAP assess the quality of its workshops
and to guide the program as it develops new ways to help Alaska fishermen and the
state's coastal communities. Yet the survey results offer a glimpse into an industry
that has had to cope with dramatic losses in markets and record low prices for some
salmon species in recent years. Among the highlights:
Salmon fishermen said they were looking for ways to remain competitive. Fifty-five
percent said direct seafood marketing was the number one topic they wanted to learn
more about. This was followed by increasing vessel efficiency (43 percent), seafood
quality and processing training (40 percent), and regional salmon marketing (39 percent)
Across the state, commercial fishing plays an important part in fishermen's annual
income. On average, the state's commercial fishermen look to fishing for 69 percent
of their annual income. Reliance on commercial fishing was highest in Kodiak, Southeast,
and Prince William Sound, where it accounted for about 80 percent of their income.
Dependence on fishing was lowest along the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers at 38 percent
and 31 percent respectively. These low numbers are likely the result of limited fishing
opportunities due to poor salmon returns and weak herring markets in recent years.
Alaska's salmon fishermen take other jobs. Statewide, about 42 percent of salmon fishermen
said they work other jobs when not fishing. That figure rises to 54 percent among
Kenai fishermen, and drops to 34 percent for fishermen from Kodiak, the Aleutians,
and the Kuskokwim Delta.
When not fishing for salmon, nearly a quarter of respondents could be found fishing
for halibut, followed by herring (17 percent), crab (11 percent), cod (10 percent),
and sablefish (8 percent).
Alaska commercial salmon fishermen are aging, and few new fishermen are waiting in
the wings to fill their ranks. Fully 67 percent of the state's commercial salmon fishermen
who completed the survey were between 30 and 60 years of age. Just 14 percent were
between the ages of 20 to 30, and only 8 percent were under age 20.
With age comes experience. Across the state, commercial salmon fishermen have been
plying their trade for an average of 26 years. Anchorage fishermen were the most experienced,
with an average 34 years under their belt, while fishermen along the Kuskokwim and
Yukon Rivers had the least, with an average of about 21 years in the industry.
Nearly half of all respondents employed family members in their fishing business.
The number was highest along the Yukon, where 66 percent of fishermen hired family
members. The number was lowest, 40 percent, in Kodiak and the Aleutians.
Computer usage among respondents was relatively high, with 42 percent of fishermen
using a computer for such things as marine navigation and business management. Use
of computers was highest among fishermen in Southeast (57 percent), Kenai Peninsula
(55 percent), Kodiak/Aleutian Islands (53 percent) Prince William Sound (48 percent),
and Anchorage (45 percent). Fishermen in Bristol Bay (15 percent), and along the Yukon
River (5 percent) and Kuskokwim River (4 percent) used computers the least.
The survey also asked fishermen how they obtain information important to operating
their business. Overall, about 49 percent said they use the internet. But in parts
of Alaska, such as Kodiak, Anchorage, Southeast Alaska and the Kenai Peninsula, internet
usage approached 60 percent. Fishermen in northwest Alaska, Bristol Bay, and western
Alaska used the internet least.
"I think this reflects their access to the internet, which is not as great and is
more expensive in rural areas of the state," said Torie Baker, MAP agent based in
Cordova who coordinated the TAA workshops. "In these areas, fishermen rely on the
radio, television and newspapers for news and information. And in remote Alaska, direct
mail is a good way to get information quickly to fishermen."
Baker said that distance delivery technology is also seen as important to rural Alaska
communities. She also said the presence of MAP agents in many coastal communities
ranked high among survey respondents.
The USDA announced recently that TAA benefits will again be available to Alaska salmon
harvesters and crew. A 90-day sign-up period begins in mid-October and will be run
by the Alaska Farm Service Agency. Beginning in January 2005, the Marine Advisory
Program will conduct another round of statewide technical workshops for new applicants.
Fishermen who have already taken a TAA workshop will not be required to repeat the
training.
NOTE: Although the number of respondents was quite large, none of the data should be considered
a reflection of the entire salmon harvesting sector. Summary data are representative
of fishermen applying for a specific assistance program, and therefore exclusive of
other salmon harvesters. Nonetheless, respondents are currently participating in the
fisheries and represent a broad geographic distribution. Despite the sampling constraints,
the data provide a qualified glimpse into current attitudes, skills, and needs of
the salmon harvesting sector.
2004 TAA Workshop Questionnaire Results
Contact:
Paula Cullenberg, Leader, Coastal Development Specialist
Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program
University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
907-274-9691 ext. 112,
anpjc@uaa.alaska.edu
- 2004 TAA Workshop Questionnaire Results
October 10, 2004
Recent discovery spurs dozens of inquiriesFairbanks, Alaska—UPDATE October 11, 2004
Since news of the discovery of rhodoliths in Alaska waters, marine scientists Drs.
Katrin Iken and Brenda Konar have received dozens of inquiries from people around
the state who think they have seen them as well.
To date, however, none of the sightings have been confirmed to be rhodoliths. Rather,
most of them are of bryozoans, another marine species that at first glance looks a
lot like rhodoliths.
To help those intrepid Alaskans who continue to look for rhodoliths, here are a few
pointers.
Rhodoliths are pink in color when alive, and very smooth to the touch. They will have
a few scattered tiny holes (reproductive conceptacles) but these holes are not uniform
or abundant.
Bryozoans, on the other hand, come in lots of colors including pink. They have lots
of tiny holes along their surface, and their surface is slightly rough. Bryozoans
are colonial, and hole harbors one individual in the colony.
Other important differences: While Rhodoliths are algae (plants), bryozoans are invertebrate
animals. Bryozoans generally attach themselves to a substrate such as a rock or shell.
Rhodoliths do not attach themselves, but rather they remain mobile. When bryozoans
break off the substrate, they can be easily confused with rhodoliths.
Iken and Konar hope people will remain on the lookout for rhodoliths. Please contact
Konar and Iken if you think you've found some rhodoliths. And whenever possible, please
take a photo or collect a specimen.
September 29, 2004
Unalaska, Alaska—Marine Advisory Program (MAP) Agent Reid Brewer has organized 14 marine science lectures thus far in an ongoing
series he's created called Forum of Alaska Marine Issues. The marine issues series
is co-sponsored by MAP and the Museum of the Aleutians.
The series features guest scientists from across Alaska and the country on subjects
such as giant squid, octopus ecology, rockfish, New Zealand's dusky dolphins, satellite
tagging studies of Pacific halibut, population dynamics of Aleutian Island seabirds
and fur seals, undersea earthquakes, paralytic shellfish poison, and whale research.
Scientists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, as well as from other institutions
including Texas A&M, the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Indiana State University,
the National Marine Mammal Laboratory, the University of Hawaii, and the Alaska Steller
Sea Lion Commission, have presented their research at the forum.
The marine issues series has proven a big hit among the residents of Unalaska, with
standing room only crowds in attendance.
September 27, 2004
Fairbanks—A video highlighting Tununak, Alaska, high school students preparing to compete in
the Alaska Region National Ocean Sciences Bowl will be broadcast statewide this fall on the Alaska Weather program, carried by the
AlaskaOne television network.
The video will air in two parts on September 1 and 2, and again on October 3 and 4.
In January 2004, Alaska Sea Grant Associate Director Susan Sugai and Deborah Mercy,
instructional media specialist with the Marine Advisory Program, traveled to Tununak, Alaska, on Nelson Island in the Lower Kuskokwim River Delta,
to shoot footage for the video.
Scenes from the statewide competition held each February in Seward are also included.
Sugai, who touts the event as an excellent way to educate Alaska youth about North
Pacific marine resource issues, hopes the video will encourage more teams from rural
Alaska to participate.
The 12-minute video has been sent to all 2004 teams and to teachers interested in
coaching 2005 teams.
A generous grant from the North Pacific Research Board supported team travel to the competition and production of the video.
September 24, 2004
Loren Buck risked his own life to save anotherKodiak, Alaska—Loren Buck, assistant professor at FITC , saved a man's life recently. Driving home
from Anton Larsen Bay, Buck heard a call for help in a remote area adjacent to Pyramid
Mountain. He stopped his car and eventually spotted the person in a steep ravine several
hundred yards from the road.
Buck flagged down another motorist and prevailed upon him to go for assistance from
the nearby U.S. Coast Guard base. The victim had fallen quite a distance and was lying
in the stream and likely becoming hypothermic. Reaching the individual seemed virtually
unreachable because of the steep terrain. Buck thought he could not get to the man,
but realized that unless he did assist him, the man might die.
Hanging off alder trees, Buck struggled to climb down a steep rock face to a position
above the man. Bruised and scuffed, Buck managed to reach a ledge about four feet
above the victim. With considerable effort and care to prevent further injury, Buck
was able to get the man out of the water and onto the ledge by the side of the stream.
But the ledge was not big enough for both of them. The man was shivering and lapsing
into unconsciousness. Buck called to the people now gathered at the side of the road
and told them to get a helicopter for evacuation.
Within an hour, the injured man was airlifted to the hospital where his core temperature
was measured at 88 F. The rescue personnel thought the victim had a broken hip. But
it was later determined that he had a broken left arm and a badly bruised left leg
and hip.
Scott Smiley, director of FITC, credits Buck with saving the injured man's life.
"I believe Loren acted heroically," said Smiley. "He seriously risked his own safety
to help a stranger. I am not sure many other people would have had the combination
of skill, and strength and perseverance to do the same. He saved this man's life.
I hope the university can recognize Loren's humanity and his extraordinary efforts
in this rescue."
When not saving people's lives, Buck can often be found on the sides of cliffs conducting
seabird research as part of the Gulf Apex Predator-prey (GAP) study. Buck and his
research was recently featured in the Anchorage Daily News.
September 24, 2004
Rhodolith beds likely to fuel protection debatePrince William Sound—While researchers in Alaska this summer used high-tech submersibles and huge ships
to plumb the deep-ocean depths in search of new species, a team of scuba diving scientists
working from an Alaska fishing boat has discovered an entirely new marine habitat
just a stone's throw from shore.
The discovery in June of a single bed of rhodoliths, colorful marine algae that resemble
coral, was made near Knight Island in Prince William Sound by scientists at the University
of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS). Rhodolith
beds have been found throughout the world's oceans, including in the Arctic near Greenland
and in waters off British Columbia, Canada. But they have never been documented in
Alaska waters.
"This is exciting because it represents a new type of habitat scientists had not identified
before in Alaska," said Brenda Konar, associate professor of marine biology at CFOS
and staff scientist with the West Coast and Polar Regions Undersea Research Center
at UAF.
Rhodoliths belong to a group known as coralline red algae that deposit calcium carbonate
within their cell walls to form hard structures that closely resemble beds of vibrant
coral. But unlike coral, rhodoliths do not attach themselves to the rocky seabed.
Rather, they drift like tiny tumbleweeds along the seafloor until they grow heavy
enough to settle and form brightly colored beds. And while corals are animals that
filter plankton and other organisms from the water for food, rhodoliths produce energy
through photosynthesis.
Globally, rhodoliths fill an important niche in the marine ecosystem, serving as a
transition habitat between rocky areas and barren, sandy areas. Rhodoliths provide
habitat for a wide variety of species, from commercial species such as clams and scallops
to true corals. The discovery of rhodoliths in Alaska is likely to fuel the debate
over the protection of seafloor habitats.
"Now that we found them, we want to find more of these beds and learn precisely what
their role in the Alaska marine ecosystem is," said Konar.
Mike Foster, professor emeritus at Moss Landing Marine Laboratory in California, has
studied the global distribution of rhodoliths, and is the author of numerous scientific
papers on the subject. He says the discovery of rhodolith beds in Alaska marks an
important milestone in scientists' understanding of coralline algae.
"If these beds are anything like those elsewhere in the world, they are likely critical
habitat for associated species, and there are probably more new species in them than
just the rhodoliths," said Foster. "Such discoveries also send an important message
about how little we know about the sea."
The discovery came after Konar and Katrin Iken, assistant professor of marine biology
with the university's Institute of Marine Science, accidentally dropped a small strainer,
or sieve, overboard. The scientists had been conducting nearshore surveys of marine
life as part of an international study sponsored by the Census of Marine Life NaGISA
program and funded by the Gulf Ecosystem Monitoring program.
"A sieve is worth about $75, so we wanted to get it back," said Konar. "We descended
into about 60 feet of water and found the sieve right away. But then I noticed these
little pink tumbleweeds everywhere. I thought I was looking at a rhodolith bed, but
rhodolith beds had never been described in Alaska. We were shocked to see how many
there were down there."
Konar said she knew right away the find was significant. She'd seen rhodoliths in
places like Baja California, Mexico. But in her more than 15 years of diving Alaska
waters, she had never come across them.
"The biggest ones may have been about the size of a ping-pong ball, but many were
smaller. They have lots of branches that come out of a centerpiece. They look like
toy jacks, except they are pink. It was a very large bed, at least 60 meters (197
feet) long. It was very exciting."
Konar and Iken collected several rhodolith specimens and sent them to Rafael Riosmena-Rodriguez,
an internationally recognized marine taxonomist who specializes in identifying rhodoliths.
During the past several months, Riosmena-Rodriguez conducted a number of tests aimed
at identifying the rhodoliths at his laboratory at the Marine Botany Program at Autonomous
University of Baja California Sur in La Paz, Mexico. Some of the tests involved slicing
the specimens into thin sections and comparing their structure and reproductive parts
to a global database of known rhodolith species.
"I believe we have at least two rhodolith species in the samples I received," said
Riosmena-Rodriguez. "One species is Phymatolithon calcareum. This species is widely distributed in the North Atlantic Ocean."
While scientists agree that ocean currents are key to distributing rhodoliths around
the world, debate centers on where P. calcareum originated. Riosmena-Rodriguez says the species may have actually originated in Alaska
waters. More research on the species' evolutionary history is needed to be sure.
The other rhodolith specimen collected by Konar and Iken is potentially a species
new to science.
"It does not seem to match anything we have seen," said Riosmena-Rodriguez.
Riosmena-Rodriguez said the as-yet unidentified species is similar to a type of rhodolith
found in eastern Canada, called Lithothamnion glaciale. But in important ways the Alaska rhodolith is different.
"It has very large conceptacles, the reproductive structures," explained Riosmena-Rodriguez.
"And the thallus is very thin. This is something unique that you don't find in very
many species."
Riosmena-Rodriguez said additional samples and further testing are needed to confirm
whether the second species is indeed new.
Scientists believe rhodoliths have been present in the world's oceans since at least
the Eocene epoch, some 55 million years ago. Because rhodoliths probably grow very
slowly in Alaska's cold waters, Riosmena-Rodriguez said they probably have been in
Alaska a very long time, perhaps long enough to have evolved into an entirely new
species.
While they search for funding to look for and identify additional rhodolith beds,
Konar, Iken, and Riosmena-Rodriguez will submit a scientific paper on their discovery
to a marine journal. And if one of their rhodoliths turns out to be a new species,
they'll have the honor of naming it.
UPDATE October 11, 2004
Since news of the discovery of rhodoliths in Alaska waters, marine scientists Drs.
Katrin Iken and Brenda Konar have received dozens of inquiries from people around
the state who think they have seen them as well.
To date, however, none of the sightings have been confirmed to be rhodoliths. Rather,
most of them are of bryozoans, another marine species that at first glance looks a
lot like rhodoliths.
To help those intrepid Alaskans who continue to look for rhodoliths, here are a few
pointers.
Rhodoliths are pink in color when alive, and very smooth to the touch. They will have
a few scattered tiny holes (reproductive conceptacles) but these holes are not uniform
or abundant.
Bryozoans, on the other hand, come in lots of colors including pink. They have lots
of tiny holes along their surface, and their surface is slightly rough. Bryozoans
are colonial, and hole harbors one individual in the colony.
Other important differences: While Rhodoliths are algae (plants), bryozoans are invertebrate
animals. Bryozoans generally attach themselves to a substrate such as a rock or shell.
Rhodoliths do not attach themselves, but rather they remain mobile. When bryozoans
break off the substrate, they can be easily confused with rhodoliths.
We hope people will remain on the lookout for rhodoliths. Please contact Konar and
Iken if you think you've found some rhodoliths. And whenever possible, please take
a photo or collect a specimen.
September 23, 2004
My job allows me to challenge all my abilities and interests.Anchorage, Alaska—In 1976, Deborah Mercy came to Anchorage during a two week spring break from art studies
at the University of Washington, her imagination stoked by family tales of Alaska.
When she finally saw a bit of it she was hooked.
She returned later that summer to Southeast Alaska as a greenhorn on a salmon purse
seiner. Within two weeks she was one of only two women in Southeast holding the coveted
job of skiff operator, even though she had never before operated a boat. She grew
into the job, adapted to the environment, and loved working outdoors.
Deborah was successful at fishing, but held to her goal of becoming an artist. She
finished a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting and drawing. She then chose to
learn a more marketable skill to pay the rent, and studied commercial photography.
By the winter of 1979, she was back in Anchorage searching for a job to generate enough
cash to finish school. She never left.
The job market in Anchorage was good, and within weeks she found short-term jobs and
freelance photography assignments. Eventually, she was hired by the local NBC television
network affiliate. Six months later she was a television journalist. Thanks to talented
and creative co-workers, she learned the trade and was able to effectively tell a
story in only a minute with moving pictures and words. Later, after moving to a different
local station as the producer of a statewide magazine program, she appreciated the
longer time format. She did that for three years, but missed the outdoor life and
took a job on a gillnet boat in Bristol Bay.
Deborah returned to Anchorage at the end of the fishing season and produced videos
for the Bering Sea Fishermen's Association and other clients before accepting her
current position with the Marine Advisory Program. She continues to produce video
programs, shoot still photography, draw illustrations, and produce printed publications.
When asked to describe her job, Deborah responded as follows:
"I find myself in the enviable position of working in a job that allows me to challenge
all my abilities and interests. Video production remains my primary work. The combined
elements of storytelling with moving pictures and sound, maintaining a close connection
to the ocean and the fishing industry, and mastering the new art of motion graphics
encompass activities that I continue to enjoy. The Marine Advisory Program allows
me the flexibility to work with a wide variety of people and groups involved in marine
activities, including the Observer Training Center. Together we attempt to create
compelling stories for education, whether through informal training, the classroom,
or for broadcast. Video is a powerful media. My goal is to relay good information
in an interesting manner to the people of our state."
Reprinted with permission from OTC Quarterly, Observer Training Center, Summer 2004, vol. 9, issue 2.
September 23, 2004
Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium Sept. 30-Oct. 3Anchorage, Alaska—More than 100 scientists who study the world's sea lions, including dozens who study
the decline of Alaska's Steller sea lions, will gather in Anchorage, Alaska, from
September 30 to October 3, 2004, for the 22nd Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium.
Sea Lions of the World: Conservation and Research in the 21st Century, is the theme of the international science conference, coordinated by the Alaska Sea Grant College Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, and a host of Alaska state and federal agencies.
Researchers from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, England, Germany, Japan,
Mexico, New Zealand, Puru, Russia, Uruguay, and the United States will deliver presentations
on topics including life history, physiological ecology, foraging ecology, population
ecology, population dynamics, and conservation and management.
The Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium has been held annually since 1982. The series
is named in honor of Lowell Wakefield, a long-time Alaska fisherman, who is credited
with modernizing Alaska's red king crab fishing industry.
Changes in the abundance of sea lions is a growing concern to fisheries and conservation
groups, either because fisheries are feared to threaten sea lions, or because sea
lions are feared to threaten fisheries. The issues are common to all five of the world's
sea lion species.
This symposium will bring the world community of sea lion researchers together to
share their experiences and knowledge. Interspecies comparisons can shed light on
why some populations might decline while others increase. Insights can also be gained
on whether trends in the abundance of sea lions are related to fishing activities
through food dependencies or more directly through control or conservation measures.
A better understanding of the biology of sea lions is urgently needed. This symposium
will significantly contribute to understanding why sea lion populations fluctuate,
including populations of Alaska's Steller sea lions.
For program, registration, and agenda information, please visit the conference web
site, or contact: Sherri Pristash, conferences coordinator, Alaska Sea Grant College
Program, UAF/CFOS, 907-474-6707,
22nd Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium
September 30-October 3, 2004
Anchorage, Alaska USA
September 22, 2004
FITC's Chuck Crapo asked to serveKodiak, Alaska—Chuck Crapo, seafood quality specialist with the CFOS Marine Advisory Program at the Fishery Industrial Technology Center in Kodiak, has been appointed to the
state's Board of Fisheries Salmon Industry Restructuring Panel.
The panel will assist the Board of Fisheries as it develops an action plan to help
the salmon industry restructure itself amid falling salmon prices and eroding markets
for some species.
The panel will examine options, identify research, analysis, and information needs,
and review models on a range of alternatives.
20 September 2004
KSMSC— A team of scientists and graduate students led by FITC assistant professor
Loren Buck are studying seabirds as a way to understand the marine ecosystem around
Kodiak Island.
September 17, 2004
Temperature sensors installed to give early warningPrince William Sound—Marine Advisory Program (MAP) aquaculture specialist Ray RaLonde and Cordova MAP agent Torie Baker recently
toured oyster farms in Prince William Sound with Alan Austerman, fisheries advisor
to Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski.
The tour occurred on the heels of an outbreak of the marine bacteria, Vibrio parahaemolyticus,
in Prince William Sound. In late July, Alaska health inspectors traced several cases
of the non-lethal illness in people to raw Alaska oysters they had eaten that were
contaminated with the bacterium. Following the outbreak, the state temporarily banned
the sale of oysters from the sound.
RaLonde, who has spent his career helping Alaska build its shellfish mariculture industry,
arrived in the sound with ocean temperature sensors to install at shellfish aquaculture
farms to provide an early warning system for shellfish growers.
"This particular bacteria becomes a potential problem when ocean temperatures rise,"
said RaLonde. "These sensors will tell us when there's a spike in water temperature
at the farm itself. They can give us an early signal that we should be concerned."
RaLonde said the vibrio bacterium is likely ever present in the seabed. Alaska has
not had to deal with it before because the state's waters are generally quite cold.
But ocean temperatures in the Sound lately have been very warm, at times reaching
63 degrees in places. This has created the conditions the bacterium needs to multiply
rapidly and pose a problem for oyster growers.
"One of the things I want to do while I'm out here is to educate growers about vibrio,"
said RaLonde. "There are strategies for dealing with the bacteria."
In many parts of coastal Alaska, shellfish mariculture remains a small, but growing
industry. In 2003, there were 56 shellfish farms occupying 220 acres of state tidelands
in Kachemak Bay, southeast Alaska and Prince William Sound. These farms produced primarily
oysters but also clams and mussels worth $520,000. Numbers for 2004 are not available
but are expected to be higher because of new farms being established in Southeast
Alaska.
September 17, 2004
Quinn offers insight on Magnuson Fishery ActWashington, D.C.—Dr. Terry Quinn, professor of fisheries at the CFOS Fisheries Division testified September
14, 2004, before a U.S. Senate subcommittee on reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) presided and explicitly mentioned CFOS in her opening
remarks.
Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) rearranged his schedule to be there , also mentioned CFOS,
and seemed especially pleased that two Alaskans (Stephanie Madsen, chair of the North
Pacific Council, and Professor Quinn) attended the hearing.
September 16, 2004
Fairbanks, Alaska—Please welcome the following new graduate students:
James Alanko, Ph.D. Oceanography
Elizabeth Baney, M.S., Fisheries
John Brewer, M.S., Marine Biology
Nathaniel Buck, Ph.D., Oceanography
Julie Burrows, M.S., Marine Biology
Jeremy Carlson, M.S., Fisheries
Brian Cohn, Brian, M.S., Oceanography
Benjamin Daly M.S., Marine Biology
Michael Garvin, M.S., Fisheries
Dave Gregovich, M.S., Fisheries
Shannon Hanna, M.S., Marine Biology
Caroline Jezierski, M.S., Marine Biology
Matthew Jones, M.S., Fisheries
Morgan Kilgour, M.S., Marine Biology
Beate Litz, M.S., Marine Biology
Joel Markis, M.S., Marine Biology
Cassie Mellon, M.S., Fisheries
Judith Nash, M.S., Oceanography
Danielle Parker, M.S., Marine Biology
Joshua Robins, M.S., Fisheries
Sean Rooney, M.S., Fisheries
Haixue Shen, Ph.D., Fisheries
Kathy Smikrud, M.S., Fisheries
Ashwin Sreenivansan, Ph.D., Fisheries
Vicki Stegall, Ph.D., Marine Biology
Theresa Tanner, M.S., Fisheries
Cindy Tribuzio, Ph.D., Fisheries
Dann Tyler, M.S., Fisheries
September 14, 2004
Congratulations to Wheat and KonarFairbanks, Alaska—CFOS faculty Dr. Geoffery Wheat and Dr. Brenda Konar were among more than a dozen
UAF faculty to receive promotions and tenure in 2004.
Dr. Wheat, a researcher and regional coordinator with the CFOS West Coast and Polar
Regions Undersea Research Center, was promoted to the rank of Research Professor.
Dr. Konar, an assistant professor at CFOS and staff scientist with the West Coast
and Polar Regions Undersea Research Center, received tenure and was promoted to the
rank of Associate Professor.
Konar and Wheat were among the UAF faculty spotlighted in a recent UAF full-page advertisement
that appeared in Alaska newspapers.
September 13, 2004
Russian-American study of Arctic makes international newsFairbanks, Alaska—CFOS scientists are in the news following the first Russian-American Long Term Census of the Arctic expedition that took place during August in the Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea. A Reuters
news wire reporter was on board and filed the following stories.
Warming a Hot Topic Among Arctic Scientists 9/9/2004 Reuters
Arctic science mission faces Cold War-style hurdles 9/8/2004 Reuters
Scientists Skirt Ice, Politics in the Arctic 9/7/2004 Reuters
August 30, 2004
Anchorage, Alaska—More than 100 scientists studying the world's sea lions will gather in Anchorage,
Alaska, from September 30 to October 3 for the 22nd Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium.
Sea Lions of the World: Conservation and Research in the 21st Century, is the theme of the international science conference, coordinated by the Alaska Sea Grant College Program and a host of Alaska state and federal agencies.
Researchers from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, England, Germany, Japan,
Mexico, New Zealand, Puru, Russia, Uruguay, and the United States will deliver presentations
on topics including life history, physiological ecology, foraging ecology, population
ecology, population dynamics, and conservation and management.
The Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium has been held annually since 1982. The series
is named in honor of Lowell Wakefield, a long-time Alaska fisherman, who is credited
with modernizing Alaska's red king crab fishing industry.
Changes in the abundance of sea lions is a growing concern to fisheries and conservation
groups, either because fisheries are feared to threaten sea lions, or because sea
lions are feared to threaten fisheries. The issues are common to all five of the world's
sea lion species.
This symposium will bring the world community of sea lion researchers together to
share their experiences and knowledge with each other. Interspecies comparisons can
shed light on why some populations might decline while others increase. Insights can
also be gained on whether trends in the abundance of sea lions are related to fishing
activities through food dependencies or more directly through control or conservation
measures.
A better understanding of the biology of sea lions is urgently needed. This symposium
will significantly contribute to understanding fluctuating sea lion populations, such
as populations of Alaska's Steller sea lions.
For program, registration, and agenda information, please visit the conference web
site.
August 27, 2004
Event helps promote state's shellfish aquaculture industryFairbanks, Alaska—Alaska Sea Grant and the Marine Advisory Program teamed up to showcase Alaska's shellfish farming potential by cooking up Alaska-grown
oysters and clams for more than 400 people during Military Appreciation Day in Fairbanks
August 19.
The annual event drew members of the military and their families, residents, as well
as local, state, and national public officials including Alaska Senator Ted Stevens,
UA President Mark Hamilton, UAF Chancellor Steve Jones, and Alaska Lt. Governor Loren
Leman. Sea Grant Director Brian Allee and MAP aquaculture specialist Ray RaLonde,
together with Sea Grant staffers Adie Callahan, Sherri Pristash and Koji Yanaka shucked
and cooked dozens of oysters and spoke about the shellfish industry's economic contributions
to the state. Posters and literature expounded on the virtues and growth potential
of the industry in coastal communities, and explained university research aimed at
assisting the industry.
August 26, 2004
Underutilized arrowtooth and herring subject of studyKodiak, Alaska—CFOS scientists are among the authors of research appearing in the August 2004 issue
of Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Dr. Subramaniam Sathivel, assistant professor of seafood processing and engineering
at the CFOS Fishery Industrial Technology Center (FITC) in Kodiak and Dr. Peter Bechtel
with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Seafood Laboratory at CFOS, together
with others, published "Properties of Protein Powders from Arrowtooth Flounder (Atheresthes stomias) and Herring (Clupea harengus) Byproduct."
Their studies were conducted at FITC and were supported in part by the Alaska Fisheries
Byproducts Utilization Program, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research
Service.
A total of 32,509 metric tons of herring (Clupea harengus) was harvested in Alaska in 2000. The majority of herring harvested in Alaska is
for herring roe, a valuable commodity known as "Kazunoko" in the Japanese market.
The male and female herring are often made into in fish meal. There is more than 2.8
million tons of arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias) in the Gulf of Alaska, but little of it is used for food because the flesh turns
to mush during cooking process.
USDA supported scientists worked to utilize herring byproducts and arrowtooth flounder
flesh in fish protein powders (FPPs) that could be potentially used as functional
ingredients and nutrition supplements.
Scientists in this study produced protein powders from herring byproducts and arrowtooth
flounder and evaluated attributes such as nutritional, physical, and thermal properties.
Physical properties including emulsifying capacity, emulsifying stability, fat adsorption
capacity, and nitrogen solubility of the FPPs were higher than soy protein concentration.
FPP samples exceeded the essential amino acid requirements for adult humans.
The FPP was a good source of high quality fish protein and could compete industrially
with other protein powders such as soy protein isolate and egg albumin. The functional
properties of the FPPs could be used as emulsifiers and gelling agents. This study
identifies opportunities to develop value-added products from Alaska fish processing
byproducts.
Reference:
Sathivel, S., P. J. Bechtel, J. Babbitt, W. Prinyawiwatkul, I. I. Negulescu, and K.D.
Reppond. 2004. Properties of Protein Powders from Arrowtooth Flounder (Atheresthes stomias) and Herring (Clupea harengus) Byproduct. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 52:5040-5046.
Scientists involved in this research:
Dr. Subramaniam Sathivel, Assistant Professor of Seafood Processing and Engineering,
CFOS/FITC
Dr. Peter J. Bechtel, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Seafood Laboratory, CFOS
Dr. Jerry Babbitt, Director, NMFS Utilization Research Laboratory, CFOS/FITC
Dr. Witoon Prinyawiwatkul, Associate Professor of Food Science, Department of Food
Science, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Dr. Ioan I. Negulescu, Professor, School of Human Ecology and Department of Chemistry,
Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Kermit Reppond, NMFS Utilization Research Laboratory, CFOS/FITC
August 25, 2004
Seward, Alaska—More than 100 Alaskans were swept to their deaths when multiple tsunamis hit Alaska
shores after the 1964 earthquake. The magnitude 9.2 temblor was the most powerful
ever recorded in North America. Seward was one of the hardest-hit towns. The memory
of that tragic evening remains vivid for Seward residents who witnessed the destruction.
Some of their memories were shared on Tuesday, August 24, when the Alaska Sea Grant
College Program from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) College of Fisheries
and Ocean Sciences sponsored an evening video festival at the Institute of Marine
Science K.M. Rae Building auditorium.
The featured attraction was Ocean Fury: Tsunamis in Alaska. The 25-minute video begins
with interviews of people in Seward, Kodiak, and Valdez who describe in chilling detail
what they saw when the black waves of March attacked their towns. Seward residents
got a sneak preview of this television show, which is scheduled to air statewide on
October 21 on the AlaskaOne Public Television Network.
Fifty-two people attended the video showings, including Bob Eads and Jeffrey Austin,
two men who appear in the video. Eyewitnesses from Seward who appear in the video
include Eads, Emmitt Smith, Doug McCrae, Patricia Williams, and former resident, Al
Burch. Jeff Austin describes how Seward earned the distinction of becoming Alaska
s first Tsunami-Ready Community, and Sue Fleetwood demonstrates how the warning siren
procedure works. The Seward Library and Seward Historical Museum contributed material
for the program.
With state-of-the art 3-D video animations, the program explains what causes tsunamis
and describes UAF Arctic Region Supercomputing Center research that was used to create
maps that project where tsunamis will flood towns under different conditions. Officials
in Seward and Kodiak used the maps to plan evacuation routes and help win Tsunami-Ready
designations for their communities. The program also describes how the tsunami warning
system operates in Alaska from its headquarters in Palmer and points out how people
should react when an earthquake occurs.
"The idea is to capture some of the thoughts of the people who witnessed one of the
world s most impressive natural disasters. Most of us weren t here in 1964, so I wanted
to interview people who were actually here and saw the incredible force of the tsunamis.
I think that really helps drive home the point that we need to be prepared for the
next time tsunamis hit us," said Sea Grant s Kurt Byers, executive producer of the
video.
Byers points out that even mild quakes can trigger massive underwater landslides in
Resurrection Bay. The slides can generate tsunamis that may hit shore within minutes
of the quake. That happened in 1964.
"One of the take-home lessons learned from Seward s 1964 disaster is that if you have
trouble standing or if a quake lasts more than 30 seconds, don t wait to hear a siren.
Head to high ground if you re near the ocean," said Byers.
The program was co-produced with the UAF Geophysical Institute Alaska Earthquake Information
Center, and the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
The second video highlighted the 2004 National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB), a high
school marine science quiz bowl competition co-sponsored by Alaska Sea Grant and hosted
by Seward every February.
The 2004 NOSB took place in Seward High School, the Alaska SeaLife Center and the
University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences K.M. Rae Building.
Teams from Anchorage, Bethel, Cordova, Homer, Juneau-Douglas, Mat-Su, Ninilchik, Selawik,
Seward, Soldotna and Tununak squared off last winter.
Seward s entry was composed of team captain Phelan Miller, Cecile Formosa, Jolie Glaser,
Teal Hetrick, Jonathan Wilkie, Tyler Crista and Cody Kelsoe. Jason Fantz coached the
team. A team from Juneau-Douglas High School won the event and went on to compete
in the national finals in Charleston, South Carolina. The winning team members also
were awarded one-year tuition waivers from UAF. The video was produced by the Alaska
Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program in Anchorage.
The third video was Life on the Beach: Among Friends and Anemones. This 20-minute
program is aimed at elementary school-age students and their teachers, natural history
guides and interpreters, environmental educators, and anyone interested in the rocky
intertidal ecosystem of Alaska s shores.
"The video is filled with great, close-up images of the plants and animals that inhabit
our rocky beaches. The premise is that a teacher and two teenagers from Interior Alaska
go on a beach walk with a Native boy who lives on the coast somewhere in Southcentral
Alaska. Together they discover all kinds of fascinating plants and animals and learn
about predator-prey relationships, how the organisms adapt to their harsh environment,
how tides occur, and how to visit a beach with minimal disruption to the habitat.
The Native boy also explains how Alaska Natives rely on intertidal plants and animals
for food. Most of the footage was shot in Southcentral and Southeast Alaska," said
Byers.
The intertidal video was a joint effort of Alaska Sea Grant and the Center for Alaskan
Coastal Studies in Homer, with assistance from the Alaska Conservation Foundation.
These videos also were shown throughout the day at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward.
Alaska Sea Grant is a marine research, education and public outreach program housed
in the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. It
is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in partnership with
the State of Alaska.
August 19, 2004
Wildlife Society to honor Stephen JewettFairbanks, Alaska—Dr. Stephen Jewett, a research professor at the CFOS Institute of Marine Science, is a recipient of the Wildlife Society's 2004 Wildlife Publications Award-Outstanding Monograph, for his work Effects of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill on River Otters: Injury and recovery of a Sentinel Species. Jewett will be recognized along with UAF co-authors Larry Duffy and Terry Bowyer at the society's annual conference September 19.
August 17, 2004
Kodiak, Alaska—CFOS researchers are studying humpback whales around Kodiak Island this summer as
part of the ongoing Gulf Apex Predator-prey (GAP) program. Alaska Sea Grant Marine
Advisory Program marine mammal specialist Kate Wynne recently attached sonic depth-transmitting
tags to four humpback whales to determine dive depths and profiles of individual humpbacks.
The whales were feeding in waters 15 miles northeast of Kodiak city. Transmitters
sent their data in real time to the researchers at sea, enabling them to track the
whale's path and chronicle their diving activities. The data was then relayed to assistant
professor of marine ecology Bob Foy at the CFOS Fishery Industrial Technology Center.
Foy was simultaneously determining the prey species and biomass around the whales.
The primary goal was to determine what the humpbacks near Kodiak Island are feeding
on. Such information is key to addressing numerous questions such as the role of humpbacks
in the ecosystem and the potential for prey overlap with other apex predators including
Steller sea lions.
Researchers were assisted by Bree Witteveen, former master's degree student at CFOS
and now a fulltime GAP technician; Jordy Thomson, seasonal technician who heads to
Simon Frazer University in the fall in pursuit of a master's degree; and Casey Clark,
student intern who starts college at UC Santa Cruz in September.
August 5, 2004
Where is CFOS going?
Fairbanks, Alaska—After nearly four decades at UAF, Dr. Vera Alexander recently left her post as Dean of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences to become the UAF Special Assistant for Fisheries and Ocean Science Policy. She leaves behind a School remarkably different today. Replacing her is Dr. Denis Wiesenburg, an oceanographer with extensive experience in science and administration. Dean Wiesenburg comes to us from the University of Southern Mississippi, where he was a professor of marine science and department chair for the past decade. He began work as the new CFOS dean on July 1, 2004. The position currently administers an annual budget of more than $20 million and oversees 80 research and support staff, 130 graduate students and 55 faculty members.
Shortly after his arrival, he sat down for a wide-ranging interview with CFOS Information Officer Doug Schneider. Wiesenburg was candid about his plans as the new CFOS dean, the state of the CFOS budget, morale, professionalism, the future of CFOS programs, and, yes, even those rumors about a dress code.
Q: I understand you took some time to see the country as you drove your family to Alaska to assume the CFOS Dean position?
A: We decided to drive and we took 17 days to do it. We left from Mississippi on June 15 with a plan to spend some time decompressing from my last job and getting mentally ready to start my job here. We spent most of the days driving and seeing the sights. We spent two days in Yellowstone National Park, which was really enjoyable. I like travelling and I like road trips.
Q: But of course you didn t take the job here just to make a road trip.
A: Oh, no. I came because the position is really exciting. There are so many opportunities in the Arctic and in Alaska for ocean science and fisheries. It's a job that has state importance and national importance. I was really attracted to the opportunity and to the people of Alaska. When I met the people here they were friendly and really outgoing and dedicated to the work they are doing. That was a group I wanted to work with. And some of the issues that need to be addressed here I had worked on in my previous job at the University of Southern Mississippi. I felt like I could come here and make a difference working on those issues and be successful.
Q: What are some of the issues we face, as you see them?
A: Well, there are some budgetary concerns that need to be addressed, and I have a lot of fiscal experience in the jobs that I have held before; managing large budgets and pulling people together to solve budgetary problems.
Q: How does the current CFOS financial problem compare to what you've dealt with in your previous experiences?
A: Well, I'm sure we can overcome it. We all have a budget and we have to learn to live within it. The magnitude of the problem is a little bit larger than I've dealt with before but the solutions will be the same, just scaled upward.
Q: What are some of the opportunities you hope to see CFOS take advantage of in the coming months and years?
A: Creating programs to deal with emerging issues will be among the areas I'll be working on with the faculty and staff as we move forward. One of the issues emerging in the oceanographic community is that we are changing the way we collect and use data. The field is moving away from using expeditionary oceanography to ocean observing systems. With over half the coastline of the United States here in Alaska, this is the right place for an ocean observing system, and there is a plan underway to build an Alaska Ocean Observing System. It's been something that I've been involved with in my previous work and I saw the value in that. It's an area in which I can help the university position itself to be a player in the ocean observing system activities, which is one of the major recommendations of the National Oceans Commission report which came out recently.
Q: What is an Ocean Observing System?
A: To some degree, oceanography is moving from the expeditionary model (the use of ships and lengthy ocean cruises to collect data) to the weather bureau model. That is, if you want to know the weather in Juneau, you don't send someone to measure it. There are instruments that do that. The oceans are going to be similarly instrumented so if you want to know how currents are moving in one location or what the temperature is in a particular place at sea there will be instruments in the ocean sending back information 24-hours a day. Scientists will be able to use that data more effectively to understand ocean processes and to provide what we call operational oceanography, where what we know about the ocean can be used by others, such as the fishing industry, the marine transportation industry, and others to make their jobs easier as well. There's going to be new money, hopefully from Congress, for ocean observing, and there's going to be a major expansion of activities at universities around the country. CFOS, with Alaska having such a large coastline, should be a major player in that, and we will become a major player, along with the other partners working on the Alaska system.
Q: What kind of money are we talking about for these systems?
A: There's the potential for up to half a billion dollars of federal money to go into ocean observing systems around the country. Mostly it will come through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, but the National Science Foundation is planning on putting up some $200 million over the next four or five years for infrastructure development. Once the infrastructure is in place, their operating budget will be about $50 million dollars a year. For a scale of magnitude, $50 million a year is what NSF spends each year to operate the entire academic fleet of research vessels. This is new money in a new area and this university certainly has the right people in the right places to be a major participant. The bigger money for equipment and money for planning will come from NOAA. I certainly will be spending a portion of my time making sure that we are properly positioned and that we have the information we need to compete for the funds. Whether we will create an entity or administrative structure to do that, I don't know. It will have to be something that will evolve as the program evolves.
Q: Are there other major opportunities CFOS will be pursuing?
A: Certainly, we will continue efforts to get the Alaska Region Research Vessel. That's something I am particularly interested in because I have been a member of the University National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) council for the last four years and I have two years remaining in my term on the council. I have followed the development of this vessel and it s something I am committed to finding a way to make sure that when the vessel is funded that we are the university operating the vessel.
The fisheries research area is another area where I plan to focus a lot of attention. More people work in the state's commercial fisheries than any other industry. One of the things we must do is make sure we have a quality fisheries academic program to support that. We have excellent master's and Ph.D. programs in fisheries and fisheries oceanography.
One of the things that I am committed to doing is strengthening the undergraduate fisheries program. There are a lot of possibilities on how we can do that. We are going to assemble these ideas and find the best way to move that program to a higher level and look for new resources to do that.
Q: What do you see as the needs of CFOS in terms of infrastructure, space, etc.
A: The biggest need, and I think this is the case at all of our locations across the state, is space. Facilities are not adequate. The growth of our programs in the last ten years has taxed our facilities greatly at every location. We are working to move the Marine Advisory Program into a new location in Anchorage that will better suit its needs. The Juneau facility at Lena Point has to be built. People there are shoehorned into a space about half the size of what they need. We're renting space in other buildings to house some of our people there because we don t have the space in the Anderson Building, which we share with the University of Alaska Southeast. And we need space here in Fairbanks. We have grown to a point that we are really constrained by the space we have. If we become a major player in ocean observing, we will need additional space for equipment fabrication and storage of large instruments. If the programs we have are to continue to grow, and that is something the university wants, we can't do that within the confines of the facilities we're in now. I understand that there used to be plans for a new CFOS building. That's dropped off the radar and I would like to see about getting that back on, but not until the Lena Point facility outside Juneau is complete. I think it's time for UAF to look at how they want our programs to move forward.
Q: Do you see the mission of CFOS changing as we move forward to seek new facilities and programs such as ocean observing and a new research ship?
A: I don t have any plans to revamp the mission of the School or change its direction at this point. My goal is to make sure we are doing the things we are doing now at the highest possible quality level. My feeling is that the people doing the work here have the best ideas of where their fields of study are going. I intend to work with the faculty who are closer to the needs to try to form a shared vision. I have not come in with a vision of what we need to do. I want to know what they feel should be done and to shape that into a vision as we move forward. My immediate goal is to learn as much as I can about the things we are doing.
Q: You take on the role of Dean as the School wrestles with budget problems, staff turnover, and low morale. Do you have some strategies for overcoming the problem of low morale and disconnect people seem to be feeling?
A: I've thought a lot about this. I think we have to change the culture here. We don t have a culture of trust in this School. I hope to build a culture of trust. How do I do that? We do that by setting the expectation that everyone is contributing in some way to the success of the overall program. That doesn't mean that you can't be different. You can't use a cookie cutter for every person or every unit. Each person and each unit has its own strengths and abilities to contribute to the School in teaching, research and service. I hope to set the expectation that every unit is contributing and then expect them to help move the program forward. Whether that's customer service here in the CFOS business office or the number of scientific publications coming from research faculty, or external funding brought in by researchers, or the service to industry and the public. There has been some effort at homogenization here, that everyone should think of themselves a part of the School and promote the School. In my view, the School is like a mosaic picture. Each of the individual pieces can be totally different, individual pieces of glass, but when you put them together they make a beautiful picture. My goal isn't to make sure the people in Juneau are doing the same thing as in Kodiak and Fairbanks. Instead, I'll be looking at whether they are contributing to the overall mission of the School in their own way.
I also believe that there should be an expectation that people will deal with each other in a professional manner. When things happen because of some glitch, the key is to solve the problem and not beat on people. We are all working together. We don't work for each other. If we can get the idea that we are a community working together for the common good then I think that will help people want to contribute.
Q: Will you be a physical presence here at CFOS to provide the leadership and set these expectations?
A: I'll do this in many ways. As dean it is my job to set the expectations of what level of productivity we are going to have and to help find ways to accomplish this. On a day to day basis, I will foster better communications between and among the units. One of the challenges we have here is that we are spread out across the state. People in one unit may not know what people in other units are doing. They may be doing something valuable but we may not know it. Helping to communicate the value of the units to each other is something the dean can do. I hope to create a culture where people enjoy coming to work and enjoy what they are doing and feel that what they do is valuable to the overall mission.
Q: Do you plan any administrative changes in the near term?
A: I don't plan to make any major near-term changes because I don't know enough to make those decisions effectively. I'm a scientist. So what I do is gather data and filter the data and synthesize the data to be used to make decisions. I'm in the data collection process right now. I might make some changes next year. But I will try to do that in a way that involves people in the decision making process. I'm not going to send out any edicts. What I'll do is bring people together and kick ideas around and get them out on the table and have as many people as possible participate in the decision making. Whether it's new thrust areas for the School or how to manage the front office, if people are allowed to participate in the decision-making process they are more likely to accept the decision. I hope my leadership style will allow this.
Q: I couldn't help but notice that you have been wearing nice shirts and ties to work every day. Is this an effort to set an example of your expectations as far as dress goes?
A: I dress this way because I am the dean. My view is that in my job I am not representing me, I am representing the School. I am going to try to project a professional image as much as I can. I grew up in the South and was taught that the way you dress is a sign of respect. People go to church in their "Sunday-go-to-meeting" clothes, whether it's hot or not. I am trying to show people that I respect the position I am in and value its importance. I won't always dress up. I'm sure in the winter I'll be wearing something different. But when I go into the community and to meetings in Washington and other places I won't be dressing the way I want to dress. I ll be dressing appropriately to make sure the School is portrayed in the best possible light.
Q: Does this portend a dress code at CFOS?
A: What I've told the staff here in the front office is that this is the Dean's office and the dean's office will on occasion need to look better than at other times. Our expectation is that this will be a professionally run office and that people will dress professionally. It doesn't mean they can't wear jeans, but it means that there will be occasions where we will have visitors come here and want to share their wealth with us, and we want to make the best possible impression. We have not instituted a dress code, but we have tried to instill the expectation in the people who work in this office that a little more is expected of them.
Q: What's been your impression of Alaska so far?
A: One of the things I recognize is how involved Alaskans are. There are more councils, groups and meetings to discuss things than I am used to seeing. In places I come from, like Mississippi and Texas, it's mainly the bigwigs calling the shots. In Alaska there's so much involvement of people and that's exciting to me. It's an exciting state with so much interaction between people and nature. There are earthquakes, more probably than California. And there's the opportunity to be killed by wildlife, which you don't have in many states. Just in the drive up here we saw lots of wildlife up close and personal.
Q: Is there anything you'd like to add to this conversation, things I didn't specifically ask about?
A: My family and I are really excited about the opportunity to come here to Alaska. We've lived in the South most of our lives. My wife and I describe this as our mid-life adventure, and we're looking forward to it. Alaskans are great people and that's one of the things that convinced me to come here. People here are friendly and open.
Q: Okay, my last question is inevitable. Are you looking forward to winter?
A: One of the things I learned was that people adapt really well to the winter. I think we'll adapt well too. My wife and I lived in Nova Scotia for a year, but that was when we were a lot younger, nearly 30 winters ago. Adapting to the dark maybe will be a little bit more of a challenge. Our daughter has just graduated from high school and will attend Auburn University in the fall. Our son is contemplating graduate school. So, for us, we're ready to do something different, and UAF gives us a great opportunity to do that.
August 5, 2004
Nome, Alaska—CFOS scientists led by oceanographer Dr. Terry Whitledge will depart August 8, 2004,
from Nome, Alaska, on a three-week, joint U.S.-Russian oceanographic research expedition
to the Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea. Fifteen American and 20 Russian scientists will
conduct an array of studies on the region's physical, chemical and biological oceanography.
The expedition is the first in the Russian-American Long Term Census of the Arctic, and is sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and
the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Whitledge and his team will examine fish distribution, water column and benthic biological
exploration, nutrient and current fluxes, methane distribution, and seafloor processes.
Scientists will travel and live aboard the 71.6-meter (235-foot) research vessel Professor
Khromov, operated by the
Far East Hydrometeorological Institute in Vladivostok, Russia.
Participating CFOS researchers, graduate students, and technicians include: Dr. Russ
Hopcroft, Dr. Katrin Iken, Dr. Bodil Bluhm, Brenda Holladay, Sang Heon Lee, and Sarah
Thornton.
For more, go to:
Russian-American Long Term Census of the Arctic
August 2, 2004
Festival offers sea of educational opportunitiesAnchorage, Alaska—Alaska Sea Grant participated in the second annual Alaska Oceans Festival, held July 17 in Anchorage's
Delaney Park. Sponsored by the Ocean Conservancy and the Alaska Oceans Program, the free event was designed to educate the public
and raise awareness about the importance of healthy oceans.
Sea Grant Communications Manager Kurt Byers coordinated a tent for Alaska Sea Grant,
with indispensable help from Marine Advisory Program staff Julie Carpenter, Beverly Bradley, and Ellie Evans. At least 2,000 people, most
of them receptive to learning about our marine resources, attended the festival. The
Sea Grant-MAP team sold Alaska Sea Grant publications and kept kids and adults entertained
with Sea Grant's marine ecosystem electronic identification board.
Other groups at the festival included the Alaska SeaLife Center, NOAA Fisheries, Alaska
Department of Fish and Game, Alaska Boating Safety Program, Center for Alaskan Coastal
Studies, Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Committee, the Imaginarium,
and a variety of environmental groups. Other booths offered food and drink, and Alaska
crafts. Musical groups performed throughout the day and evening, alternating with
speakers who shared information on marine topics.
1 August 2004
CFOS— CFOS researchers Dr. Stephen Jewett and Dr. Mark Johnson led UAF efforts to
search for nuclear contamination left over from atomic blasts during the Cold War
on Alaska's Amchitka Island.
1 August 2004
ASG— Chinese children and their parents overwhelmingly preferred the taste of new
protein supplements made from Alaska pink and chum salmon to their traditional supplements
made from carp, according to a study conducted by University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF)
researchers and funded by the Alaska Sea Grant College Program and the UAF College of Business and Security Management.
July 29, 2004
New seamounts in Gulf of Alaska focus of studyJuneau, Alaska—Dr. Tom Shirley, together with students, will use the deep-submergence vehicle Alvin to study five previously unexplored seamounts in the Gulf of Alaska. The cruise,
from July 29 until August 24, is focused primarily on deep-sea corals and the animal
assemblages associated with them. However, one investigator will study the geology
of the seamounts and another researcher will be studying the microbes associated with
corals and rocks. Some of their dives may exceed two miles in depth.
Shirley is accompanied by UAF graduate students Dave Miller and Danielle Parker; and
UAS undergraduate student Matt Richards. Shirley can be reached while at sea via email
at:
T.Shirley@atlantis.whoi.edu
Follow the research online at NOAA Ocean Exploration.
July 27, 2004
JASON II: Submersible to plumb abyss to gather info on corals, other sealifeFairbanks, Alaska—A scientific team including CFOS scientist Dr. Jennifer Reynolds, launched an expedition
this weekend to explore unknown swaths of Aleutian sea floor, with plans to descend
more than two miles in search of coral species and geologic phenomena no human has
seen before. The research is funded in part by the West Coast and Polar Regions Undersea
Research Center.
See full story in the Anchorage Daily News
For updates from the field, go to Alaska Science Outreach.
July 22, 2004
Houston, Texas—A consortium of federal agencies, academic institutions including the University of Alaska Fairbanks and commercial firms is about to begin what's being touted as the world's most comprehensive deepwater shipwreck study by focusing on seven vessels lost in the Gulf of Mexico during World War II. Read more in the Anchorage Daily News.
July 19, 2004
Cathy Hegwer studies sea lionsFairbanks, Alaska—Cathy Hegwer, who received her master's degree from UAF/CFOS in 2003 under assistant professor Brenda Konar, is now a marine biologist with the Aleutians East Borrough. Hegwer now is engaged in a $565,000 study of Steller sea lions in the Shumagin Islands area. Read more about it in the Anchorage Daily News.
July 18, 2004
Fairbanks, Alaska—Marine chemist Dr. Denis Wiesenburg began work July 1, 2004, as the new Dean of the
University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
Wiesenburg comes to UAF from the University of Southern Mississippi where he has been
professor of marine science and department chair for the past decade.
Wiesenburg received his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Duke University in 1970,
his master's in oceanography from Old Dominion University in 1975 and his Ph.D. in
oceanography from Texas A&M in 1980.
His training as a chemist took him to Mississippi in 1981 where he began his scientific
career as an oceanographer with the Naval Ocean Research and Development Activity
at the John C. Stennis Space Center and an adjunct faculty member at the University
of Southern Mississippi. He then served as an associate research scientist in the
geochemical and environmental research group with Texas A&M University. In 1994 he
returned to the University of Southern Mississippi where he has since served as department
chair of marine science with administrative responsibilities for the USM facility
at the Stennis Space Center.
July 15, 2004
Fairbanks, Alaska—Bring your favorite dish and join us for a potluck to celebrate Vera Alexander's metamorphosis
from Dean of CFOS into her new role as Special Assistant for Fisheries and Ocean Science
Policy.
WHEN: Friday, July 16, 2004 beginning at 3 p.m.
WHERE: The Dog Mushers Hall on Farmer's Loop Road in Fairbanks.
Bring your families and come wish Vera future good luck as she moves into a new phase
of her life.
Contributions are being accepted for the rental of the hall and a gift for Vera. These
can either be mailed to or dropped off with Kathy Carter. Please give generously so
that we can give Vera a nice send-off. For more information, email Kathy Carter
July 14, 2004
Alaska Sea Grant to spend $2.1 million on marine and fisheries research, education, outreach and extension over two yearsFairbanks, Alaska—The Alaska Sea Grant College Program will fund nine new research projects as well as UAF Marine Advisory Program activities, graduate student support, and outreach efforts over the next two years to better understand and use Alaska s marine resources. For more, go to the Alaska Sea Grant news release.
July 13, 2004
Editor's Note: Due to time spent at sea, media access may be limited. However, freelance reporter Sonya Senkowsky will be on board during the second part of the cruise and will be sending reports from the ship. To learn more, go to: Alaska Science Outreach
Fairbanks, Alaska—The West Coast & Polar Regions Undersea Research Center is sponsoring an expedition
to the Aleutian Islands, July 10, 2004 to August 16, 2004.
A new tool to be used in this expedition is the remotely operated vehicle, Jason2,
from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
The cruise will take place in two parts, with a quick personnel transfer in Dutch
Harbor on July 24.
The first part of the research expedition will take place south of Unimak Island,
Alaska, south of the tip of the Alaskan Peninsula. This study will examine biological
responses to an enormous submarine landslide in the Aleutian Trench resulting from
a 1946 earthquake and the destructive, Pacific-wide tsunami which followed. A multi-beam
sonar survey, ROV Jason2 dives, camera tows and sediment coring are scheduled. This
information could help solve a decades old controversy about the cause of the tsunami.
During this part of the expedition researchers will also explore two 55-60 million
year old volcanic seamounts south of the Alaska Peninsula to understand how they formed,
for how long they were volcanically active and how they have been affected by the
bending of the Pacific plate as it approaches the Aleutian Trench. Deep sea coral
populations on the seamounts will also be investigated. ROV Jason2 dives and multi-beam
sonar surveys are planned.
The second part of the expedition will be in the central Aleutians, between Seguam
and Semisopochnoi Islands. Scientists will use the ROV Jason2 to investigate the distribution
and habitat associations of deep water corals and sponges in the central Aleutians,
and extend earlier observations to the full depth range of these species as part of
a larger, multi-year study of these populations in this region. Another study in this
part of the cruise will conduct a geological exploration of Adak Canyon, a steep-walled
and tectonically active rifted canyon between Adak and Kanaga Islands. Geochemical
studies of rock samples from Adak Canyon will provide information about how the crust
of the Aleutian arc has grown over its 50 million year history.
Doug Schneider, Information Officer, 907-474-7449, fndgs@uaf.edu; Sonya Senkowsky,
Science Writer, 907-333-7805, sonya@alaskawriter.com
Dr. Jennifer Reynolds, Assistant Professor
Geological Oceanography, 907-474-5871, jreynolds@guru.uaf.edu
25 June 2004
IMS— The Census of Marine Life has announced its >Arctic Ocean biodiversity initiative to record the lifeforms of
the Arctic Ocean. The international effort will be based at the University of Alaska
Fairbanks and includes IMS faculty Rolf Gradinger, Russ Hopcroft, and Bodil Bluhm.
For more information, see this BBC story.
June 14, 2004
Unalaska, Alaska—Reid Brewer, the new CFOS Marine Advisory Program agent based in Unalaska, knows a
teachable moment when one washes ashore. In May, Brewer was alerted to a giant squid
that had washed ashore nearby. He, together with a colleague from the Alaska Fisheries
Science Center, conducted an informal public education lecture and necropsy of the
squid with more than 60 local students, as well as parents and Native leaders in attendance.
A special thanks goes out to the local salmon hatchery where it was packed in ice
provided by the Royal Aleutian Hotel and the Community Center.
May 26, 2004
Fairbanks, Alaska— Kurt Byers, Communications Manager at Alaska Sea Grant, recently presented Sea Grant s new video, "Ocean Fury: Tsunamis in Alaska" at a
NOAA seminar in Silver Spring, Maryland. The showing attracted more than 60 NOAA employees
who watched the video and asked questions afterward.
The video features compelling interviews with Alaskans in Valdez, Kodiak, and Seward
who witnessed the 1964 tsunamis. In chilling detail, they recall the loss of life
and destruction in their communities and how they felt 40 years ago. The video also
highlights a Sea Grant-funded computer model used to predict how extensively tsunamis,
under different variables, would inundate Alaska coastal areas. The model, created
by Sea Grant researchers on the Cray Supercomputer at the University of Alaska Fairbanks,
is a key tool in work being done by the NOAA National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program
to help West Coast and Alaskan communities develop tsunami inundation maps and prepare
their locales for tsunamis.
Byers also received the National Association of Government Employees Award of Excellence
for the Alaska Sea Grant publication, Ocean Treasure: Commercial Fishing in Alaska.
May 24, 2004
Spring 2004
Tara Borland, M.S. Chemical Oceanography
Ryan Briscoe. M.S. Fisheries
Sherrie Dressel, Ph.D. Fisheries Oceanography and M.S. Statistics
Heather Finkle, M.S. Fisheries
Blair Flannery, M.S. Fisheries
Dana Hanselman, Ph.D. Fisheries
Maria Lang, M.S. Fisheries
Lynnette Mattes, M.S. Fisheries
Tamara Mau, Ph.D. Marine Biology
Sookmi Moon, M.S. Physical Oceanography
Taekun Rho, Ph.D. Chemical Oceanography
Cara Rodgveller, M.S. Fisheries
Karen Sheding, M.S. Fisheries
Kalei Shotwell, Ph.D. Fisheries
Deli Wang, M.A. Interdisciplinary
Fall 2003
Heloise Chenelot, M.S. Biological Oceanography
Dmitry Dukhovskoy, Ph.D. Physical Oceanography
Christine Frazier, M.S. Marine Biology
Catherine Hegwer, M.S. Marine Biology
Sarah Zimmerman, M.S. Physical Oceanography
Zachary Hoyt, M.S. Fisheries Juneau
Benjamin Williams, M.S. Fisheries Juneau
Evelyn Brown, Ph.D. Fisheries
Summer 2003
Reid Brewer, M.S. Marine Biology
Michael Palmer, M.S. Fisheries Oceanography
Sarah Thornton, M.S. Biological Oceanography
Barbi Failor, M.S. Fisheries
Matthew Foster, M.S. Fisheries
Briana Witteveen (Lawson), M.S. Fisheries
Judith Lum, M.S. Fisheries
Jamie Womble, M.S. Fisheries
Julie Meka, M.S. Fisheries
19 May 2004
Hazardous Materials AlertAs CFOS faculty, students and staff prepare for the busy summer field research season ahead, the UAF Environmental Health, Safety & Risk Management office reminds us of the importance of following established rules and procedures regarding the shipment of hazardous or potentially hazardous materials. Please read the following documents to avoid fines and other penalties associated with the improper handling and shipping of hazardous materials. Questions and concerns should be directed to:
Terry A Dowdy, Director
Environmental Health, Safety & Risk Management
University of Alaska Fairbanks
1000 University Ave. Room 159
Fairbanks, AK 99775
907-474-7889
907-474-5489 (fax)
The university has agreed to pay a fine of $5,000 to the FAA for failing to follow appropriate procedures relating to the shipment of a Honda generator by air. The FAA charged that a small generator was shipped with a small amount of gasoline left in the tank and fuel lines at the conclusion of its use in research. In the case of gasoline-powered engines, it is next to impossible to render them exempt from the regulations by draining them of fuel. This shipment was made without notifying the shipper of this hazardous material by properly filling out and filing required paperwork, and properly marking the box containing the generator.
Critical InformationUAF is proud of the great volume of research and the variety of programs conducted within its system. This work involves the frequent procurement and distribution of materials to main and extended campuses, research stations, and field sites. Please be aware that shipping regulations are very complex and quite strict about any shipment of "hazardous materials,” especially by air, but also by other modes. The term “hazardous materials” is quite broad and can often include non-intuitive types of materials including items such as seemingly empty containers or other general commodity type items in addition to the obvious hazardous materials. This institution has neither the resources nor the stomach to deal with an accident caused by our shipment of gasoline or other explosive, corrosive, or poisonous material.
Action Required- Designate persons authorized to prepare shipments of hazardous materials “Designated Shippers”:
Deans and Directors of programs that offer shipments by commercial carrier must appoint “Designated Shippers” to approve all shipments that may contain a hazardous material. Designated Shippers must be trained to comply with hazardous materials shipping regulations, must possess current training certification, and must be approved by the environmental health and safety office. The Designated Shipper will sign, or individually authorize another to sign, all shipping manifests or declarations of dangerous goods. - Arrange for general awareness training for those who offer shipments:
Because of the complexity of the shipping regulations and the great potential for harm, all Deans and Directors must ensure that all personnel who may ship anything by air, rail, truck, or vessel receive training as to: a) those items that may constitute "hazardous materials," b) the identity and role of Designated Shippers, and c) how to contact the appropriate environmental health and safety office. This training can be provided by either the designated shipper (from #1 above) or by your campus environmental health and safety office. - Return documentation of accomplishing the above required actions to Bill Krause, UAF Haz Mat Supervisor (Fax 5489; Email; bkrause@fs.uaf.edu) A Notification Form is attached to this Alert for this purpose. If you have any questions or concerns, please call UAF Environmental Health & Safety (phone 5413).
May 19, 2004
Kasitsna Bay—Approximately $8 million in new construction is taking place at the CFOS-operated Kasitsna Bay Laboratory this summer. Dilapidated student housing and laboratory space is being replaced with a new bunkhouse, modern wet and dry labs, a dock and scuba diving facilities. The renovations are being done by NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science. Including work done last summer, the total cost of the renovations will be about $12 million.
May 17, 2004
CFOS was well represented at the 4th World Fisheries Congress in Vancouver, May 2-6. The theme Reconciling Fisheries with Conservation: The Challenge of Managing Aquatic Ecosystems was addressed by world-class keynote speakers, forums, posters, presentations, roundtable discussions, workshops, and debates. CFOS student, staff, and faculty presenters and attendees included Jennifer Boldt, Evelyn Brown, Robert Foy, Thomas Shirley, Carrie Hoover, and Bodil Bluhm.
7 May 2004
MAP— The Marine Advisory Program, the marine extension service of the University of
Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, has hired four new agents
to serve Alaska's coastal communities of Petersburg, Cordova, Bethel, and Unalaska
May 5, 2004
Kodiak, Alaska—Mary Patterson, an undergraduate student working at the CFOS Fishery Industrial Technology
Center in Kodiak, has been selected for as a finalist to compete in the Institute
of Food Technologist undergraduate research paper competition. The title of her presentation
is "Developing Arrowtooth Flounder (Atheresthes stomias) Protein Powder Mayonnaise."
The presentation will be made at the 2004 IFT Annual Meeting and Food Exposition in
Las Vegas, Nevada, in July.
Patterson conducted her undergraduate research under the guidance of Dr. Subramaniam
Sathivel, Assistant Professor of Seafood Processing and Engineering at FITC. The study
was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Alaska Sea Grant College Program.
30 April 2004
CFOS— CFOS research professor Stephen Jewett is among the recipients of the 2004 Emil
Usibelli Distinguished Teaching, Research and Public Service Award.
21 April 2004
CFOS— Drs. Katrin Iken and Brenda Konar will be among UAF faculty honored at the Annual
Author's Reception on Friday, April 23, 2004, from 4 5 p.m. at the Elmer E. Rasmuson
Library, level 6. Iken and Konar co-edited the book, Proceedings of the Arctic Biodiversity
Workshop: New Census of Marine Life Initiative, published by the Alaska Sea Grant
College Program in 2004.
April 13, 2004
Young scientistsFairbanks, Alaska—Symcha Gillette, age 5, holds a sea star during a recent visit to the Institute of Marine Science. Gillete and other elementary students are from the Chugach School District's Home School Program. Drs. Brenda Konar and Katrin Iken hosted the students who were able to touch a variety of marine species. The students also learned about scuba diving. Brenda Konar photo.
March 29, 2004
Spring dive class sends 24 to the bottomKasitsna Bay—Twenty-four students took part in this semester's Scientific Diving classes for beginners and advanced divers. The divers conducted 392 dives during a week-long experience at the Kasitsna Bay Laboratory near Homer, Alaska. Students learned scientific diving techniques and protocols, and conducted drills in rescue, first aid and CPR. Divers passing the course are eligible to work as science divers for the University of Alaska.
16 February 2004
GURU— Last summer, a seafloor mapping expedition in the central Aleutian region, directed
by Jennifer Reynolds, confirmed the existence of a young submarine Aleutian volcano.
A story published in the Anchorage Daily News describes how a Native name was chosen
for this volcano.
February 13, 2004
MAP agents meet with salmon fishermenMarine Advisory Program agents across the state are helping thousands of commercial salmon fishermen apply for financial compensation, job training and educational benefits under the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Trade Adjustment Assistance Program (TAA). The program was launched in January to help salmon fishermen hit hard by low salmon prices and competition from farmed salmon. MAP agents and specialists are conducting technical assistance workshops in communities across the state as part of the program. Thus far they have scheduled more than 75 workshops across the state and have already met with several hundred fishermen. For more information, visit the TAA Technical Assistance Workshops website.
11 February 2004
ASG— CFOS is once again sponsoring and supporting the annual Alaska Region National
Ocean Sciences Bowl that begins February 20 in Seward. High school students from 12
schools around the state are getting ready for competition, now in its seventh year
5 February 2004
ASG— CFOS researchers Drs. Katrin Iken and Brenda Konar are the editors of the just
published, "Proceedings of the Arctic Biodiversity Workshop: New Census of Marine
Life Initiative." The 164-page book features eighteen papers presented at an international
workshop held in Fairbanks, Alaska, April 11-14, 2003, to launch a Census of Marine
Life program (CoML) initiative for advancing the study of Arctic Ocean biodiversity.
The book is available from the Alaska Sea Grant bookstore.
January 29, 2004
CFOS graduate student returns from AntarcticaGraduate student Casey Debenham returned recently from an Antarctic research cruise aboard the German research icebreaker Polarstern. Debenham collected samples of benthic organisms from trawls and grabs during the cruise and performed various onboard experiments. His participation was arranged by Dr. Katrin Iken, who was to participate in this cruise and who is studying chemical ecology issues in polar regions. The two-month expedition began in mid-November in Cape Town, South Africa and journeyed to Antarctica's eastern Weddell Sea. Aboard the Polarstern was an international group of scientists under the lead of Dr. Wolf Arntz from the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in Bremerhaven, Germany
22 January 2004
GPMSL— Cory Williams, a Ph.D. student in Marine Biology at CFOS under Dr. Alan Springer,
is a recipient of the 2004 Angus Gavin Memorial Migratory Bird Research Grant. He
will receive $10,437 for his research during the 2004 field season. To learn more,
read the UAF news release.
MEDIA ADVISORY
December 10, 2003
FAIRBANKS, Alaska—Alaska's vast and pristine ocean waters yield more than half of the nation's annual seafood harvest. In 2001, Alaska seafood generated $4.6 billion in U.S. sales. Next to oil extraction, it's Alaska's second most valuable private industry and employs some 37,000 people in the state. For thousands of Alaskans, it is more than an economic enterprise; it is precious heritage and a way of life. And for the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS), it is one of the primary constituencies served through research, education, and outreach.
To educate the public about this fascinating and colorful industry, the Alaska Sea Grant College Program has published a color-illustrated, 200-page book, titled Ocean Treasure: Commercial Fishing in Alaska. The book was authored primarily by CFOS faculty member and Marine Advisory agent, Terry Johnson, and was conceived and compiled by Sea Grant communications manager/editor, Kurt Byers. Byers and CFOS personnel Dolly Garza, Ray RaLonde, Doug Schneider, Paula Cullenberg, and Evelyn Brown helped write sections. Several other CFOS faculty and staff helped review and edit parts of the book.
The richly illustrated publication provides a comprehensive overview of the industry, including its evolution, management, environmental challenges, gear and harvest techniques, the fish and invertebrates that are harvested, shellfish farming and salmon ranching, seafood processing and marketing, and Native subsistence use.
The easy-to-read text is accompanied by outstanding color drawings and photographs of the primary fishing vessels types seen in Alaska and and the fish and invertebrates they harvest. The publication also contains an extensive glossary of terms.
A unique feature of the book is the many underwater photos of fish and invertebrates which show the animals alive in their natural habitats. Information on the life histories of the animals also is included. Many of the underwater photos were shot by UAF and NOAA scientists conducting undersea research from submersibles and via scuba. Photos were contributed by CFOS personnel Steve Jewett, Brenda Konar, Evelyn Brown, Kurt Byers, Doug Schneider, Dolly Garza, Don Kramer, Deborah Mercy, Kate Wynne, and Bill Smoker.
In addition, photos by National Geographic photographers Natalie Fobes, Karen Ducey, and Fred Hirschmann are included, along with photos by other prominent professional photographers.
Ocean Treasure: Commercial Fishing in Alaska, is available for $25.00 (plus shipping if applicable) from Alaska Sea Grant. In Fairbanks, call 474-6707, or long distance toll-free, 1-888-789-0090. The books also are available at the Sea Grant office, 207 O'Neill Building, West Ridge, University of Alaska Fairbanks. Visit Ocean Treasure website to view sample pages of the book cover and to order the book online.
Public seafood processing and cold storage facilities
6 October 2003
MAP— An upcoming workshop in Anchorage addresses the economic feasibility of cold
storage facilities. The workshop will take place November 13 and 14 at the University
of Alaska Anchorage.
IMS researcher examines the historical effects of whale harvests
25 September 2003
IMS— Alan Springer, IMS, is the lead author of a new paper published in the Proceedings
of the National Academy of Science, which hypothesizes that overfishing of whales
in the North Pacific Ocean triggered one of the longest and most complex ecological
chain reactions ever described, beginning in the open oceans 50 years ago, and led
to the decimation of Alaska's kelp forest ecosystems today. For more, visit the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science or SIT NEWS website.
21 August 2003
Media Advisory from the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences
Contact Tom Smith, Assistant Director for Coastal and Marine Operations, UAF College
of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Seward Marine Center, 907-224-4305.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks research vessel Alpha Helix, which is owned by the National Science Foundation and operated by the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, conducted a rescue of a distressed recreational boater the evening of August 19, 2003, near the entrance to Alaska's Resurrection Bay. The 133-foot R/V Alpha Helix was conducting oceanographic research in the area at approximately 8:50 pm when the crew spotted distress flares.
The Alpha Helix proceeded to the source of the flares and retrieved one male person from the water. Weather at the time was stormy. The individual was immediately treated for moderate hypothermia and transported to Seward by approximately midnight. The individual refused on-shore medical assistance and was given a ride to his home.
The Alpha Helix was engaged in a Gulf of Alaska Monitoring Program (GLOBEC) research project at the time led by Dr. Tom Weingartner, and returned to sea after the incident.
Resurrection Bay is located in Southcentral Alaska along the Southeast coast of the Kenai Peninsula.
Special thanks and acknowledgement go to ship's Master Bill Rook who piloted the Alpha Helix, Steward Trish Kaminsky who directed medical attention, and First Mate Gary Ramos who directed and led efforts from the deck to carry out the rescue effort.
For more information, contact Tom Smith, Assistant Director for Coastal and Marine Operations, UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Seward Marine Center, 907-224-4305.
11 August 2003
Scientists map state's first known geologically active undersea volcanoFairbanks, Alaska— An active undersea volcano, the first to be discovered in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands region, was successfully mapped in late June by researchers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in Auke Bay, Alaska.
“This is significant, not just to science and to our understanding of volcanoes, but also because this volcano appears to be geologically active,” said Dr. Jennifer Reynolds, the expedition’s chief scientist. Reynolds is a marine geologist with Global Undersea Research Unit at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
Dr. Tracy Vallier, a geologist retired from the United States Geological Survey, participated in the mapping expedition. Vallier directed undersea research programs in the Aleutians and Bering Sea during the 1970s and 1980s.
The unnamed volcano lies in the northwest portion of Amchitka Pass, southeast of Semisopochnoi Island in the Aleutians. The volcano was discovered in 2002 by NMFS biologists studying deep-sea corals.
The summit of the volcano is located approximately 115 meters (377 feet) below the sea surface, while the overall height is estimated at more than 580 meters (1,903 feet). volcano’s diameter at its base is four kilometers (2.5 statute miles). Its height is one-third to one-half the height of volcanoes on nearby islands, such as Kanaga, Tanaga, Gareloi, Cerberus, and Little Sitkin.
The new seafloor map shows the classic, conical shape of a volcano, and reveals lava flow fields extending more than 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) down-slope,” said Reynolds. “It’s a very exciting discovery.”
Reynolds said it is unknown whether the volcano might erupt anytime soon, or whether it will ever rise above the ocean surface to form a new island. But its presence in an area traversed by fishing vessels and ships make watching it important. The Alaska Volcano Observatory has been informed of the volcano’s discovery and location, and a seismic network on nearby Semisopochnoi Island, planned for 2005, should be able to “hear” the submarine volcano as well.
Scientists in June conducted the mapping from the research vessel R/V Davidson, operated by Thales GeoSolutions (Pacific) Inc. Thales used sophisticated multi-beam sonar to produce maps of the volcano and surrounding seafloor that are several orders of magnitude more detailed than existing NOAA charts.
Reynolds’s research was funded by the North Pacific Research Board, in collaboration with scientists at the National Marine Fisheries Service Laboratory in Auke Bay, Alaska, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Juneau, Alaska.
According to the Alaska Volcano Observatory, the state is home to some 100 volcanoes and volcanic fields that have been active within the last 1.5 million years. Over 40 of these have been active in historic time. About 80% of all active volcanoes in the United States and 8% of all active above-water volcanoes on earth are in Alaska.
Most of the state’s volcanoes are located along the 2,500 kilometer-long (1,550 mile-long) Aleutian Arc, which extends westward to Kamchatka, Russia. This arc forms the northern portion of the Pacific "ring of fire." Other volcanoes that have been active within the last several thousand years exist in Southeast Alaska and in the Wrangell Mountains. Smaller volcanoes, some active within the last 10,000 years, exist in Interior Alaska and in Western Alaska.
Reynolds said that while scientists have long suspected that undersea volcanoes also exist along the Aleutian Island chain, they have until recently lacked the funding and technology to go looking for them. Funding from the North Pacific Research Board to study deep-sea corals provided the opportunity to examine the seafloor geology and its links to seafloor habitat. This latest mapping cruise was the first civilian use of modern undersea mapping systems and navigation in the vast region of the Aleutians.
Reynolds says the mapping effort will yield insights into the geology of the Aleutian Islands, as well as provide clues to how volcanoes continue to alter the seafloor throughout the region.
Reynolds and her colleagues suspected that this feature was a volcano following a biological exploration dive that occurred during summer 2002. NMFS scientists Jon Heifetz and Bob Stone used the Delta, a manned submersible, to dive on the site during a search for deep-sea coral habitat. They noted the existence of a “volcanic pinnacle” made of black lava. Later, Reynolds, whose research expertise is in submarine volcanism, confirmed that it was a new volcano in the Aleutian volcanic arc.
Reynolds is consulting Aleut language experts to find an appropriate official name for the volcano.
1 August 2003
MAP— Seafood industry expert Liz Brown began work July 1 as the new Marine Advisory
Program agent in Dillingham, Alaska. The Marine Advisory Program is the statewide
community extension service of the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries
and Ocean Sciences.
July 8, 2003
The Bluefin Odyssey III visits Alaska's Cook Inlet
The Bluefin Odyssey III AUV is approximately 22 inches in diameter and 11 feet long and is rated to explore the ocean depths to 3,000 meters. The West Coast and Polar Regions Undersea Research Center provided a developmental grant to Dr. Scott Pegau of the Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve to bring the AUV to Kachemak Bay for field testing in preparation for planned future studies.
The Bluefin Odyssey III is configured in three one-meter sections. The center section houses the instrument payload designed for the specific mission. In this configuration, the Bluefin Odyssey III is outfitted with equipment to map surface currents in Lower Cook Inlet's Kachemak Bay.
Two, one-kilowatt batteries power the Bluefin Odyssey III, allowing for eight hours
of operation while running at three knots before needing to be recharged. Additional
batteries can be installed if necessary.
(Photos by Dave Doudna, WCPRURC).
June 3, 200
CFOS administrator elected to international association postFairbanks, Alaska—Tania Clucas, CFOS Sponsored Programs Manager, was recently elected to serve as Secretary and Treasurer of the Western Section of the Society of Research Administrators International through 2004. She also will serve as the Western Section representative to the Society's International Development and Finance Committee.
The Society of Research Administrators International is a non-profit association of over 3,000 members dedicated to the education and professional development of research administrators.
June 3, 2003
From: Anchorage Daily News, 24 May
Faith has been sighted. Not just detected by orbiting satellite but seen in upper Lynn Canal south of Haines with human eyes. And apparently behaving normally.
The person who saw Faith is Jamie Womble, a graduate student in the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Womble is spending her time these days in Southeast Alaska studying sea lions.
At midday Monday, Womble and others were in a boat using binoculars and a telephoto camera lens to glass the sea lions hauled out along the shores of Lynn Canal.
Faith was easy to recognize, Womble said, because of the creature's distinct transmitter attached to the top of her head.
"It was definitely her," she said. She took photographs and sent them to the Alaska SeaLife Center.
The sighting took place a few hundred yards north of Gran Point, a primary haulout for the sea lions and near the spot where Faith was released more than three weeks ago.
Faith was on the rocks. Other sea lions were nearby but not next to it, according to Womble.
"She was just doing what sea lions do, in the daytime — hauled out on a rock," she said. "As far as I could tell, she looked good."
Russ Andrews, a sea lion specialist at the SeaLife Center, found Womble's report "really encouraging" because Faith is apparently feeding, he said.
"She didn't look skinny," Andrews said. His only concern was that Faith was sitting by itself, some 150 feet from the nearest sea lion, when the animals commonly haul out nearly on top of each other.
Could be, Andrews said, that Faith is still not comfortable with some of the big male sea lions in its neighborhood.
Biologists are keeping close watch on Faith, the Steller sea lion that was stranded as a pup, rescued and released April 29 after nearly 11 months of rehabilitation at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward. Faith is wearing special transmitter "tags" that allow scientists, through orbiting satellites, to monitor its movements and whereabouts.
Through the biologists, the Daily News will track Faith's progress as the sea lion adapts to its new world, and publish periodic updates.
UA scientist named to Arctic Research Commission
2 June
Sea Grant— President Bush announced the appointment of Alaska Sea Grant associate
director Susan Sugai to the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, which recommends national
Arctic research policy.
May 13, 2003
Buoys Track Cook Inlet CurrentsCOOK INLET, Alaska—Navigating Alaska's Cook Inlet might seem a fairly easy task. After all, the inlet
is more than 20 miles wide in places. But looks are deceiving. Lying in wait to make
life difficult and sometimes deadly for fishermen, cargo ship captains and offshore
oil and gas platform operators is a mix of swift currents, whirlpools, and sandbars
that seem to come and go. And that's just in the summer. During winter, add to the
mix hazards like pack ice that at best slows ship traffic and at worst closes the
inlet to vessels entirely.
And then there are notorious tides that periodically raise and lower the inlet's water
level by nearly 40 feet. That kind of fluctuation makes Cook Inlet second only to
Nova Scotia's Bay of Fundy.
Into this chaotic marine world scientists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
recently placed three specially equipped research buoys. The buoys will drift throughout
the summer with the inlet's currents and tides as part of a three-year study to understand
how these powerful forces affect sea ice and sediments in the region. The three buoys
were released northeast of Kalgin Island, within the inlet's narrows, in early April
with the help of Cook Inlet Spill Prevention and Response, Inc.
Mark Johnson, oceanographer at the UAF Institute of Marine Science, said the buoys
and images recorded by orbiting satellites will help him and his colleagues create
accurate computer models of the inlet to better understand these interactions. The
study is funded by the federal Minerals Management Service through the Coastal Marine
Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
"With 2-D and 3-D ice-ocean computer models, we will be able to simulate tidal rips,
wind-driven and thermohaline circulation in Cook Inlet," said Johnson. "The bouys
drifting with currents in the inlet will provide the real-world data we need to verify
how well these models work."
Over the study's three years, Johnson and his colleagues will deploy about 45 beachball-size
buoys into the inlet and track them as they drift. The researchers will recover the
buoys each fall, or after they run aground or drift into the Gulf of Alaska. Throughout
the winter, scientists will monitor currents using satellites that track ice movement
in the inlet.
UAF researcher Steve Okkonen said computer models are widely used tools that in this
case will help scientists better understand how Cook Inlet currents distribute sediment
and impact ice. Such a model is needed for Cook Inlet as ship traffic, as well as
oil and gas exploration, increase in the waterway. Okkonen said better models that
predict where the huge amounts of sediment that flow from rivers into the inlet each
summer will end up also is important to the placement of undersea power cables, telecommunications
and oil and gas pipelines.
Mark Johnson recently returned from a year-long sabbatical as The Office of Naval
Research Arctic Chair in Polar Marine Science at the U.S Naval Postgraduate School
in Monterey, California.
Editors Note: Following the distribution of this news release, we learned that Cook Inlet does not experience the second most dramatic tidal change in North America. Our information came from the Alaska Almanac, but it is incorrect. According to the National Ocean Service, the top six locations for largest average tidal ranges are within the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia, Canada. Alaska's Turnagain Arm in Upper Cook Inlet ranked number 12 while the Port of Anchorage ranked number 33.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 17, 2003
FAIRBANKS, Alaska—CFOS graduate Anne Knowlton will teach marine biology as part of the Alaska Summer
Research Academy summer camp program, hosted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks
College of Science, Engineering and Mathematics.
The camp draws top-notch instructors from UAF, such as the Geophysical Institute,
the Institute of Northern Engineering, the International Arctic Research Center and
the Institute of Marine Science, as well as professors from other universities, community
professionals and graduate students.
Knowlton will begin her marine biology class in Seward's Resurrection Bay and end
it at the CFOS-operated Kasitsna Bay Laboratory on the south-shore of Kachemak Bay
near Homer. Students will sample plankton species on sand, gravel and mud beaches,
noting the types and number of species and their distribution at each site to compare
planktonic species between Kachemak Bay and Resurrection Bay.
"This is for students looking for a more in-depth experience with real science in
a real situation," Knowlton said. "It's hands-on science."
Ann Knowlton graduated recently with a doctorate degree in marine biology from the
UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
The Alaska Summer Research Academy also offers opportunities in chemistry, forensics,
geology, psychology, veterinary medicine, robotics, Web development and computer programming,
as well as units in civil, electrical, mechanical and resource development engineering.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 8, 2003
Contact: Dr. Brenda Konar, UAF Assistant Professor of Marine Science, 907-474-5028;
and Dr. Katrin Iken, UAF Assistant Professor of Marine Biology, 907-474-5192.
FAIRBANKS, Alaska—Scientists have long believed that biodiversity decreases as you move toward the poles. But that assumption is proving incorrect as scientists make new discoveries in the Arctic and Antarctic. Beginning this Friday, marine researchers from throughout the Circumpolar North will gather in Fairbanks to discuss the present state of scientific knowledge of marine life in the Arctic Ocean and adjacent Bering Sea.
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is sponsoring the April 11–14 Census of Marine Life workshop that will draw participants from Canada, Denmark, England, Germany, Japan, Norway, Russia, Scotland, and the United States. The Census of Marine Life is a major international research program that studies the diversity, distribution, and abundance of marine organisms throughout the world's oceans.
The meeting will be held beginning at 9 a.m. each day in conference room 401 of the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) building on the UAF campus West Ridge.
Marine scientists Katrin Iken and Brenda Konar of the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences are organizing the workshop, and are currently involved in a multi-year Census of Marine Life survey of marine biodiversity from the Arctic to the Antarctic.
"A key focus of this workshop is to determine what is already known about the Arctic Ocean and Bering Sea, as well as what is yet unknown and what may be unknowable," Konar said.
During the workshop researchers will discuss an international effort to conduct a survey of species biodiversity across the Arctic Ocean.
"We hope that one of the major outcomes of the workshop will be an international proposal to conduct coordinated and shared research to inventory life in the Arctic Ocean," Iken said.
Konar and Iken said that an Arctic Ocean survey could provide substantial evidence to support the belief that marine biodiversity is much greater than once thought in high latitudes. The survey also would help to better understand the long-term impact of climatic changes on marine communities.
Organizers also hope to further develop plans to conduct a series of short nearshore biodiversity surveys around the Bering Sea. The nearshore program is called NaGISA, which is the Japanese word that describes the narrow zone where the land impacts the sea. NaGISA is a research effort funded by the Census of Marine Life. The Bering Sea surveys will provide valuable information about species distribution patterns, current and future range extensions of key species, and the presence and significance of biogeographical breaks, or locations where species composition and diversity change suddenly.
Reporters Note: This meeting will be held in conference room 401 of the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) building on the UAF campus West Ridge. Some of the meetings occur over the weekend, a time when building entrances are normally locked. Journalists wish to attend these meetings are asked to enter the building through the main front public entrance at 9am on Saturday and Sunday.
April 2, 2003
Contact: Brenda Konar, University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean
Sciences, 907-474-5028.
More than 30 participate in scientific diving training
Kasitsna Bay, Alaska—This year's Scientific Diving class culminated March 15-23 with more than 30 scuba divers converging on the CFOS Kasitsna Bay Laboratory just outside Seldovia. During the week-long excursion, 25 beginning and five advanced scientific divers practiced the basics of scientific diving, including compass navigation and biological transects. Students also conducted rigorous training drills in swimming, ocean rescue, CPR, and first aid. The class is taught by Dr. Brenda Konar, GURU/NURC. Mitch Osborne and Janine Jarvis from Test The Waters Dive Center in Fairbanks serve as co-instructors. CFOS graduate student Heloise Chenelot served as the class teaching assistant.
Students passing the class become science divers-in-training under guidelines set by the American Academy of Underwater Sciences. During the week, divers logged more than 550 daytime and nighttime dives in the 37-degree water to complete their training. Divers reported seeing an abundance of marine life, including a variety of fish, invertebrates, octopus and even Steller sea lions.
Beginning students also participated in several "practice" research projects, such as the study of short term movement patterns of the sunflower sea star Pycnopodia, determining the effects of tidal height on the distribution Pycnopodia, and examining the effect of light on the distribution of macroalgae on pier pilings. A 24-hour movement study on the black chiton, Katharina was also completed. Since the class began in 2000, Konar has instructed and certified more than 67 scientific divers. Many of these divers have gone on to conduct underwater research of their own, or assisted others in their underwater studies.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 28, 2003
Contact: Phyllis Shoemaker, Alaska Coordinator, National Ocean Sciences Bowl, University
of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, 907-224-4312.
SEWARD, Alaska— High school students from Juneau took first and second place overall in the sixth annual Alaska Region National Ocean Sciences Bowl. The competition to see who knows the most about Alaska's marine environment was held February 21–23 in Seward.
In all, 14 teams represented 12 schools from across the state in competition that featured a rapid-fire question and answer ocean knowledge quiz along with presentation of research projects. "Team Tempest" from Juneau-Douglas High School took first place overall in this combined competition. They were followed by Juneau's "Team Avalanche." Chugiak High School's "Team Mad Mad Mad Mollusks" took third place overall.
As the overall first place winner, Team Tempest will represent Alaska in the U.S. National Ocean Sciences Bowl Finals, April 25–28 in La Jolla, California. The team's students also received one-year tuition waivers to the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
In the individual competitions, Kodiak High School's team, "Perspicacious Pinnipeds," took first place in the knowledge quiz. Chugiak came in second in the quiz, while Juneau's team "Avalanche" finished third. First place Kodiak team members received one-year tuition waivers from the University of Alaska Southeast.
The three-day event also featured a juried art show. Heather Harris of Juneau won "Best of Show" with her textile/mixed media wearable art titled "Fishing for the Perfect Man." Harris' entry was a handmade dress laden with fishing lures and beer bottle caps.
For additional competition and art show category results, visit the Alaska Region National Ocean Sciences Bowl website.
Teams from Anchorage, Bethel, Chugiak, Homer, Juneau, Kodiak, Kotzebue, Mat-Su, Selewik, Seward, and Soldotna took part in the 2003 Alaska Region National Ocean Sciences Bowl.
The Alaska regional competition was sponsored by the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, with additional support from the Alaska Sea Grant College Program. Additional assistance comes from the University of Alaska President's Special Projects Fund, the Pollock Conservation Cooperative Research Center, The University of Alaska Marine Advisory Program, Alaska SeaLife Center, Marine Conservation Alliance, Oceana, KAKM-TV, Kenai Fjord Tours, Glosten, Inc., Totem Ocean Trailer Express, and Icicle Seafoods Seward Fisheries, among others.
The National Ocean Sciences Bowl is sponsored by the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (CORE) in partnership with the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 17, 2003
Contact: Phyllis Shoemaker, Alaska Coordinator, National Ocean Sciences Bowl, University
of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, 907-224-4312.
Alaska high school students gather in Seward for regional National Ocean Sciences Bowl
SEWARD, Alaska— Seward will host 12 schools from across the state February 21–23 in the sixth annual Alaska Region National Ocean Sciences Bowl. Some 15 teams of high school students will compete for prizes and the honor of representing Alaska in the national finals in April.
The Alaska Region National Ocean Sciences Bowl pits high school teams against one another in a test of knowledge of marine science terms, topics and issues in a fast-paced, tournament-style competition. Teams also present a research project during the three-day competition. This year's project requires students to develop a novel plan for addressing problems facing an Alaska coastal community and the ecosystem supporting that community. The winning team will compete in the National Ocean Sciences Bowl finals April 25–28 in La Jolla, California.
The Alaska teams are from Anchorage, Bethel, Chugiak, Homer, Juneau, Kodiak, Kotzebue, the Northwest Arctic School District, Palmer, Seward and Soldotna.
The Alaska regional competition is sponsored by the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, with additional support from the Alaska Sea Grant College Program. Financial and in-kind assistance comes from the Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska SeaLife Center, Kenai Fjord Tours, Glosten, Inc., Totem Ocean Trailer Express, and Icicle Seafoods Seward Fisheries.
The National Ocean Sciences Bowl is sponsored by the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (CORE) in partnership with the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA).
For more information about the competition, contact Phyllis Shoemaker, Alaska Coordinator, National Ocean Sciences Bowl, University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, 907-224-4312,
Brian Allee to head Alaska Sea Grant College Program
14 February 2003
Sea Grant— The former director of Alaska's salmon hatchery system has been hired as the new director of Alaska Sea Grant. As director, Allee will be responsible for overall program strategic planning and program development, implementation and monitoring.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
11 December 2002
Contact: Dr. Brenda Konar, UAF Assistant Professor of Marine Science, 907-474-5028
and Dr. Katrin Iken, UAF Assistant Professor of Marine Biology, 907-474-5192.
FAIRBANKS, Alaska— Roughly translated, nagisa is a Japanese word that describes the narrow zone where land impacts the sea.
NaGISA also is the name of a new international research effort to inventory the diversity of marine life along the world's coasts, including Alaska's vast coastline.
The Census of Marine Life is funding the NaGISA program, which stands for Natural Geography In Shore Areas. The Census of Marine Life is a ten-year $100 million program to assess the diversity, distribution and abundance of marine organisms in the world's oceans. In addition to NaGISA, the Center is funding research aimed at inventorying marine species in the deep oceans.
Recently, the Census of Marine Life selected the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS) as headquarters for the NaGISA program's Eastern Pacific efforts.
The Alaska center will coordinate an Arctic to Antarctic survey of nearshore species diversity. The "pole-to-pole" assessment will be done with the help of scientists from Canada, the United States, Mexico and South America. Researchers at Kyoto University's Seto Marine Biological Laboratory in Japan will coordinate a similar marine survey around the Equator.
CFOS researchers Dr. Katrin Iken and Dr. Brenda Konar will lead the Alaska research for the NaGISA program. Iken and Konar received a share of a $310,000 grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to conduct planning efforts related to the surveys, and to solicit collaborators. Part of the grant went to help establish the Kyoto University center. Funding to conduct fieldwork in Alaska is being provided by a two-year $480,000 grant from the Gulf Ecosystem Monitoring Program (GEM), a long-term monitoring program established by the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council.
"The nearshore environment is important to more fully understand because this is the area that people interact with most, and impact the most," said Katrin Iken. "There are a lot of species we don't know about that live in nearshore habitats. This project will help us to better understand just how diverse our coastal waters are, because species diversity is often a good indicator of environmental health."
The global surveys will use standardized methods and protocols so that results can be discussed and compared by researchers doing the same work in other parts of the world.
"Biodiversity studies have been done in the past," said Konar, "But global comparisons cannot be made because widely varying methods were used. That's the unique and important element of these new efforts. We will all use the same protocols, so our results can be compared and discussed."
Konar and Iken will begin field surveys along Alaska's coastline next summer. The GEM-funded studies will catalog nearshore marine life in Alaska's Kachemak Bay, Kodiak Island and Prince William Sound. Future work with other funding agencies will survey coastal biodiversity in the Beaufort Sea, the Aleutian Islands and Antarctica.
The Census of Marine Life is a program within the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (CORE). CORE is a Washington, D.C., based association of U.S. oceanographic research institutions, universities, laboratories and aquaria. Its 68 members represent the nucleus of U.S. research and education about the ocean.
Funding for the Census of Marine Life comes primarily from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the National Oceanographic Partnership Program, the Office of Naval Research, the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
7 November 2002
CFOS— The annual showdown where Alaska high school students strut their knowledge
of the ocean has attracted teams from 17 schools across the state. That's more than
double number of schools that competed last year. But signing up for the event is
the easy part. The teams must now raise enough money to travel to the statewide competition
in Seward in February.
12 June 2002
CFOS research in Alaska magazine
The July 2002 issue of Alaska magazine features a cover story about the decline of
Alaska's Steller sea lions and researcher's efforts to understand and perhaps reverse
the decline. The article features several CFOS scientists including Kate Wynne, Mike
Castellini, Amy Hirons, Brenda Konar, Bob Foy, Loren Buck, Alan Springer, as well
as researchers from Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and the National Marine Fisheries
Service.
The article was written by Doug Schneider, science writer at Alaska Sea Grant. This is his second feature for Alaska magazine. An article on climate change impacts on Alaska appeared in the October 2001 issue.
11 June 2002
New associate dean arrives
Dr. Charles Hocutt has taken up his new position as Associate Dean of the College
of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, returning to the United States from work abroad in
Namibia. Dr. Hocutt replaces the recently retired Professor Emeritus Al Tyler.
Dr. Hocutt earned his Ph.D. at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. In the last ten years, he has been a professor at the University of Maryland and at Salisbury State College. Dr. Hocutt has also worked in administration as Director of the Coastal Ecology Research Laboratory at UM and, most recently, as the CEO of the Benguela Environment Fisheries Interaction and Training (BENEFIT) Programme in Swakopmund, Namibia.
28 May 2002
Alaska Sea Grant— The 20th Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium starts tomorrow in
Juneau Alaska. The theme of the 3-day conference is "Genetics of Subpolar Fish and
Invertebrates." For more information, visit the Alaska Sea Grant website.
17 April 2002
Alaska Sea Grant— Sea Grant research published in the journal Nature suggests salmon
booms in Alaska once lasted centuries. The downside? The busts lasted centuries, too.
MEDIA ADVISORY 25 February 2002
Contact: Phyllis Shoemaker, National Ocean Sciences Bowl Alaska Coordinator, University
of Alaska Fairbanks, Institute of Marine Science, Seward Marine Center, 907-224-5261.
SEWARD, Alaska— Four students from Kodiak High School defeated a formidable array of opponents from around the state to win the 2002 Alaska Ocean Sciences Bowl, held in Seward, Alaska, over the weekend.
Ten high school teams comprising nearly 50 students from urban communities like Anchorage and rural villages like Kotzebue came to Seward with hopes of winning the state's Fifth Annual National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) Alaska regional competition.
The three-day academic challenge began February 22 in Seward, Alaska.
The event tested students' knowledge of marine science terms, topics and issues in a fast-paced, tournament-style competition. Teams also presented a research project during the three-day competition. In this year's competition, teams evaluated an Alaska wildlife species under human and/or environmental pressure and developed a plan for the species' recovery that considered impacts to local communities.
Kodiak scored the most points, 98 out of 100, in these combined events to become the winner of the Alaska Regional NOSB competition. Kodiak team members received a host of prizes that include free first-year tuition at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The Kodiak team will join 21 other teams from around the country in the NOSB Finals, April 26-29, 2002, in Providence, Rhode Island.
Kodiak beat the state's best teams from Eagle River, Seward, Soldotna (two teams), Cordova, Anchorage, Kotzebue and Ninilchik (two teams).
The Alaska regional competition is sponsored by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, with additional support from the Alaska Sea Grant College Program. Another major sponsor is the Ocean Alaska Science Learning Center, a cooperative effort of Kenai Fjords National Park and the Alaska Sea Life Center. The National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) is sponsored by the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (CORE) in partnership with the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA).
Kodiak High School Team Roster
Craig Baker, coach
Matt Van Daele
Devin Boyer
John Van Atta
Shawn Biessel
Arthur Becker, alternate
Students also participated in a competition of creativity, in the form of a juried art show. Entries depicted marine subjects. Emily Berezin, a 10th grade student at Skyview High School in Soldotna, won "Best of Show" for her mixed-media entry. Awards and prizes also were given for for First, Second and Third place in three categories: Two-Dimensional (painting, drawing, and photography); Three-Dimensional (sculpture, pottery, jewelry); and Mixed Media (fiber, collage etc.).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 15 February 2002
Contact: Phyllis Shoemaker, National Ocean Sciences Bowl Alaska Coordinator, University
of Alaska Fairbanks, Institute of Marine Science, Seward Marine Center, 907-224-5261.
SEWARD, Alaska— Teams of students from high schools across the state will gather here February 22–24 for a chance to win college tuition. All they have to do is know a lot about the state's oceans.
Fifty of the state's brightest students from high schools representing urban communities like Anchorage, and rural villages like Kotzebue, will compete in the state's Fifth Annual National Ocean Sciences Bowl Alaska regional competition.
The winning team in the three-day event will represent Alaska in the National Ocean Sciences Bowl to be held in April 26–29, 2002, in Providence, Rhode Island.
The Alaska event includes a fast-paced, tournament-style competition designed to challenge and recognize students' knowledge of marine science terms, topics and issues. Teams also prepare and present a research project during the three-day competition. In this year's competition, teams must evaluate an Alaska wildlife species under human and/or environmental pressure and develop a plan for the species' recovery that considers impacts to local communities.
The team with the most points in these combined events will become the winner of the Alaska Regional NOSB competition. Besides receiving free first-year tuition at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the winning team will join 19 other teams from around the country to compete in the NOSB National Finals. Last year, a team from Juneau-Douglas High School won the Alaska competition and competed in the national finals.
This year's Alaska high school teams come from Eagle River, Seward, Soldotna (three teams), Cordova, Anchorage, Kodiak, Kotzebue and Ninilchik. Teams consist of five high school students and a coach who is typically a math or science teacher.
The Alaska regional competition is sponsored by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, with additional support from the Alaska Sea Grant College Program. Another major sponsor is the Ocean Alaska Science Learning Center, a cooperative effort of Kenai Fjords National Park and the Alaska SeaLife Center.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 17 January 2002
Contact: Phyllis Shoemaker, National Ocean Sciences Bowl Alaska Coordinator, University
of Alaska Fairbanks, Institute of Marine Science, Seward Marine Center, 907-224-5261.
SEWARD, Alaska— Students from high schools across the state are busy cramming for a major test. But it's not to pass the high school graduation exam, or even to get into college. No, this test is far more important.
In just a few short weeks, 50 of the state's brightest students will gather here to pit their knowledge of the oceans and Alaska's marine ecosystems in a battle to see who among them will represent Alaska in the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) to be held in April.
So far, ten high school teams, some 50 students representing urban communities like Anchorage and rural villages like Kotzebue, have signed on to compete in the state's Fifth Annual National Ocean Sciences Bowl Alaska regional competition. The three-day academic challenge begins February 22 in Seward, Alaska.
The event includes a fast-paced, tournament-style competition designed to challenge and recognize students' knowledge of marine science terms, topics and issues.
Teams also prepare and present a research project during the three-day competition. In this year's competition, teams must evaluate an Alaska wildlife species under human and/or environmental pressure and develop a plan for the species' recovery that considers impacts to local communities.
The team with the most points in these combined events will become the winner of the Alaska Regional NOSB competition. Beside receiving a host of prizes that include free first-year tuition at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the winning team will join 19 other teams from around the country to compete in the NOSB National Finals April 26–29, 2002, in Providence, Rhode Island.
Last year, a team from Juneau-Douglas High School won the Alaska competition and competed in the national finals.
This year's Alaska high school teams come from Eagle River, Seward, Soldotna (three teams), Cordova, Anchorage, Kodiak, Kotzebue and Ninilchik. Teams consist of five high school students and a coach who is typically a math or science teacher.
Also occurring during the academic contest is a competition of creativity in the form of a juried art show. Entries must depict marine subjects. Awards and prizes for Best of Show, First, Second and Third place will be given in three categories: Two-Dimensional (painting, drawing, and photography); Three-Dimensional (sculpture, pottery, jewelry); and Mixed Media (fiber, collage etc.).
Teams will give oral presentations about their projects Friday, February 22, at the Seward Marine Center's K.M. Rae Building. The quiz competition will take place Saturday and Sunday, February 23–24, at Seward High School.
The National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) is sponsored by the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (CORE) in partnership with the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA). The Alaska regional competition is sponsored by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, with additional support from the Alaska Sea Grant College Program. Another major sponsor is the Ocean Alaska Science Learning Center, a cooperative effort of Kenai Fjords National Park and the Alaska Sea Life Center.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10 January 2002
Contact: Ruth Post, Project Coordinator, University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of
Fisheries and Ocean Sciences at 907-474-6782.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska— Some of the world’s largest runs of sockeye salmon get their start in the lakes and rivers that empty into Alaska’s Bristol Bay. Yet no one really knows where these salmon go, what they eat, or what eats them once they leave the relative safety of freshwater for the open ocean.
Stephen Jewett, a fisheries scientist from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), hopes to change all that with funding from, of all places, the pollock fishing industry.
"It's been 30 years since anyone has really looked at the most critical period for sockeye salmon smolt (juvenile), and that is when they first enter the ocean," Jewett said. "With declining salmon production in the bay, we've launched a multi-year study to determine what are the major ocean habitat preferences of out-migrating sockeye salmon. Do they have temperature or salinity preferences, or do they just scatter when they come out of the rivers? What are they eating? What's eating them? Can we identify any aspect of their early marine life that may be limiting them?"
Jewett is among 14 scientists funded by the Pollock Conservation Cooperative (PCC) Research Center, a partnership between Alaska’s commercial pollock fishing industry and the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. Scientists will present results of the center’s first two years of research at a meeting in Anchorage January 14–15. The meeting will take place at the University of Alaska Anchorage Student Commons, located off Bragaw Street in Anchorage, Alaska.
Presenters will include researchers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, University
of Alaska Anchorage, Alaska SeaLife Center, Texas A&M University, University of British
Columbia (UBC), University of Washington, and Prince William Sound Science Center.
Since its inception in 2000, the PCC Research Center’s top priority has been to learn
more about the Bering Sea ecosystem that supports abundant commercial fish stocks
amid declining marine mammal, forage fish, and seabird populations. The center’s funding
is aimed at understanding issues such as climate change and regime shifts, the impact
of commercial fishing and bycatch, and the recovery of species including the Steller
sea lion.
Among the researchers is UAF fisheries scientist Bob Foy, who will discuss the seasonal quality of prey found near sea lion haul-outs around Kodiak Island. Shannon Atkinson, science director at the Alaska SeaLife Center, will discuss her studies of metabolic hormone levels in Steller sea lions suffering from malnutrition. The study is expected to help scientists develop a medical index to measure the overall health of sea lions.
UAF scientist Tony Gharrett will present his genetic research on the origins of chinook salmon caught accidentally by the pollock fleet, while UBC researcher Andrew Trites will discuss the extent of competition between Steller sea lions and commercial fisheries. UAA fisheries economist Gunnar Knapp will discuss markets for U.S. pollock catches. A complete agenda of speakers and topics is available.
The PCC Research Center’s industry partners, seven companies that operate pollock catcher-processor vessels in Alaska, have contributed nearly $2 million toward education and scientific and economic research since the center was established at the UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences in February 2000.
Industry supporters are Alaska Ocean Seafood Inc., American Seafoods Co., Arctic Storm Inc., Glacier Fish Co., Highland Light Seafoods, Starbound Limited Partnership and Trident Seafoods.
The PCC Research Center seeks to improve knowledge about the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea through research and education, focusing on the fisheries of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. The Center provides grants and fellowships to faculty and graduate students for research on the fisheries, fish, and other species of the North Pacific and Bering Sea with an emphasis on pollock, other ground fish species, the fisheries for these species, and on Steller sea lions. It also provides funds for marine resource economics studies, technical training, and equipment.
21 December 2001
UAF —Officials at the University of Alaska Fairbanks have signed an agreement with
the Russian Academy of Sciences to establish a marine science training and education
laboratory in the Russian Far East city of Vladivostok. See the press release from
UAF.
15 November 2001
Fisheries Division —The AP reported that a fisheries building at Lena Point is the
UA regents' top new construction project priority. Some background information on
the proposed facility is available on the National Marine Fisheries Service website.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 8 November 2001
Contact: Dr. William Smoker, Director, Fisheries Division, College of Fisheries and
Ocean Sciences, 907-465-6444
CFOS-2001/NR005
JUNEAU, Alaska— Salmon hatcheries in Alaska's Prince William Sound have not contributed to the decline in the region's wild salmon stocks, according to a group of state, University of Alaska and federal biologists.
In an article recently published in the Transactions of the American Fisheries Society (Volume 130 pp 712–720), four veteran Alaska salmon biologists show that recent wild salmon declines in the sound are not easily attributed to hatchery production.
Authors of the article are: Alex Wertheimer and William Heard of the U.S. NOAA Fisheries Auke Bay Laboratory, William Smoker of the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, and Timothy Joyce of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Cordova Alaska.
Transactions is the premier peer-refereed science journal of North America's fisheries science profession.
The authors analyzed historical salmon catch data to show that after hatcheries became important, total salmon production in Prince William Sound has increased to a greater degree than it has in other regions, indicating a large benefit from hatcheries for the harvest. They show that even after recent declines since the mid-1980s, the productivity of wild stocks in Prince William Sound remained among the highest in Alaska.
The sound's salmon hatcheries have added 18–23 million salmon to the annual harvest of wild salmon caught each year in the 1990s, the researchers said.
The researchers found that apparent declines of wild pink salmon spawning stocks after 1990 were not caused by ecological displacement by hatchery salmon. Instead the declines were related to increasing accuracy of fishery managers who each year control the fishery so as to allow enough spawners to reach the spawning streams. In early years the managers tended to err on the cautious side, closing the fishery and allowing more fish into the streams than their 'escapement goal' required. In recent years, with better techniques, managers have been able to increase the harvest while still meeting the escapement goal. The apparent decrease of escapement counts is a in large part a consequence of more and more accurate management.
They found that while it is possible that declines of marine survival of pink salmon fry in Prince William Sound could have been a consequence of ecological interactions with fry produced by hatcheries, it is more likely that changes of food supply or of predators have been responsible.
Their findings refute research done by other scientists that found that hatchery-produced salmon have essentially replaced the sound's wild stocks.
For more information
Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 129:333–350, 2000. Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2000. A Review of the Hatchery Programs for Pink Salmon in Prince William Sound and Kodiak Island, Alaska.
Download PDF (612K); presented by permission of the American Fisheries Society
Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 130:712–720, 2001. Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2001. COMMENTS Comment: A Review of the Hatchery Programs for Pink Salmon in Prince William Sound and Kodiak Island, Alaska.
Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 130:720–724, 2001. Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2001. COMMENTS A Review of the Hatchery Programs for Pink Salmon in Prince William Sound and Kodiak Island, Alaska: Response to Comment.
Download PDF (contains both articles, 120K); presented by permission of the American Fisheries Society
1 November 2001
A Sea Grant news release.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4 October 2001
Contact: Doug Schneider, Information Officer, 907-474-7449, Ray Highsmith, Director,
West Coast and Polar Regions National Undersea Research Center, 907-474-7836, or Jennifer
Reynolds, Science Director, 907-474-5871,
CFOS-2001/NR003
SEATTLE, Washington— Two years ago Alvin, the deep-diving submersible that found the Titanic, was in Alaska, plumbing the ocean depths off Kodiak Island. While it didn't find any sunken ocean liners, it observed deep-sea crabs, helped map undersea mountains and located methane seeps. But Alvin's biggest contribution may have been whetting the appetites of scientists to learn more about what may truly be Alaska's last frontier.
Scientists may get that chance as early as next summer, thanks to plans being made for Alvin's return to Alaska waters by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office of Ocean Exploration.
"The Ocean Exploration program is about going places we've never been before," said NOAA administrator Barbara Moore. "Alaska's ocean depths are largely unknown and unexplored."
In a two-day science workshop held last week in Seattle, Washington, 25 scientists from 19 universities and federal agencies discussed research and exploration ideas that would use the deep-submergence vehicle in Alaska waters. The meeting was sponsored by NOAA's West Coast and Polar Regions Undersea Research Center, based at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
"There is so much work that needs to be done that Alvin is coming back to Alaska," said Ray Highsmith, director of the undersea research center. Although the expedition is contingent on funding, Highsmith said Alvin and its mother ship, the 274-foot Atlantis, is scheduled to spend 26 days next summer exploring the western Gulf of Alaska. If all goes well, Alvin may return in 2003 to conduct further studies.
Alvin was first built in 1964 to withstand sea pressures down to 6,000 feet beneath the ocean surface. Several upgrades in the years since allow the submersible to dive to nearly 15,000 feet and stay for up to 10 hours collecting samples and taking photographs and video. That range enables Alvin to explore 68 percent of the world's ocean floor.
Scientists presented a range of ideas for research, including mapping of the deep-sea floor, geological studies of extinct undersea volcanoes, exploring for new species, the study of corals and crabs, and the ecology surrounding methane seeps.
Lisa Levin, an oceanographer at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in California, hopes to use the submersible to continue work she started in 1999, the only other time Alvin was used in Alaska. During those dives, Levin found unique marine communities that thrive around methane gas seeps on the sea floor some 10,000 feet beneath the surface.
"Every time we go to a new place, we find creatures that no one has seen before," said Levin. "This was true of our work in Alaska. I believe there will be more discoveries in these communities."
Tim White, a paleo-oceanographer at Pennsylvania State University and visiting researcher at the United States Geological Survey, believes sediments deposited on the ocean floor by the Alaska Coastal Current may hold clues to changes the North Pacific's climate.
Yet before research can begin, modern charts of the sea floor are necessary, said Jennifer Reynolds, science director with the undersea research center in Fairbanks.
"Few people have been to the deep ocean off Alaska," Reynolds told her colleagues at the meeting. "We don't have detailed sea floor charts for the Gulf of Alaska."
Making those maps using sophisticated sonar imaging systems aboard the Atlantis likely will be among the first tasks during next year's planned cruise. That, says, Scripps's Peter Lonsdale, would help him settle a long-standing scientific debate over what triggered a massive tsunami in 1946. The wave originated just off the coast of Unimak Island in the Aleutians, and sent a 150 foot wall of water crashing into Hilo, Hawaii, killing dozens of people. It went on to destroy huts on the coast of Antarctica. The wave was unusual because it was narrow and much bigger than expected for the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that is thought to have triggered it.
"There are scientists who think the wave was caused by a major undersea landslide following the quake," said Lonsdale. "But there are those of us who think it was something else. Knowing what caused this tsunami may tell us a lot about how future tsunamis may occur in this area."
Scientists also want to involve the public in Alvin's research. Ideas ranging from having an Alaska schoolteacher or student aboard, to developing an interactive Web site and teaching guides were discussed. Just what public outreach, as well as science, is ultimately funded will depend largely on the proposals submitted to the Office of Ocean Exploration. The deadline for proposals is November 7, 2001. For more information visit NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration.
Alvin's 2002 (tentative) Alaska Cruise ScheduleThe research vessel Atlantis, with Alvin safely tucked into its hanger, is expected to depart Astoria, Oregon, June 25. Following approximately five days transit to the Gulf of Alaska, the ship will begin 16 days of dives with Alvin. The Atlantis will then take about 5 days to return to Astoria.
Alvin FactsContinuously operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the original Alvin deep-submergence vehicle went into service in 1964, and was designed to operate at depths to 6,000 feet. Although the vehicle itself has undergone many conversions and changes designed to extend its operating depth, the name Alvin has stood the test of time. During its 37 years, the submersible has made more than 3,800 dives. Today, Alvin is certified by the U.S. Navy to dive to 4,500 meters or 14,764 feet. That's nearly three miles beneath the ocean surface. That range enables Alvin to explore 68 percent of the world's ocean floor.
9 February 2001
A UAF news release.
9 January 2001
A UAF news release details how UAF scientists are pursuing research on Steller sea
lion declines, commercial fishing impacts, and ecosystem changes, thanks to more than
$1 million donated by the pollock industry.
5 January 2001
A Sea Grant news release
19 December 2000
A Sea Grant news release.
26 October 2000
Sea Grant— Clues left by decaying salmon at the bottom of five Alaska lakes point
to climate change and overfishing as two causes of the state's boom and bust salmon
runs, according to a study by CFOS and Canadian researchers published in the journal
Science.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 1, 2000
Contact: Dave Partee, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, at (907) 474-2432.
CFOS-2000/NR004
CFOS Dean Vera Alexander talks salmon on KUAC's Alaska Edition
FAIRBANKS, Alaska—Where have all the salmon gone?
Vera Alexander was interviewed for KUAC's morning radio program Alaska Edition airing 1 September 2000. The topic was scientific research which might shed light on the low salmon runs experienced lately in Alaska and Canada.
Dr. Alexander touched on a number of issues including developmental remote tracking methods, recent unusual events in the Bering Sea, and the low salmon returns of the 1970s.
11 July 2000
A Sea Grant news release.
7 July 2000
A Sea Grant news release.
23 June 2000
A Sea Grant news release.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 22, 2000
Contact: Ann Trent, UAF Proposal Office, at (907) 474-7719, or Al Geist, College of
Fisheries and Ocean Sciences Academic Services
CFOS-2000/NR003
UAF subscribes to funding database
FAIRBANKS, Alaska— The UAF Proposal Office is subscribing to a new funding database called IRIS.
The Illinois Researcher Information Service (IRIS) is a unit of the University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign. IRIS offers the following services:
1. The IRIS Database contains over 8,000 active federal and private funding opportunities in the sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. The IRIS Database is accessible on the World-Wide-Web (WWW) at http://www.library.uiuc.edu/iris/. Users can search IRIS by agency, deadline dates, keyword, and other criteria. Most IRIS records contain live links to sponsor Web sites, electronic forms, or Electronic Research Administration (ERA) gateways, so getting started on a proposal can be just a mouse-click away.
2. The IRIS Alert Service is a WWW-based funding-alert service for faculty, staff and students. The alert service allows users at subscribing institutions to create personal IRIS search profiles. Researchers can select their preferred search frequency, delivery method (e-mail or WWW), and keywords. The program runs the researcher's profile against the IRIS database and delivers the search results automatically.
3. The IRIS Expertise Service enables faculty members and researchers to create detailed electronic CVs and post them to the Web for viewing by colleagues at other institutions, program officers at federal and private funding agencies, and private companies.
Contact the UAF Proposal Office at Room 207, Eielson Building, or by phone at 907-474-7719 or 907-474-5223, fax 907-474-6017. Send an e-mail to Ann Trent (fnamt1@uaf.edu) or Christina Baker (fncmb@uaf.edu).
Ann Trent
Information Coordinator - Proposal Office
University of Alaska Fairbanks
PO Box 757560
Fairbanks, AK 99775-7560
Phone (907)474-7719; FAX (907)474-6017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 12, 2000
Contact: Val Barber, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, at (907) 474-7899, or
Doug Schneider, Alaska Sea Grant College Program, at (907) 474-7449
CFOS-2000/NR002
Alaska forestry research set for global impact
FAIRBANKS, Alaska— Research completed by a doctoral student and two professors at the University of Alaska Fairbanks among the tall sentinels of white spruce guarding Interior Alaska may have an international impact on how scientists analyze climate change and predict the effects of global warming. Val Barber, a UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences paleoclimatology student whose research focuses on climate change during the last 12,000 or so years, spent the past four years analyzing data collected with forestry professor Glenn Juday and geological oceanographer Bruce Finney.
The trio took more than 260 samples from 20 different white spruce tree stands, ranging from the Yukon River to Tok. Barber, Juday and Finney's research was featured in the latest edition of Nature magazine, an internationally known science publication that covers the cutting edge of research and discovery.
The UAF scientists found that while temperatures in Interior Alaska are rising, precipitation has been leveling off, causing drought-like conditions for the white spruce and inhibiting their growth. Slower-growing trees mean scientists studying climate change will have a new perspective on how northern forests react to warmer global temperatures.
"When they do their models, they'll have to take this into account and start changing their predictions," Barber said.
Increased carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels and other sources during the past century has caused temperatures to increase significantly through a process known as the "Greenhouse Effect."
Until now, scientists have assumed that rising temperatures and longer summer seasons would cause northern trees to grow faster, thus increasing their capability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere. The Alaskan and Canadian boreal, or northern, forests have been considered a potential lifeboat during the climate change.
Scientists refer to the boreal forest in Alaska and northern Canada as a huge carbon "sink," or depository that captures and contains the growing amount of carbon released into the atmosphere, much like the rain forests in the Southern Hemisphere.
But the new study shows that just the opposite appears to be happening among stands of white spruce trees, Barber said. The longer summers and hotter days baking the Interior since the 1970s have left gardeners glowing, but trees groaning.
"If this limitation in growth due to drought stress is sustained, the future capacity of northern latitudes to sequester carbon may be less than currently expected," Barber explained in the Nature article.
Another problem, Juday said, is that stressed spruce trees are more susceptible to destruction by other organisms like fungal invasions and spruce budworm attacks. In addition, dried-out trees provide prime fuel for wildfires.
Destruction of the spruce trees would put even more carbon into the atmosphere, and might open up more room for hardwood competitors like quaking aspens and paper birch to grow where the white spruce once did.
"White spruce store more carbon than hardwoods like poplar and aspen because they are older," Barber said. "The younger trees live fewer years and grow faster, but with less capacity for storage."
White spruce, which grow in boreal forests that span across Alaska and Canada, typically reach 80 to 100 feet high and up to three feet in diameter. The tree's full, pyramidal shape makes it a popular choice for a Christmas tree with families throughout the state.
Commercially, white spruce is often used for pulpwood, lumber and furniture. It has also been used as sounding boards for pianos and violins.
Although drought conditions spell bad news for white spruce growth with possible repercussions to other species, there is some good news- spring seasons, like this year's in the Interior, that are loaded with precipitation.
"A rainy spring may be bad for people, but it's good for the white spruce," Finney said. "On whole, this is the best spring these trees have had in the past 20 years."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 13, 2000
Contact: College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, 907-474-7824, info@sfos.uaf.edu
CFOS-2000/NR001
New marine research center established at CFOS
[Editor's note, 29 June 2000—The amount of the donation, listed below as $255,500, has been recalculated and now stands at $400,000.]
FAIRBANKS, Alaska— The Pollock Conservation Cooperative, a fishing consortium comprised of companies that operate catchers/processors in the Bering Sea pollock fishery, is donating $255,500 to the University of Alaska Fairbanks this week to establish a new research center. Cooperative members will continue to contribute $1 million annually beginning this year for the PCC Research Center, a collaborative program for marine research and education in Alaska.
The initial donation will be presented to UAF Chancellor Marshall Lind during a noon luncheon Friday, April 14 at the Anchorage Hilton Hotel. The PCC Research Center will provide grants for UAF graduate students and faculty to research the fisheries, ecosystems and species of the North Pacific and Bering Sea. The center will be administered from the Fairbanks campus and also fund marine resource economic research, marine education, technical training and support research aboard university-owned marine research vessels.
"The center will enable scientists to carry out research benefiting current fishery management issues within an ecosystem context," according to UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences Dean Vera Alexander. "It will strengthen the curriculum for fisheries education, incorporating policy development and business concerns with a strong scientific and mathematical grounding."
PCC members include Alaska Ocean Seafood Inc., American Seafoods Co., Arctic Storm Inc., Glacier Fish Co., Highland Light Seafoods, Starbound Limited Partnership and Trident Seafoods.
30 March 2000
A Sea Grant news release.
23 March 2000
A Sea Grant news release.
16 March 2000
A Sea Grant news release.
7 March 2000
A Sea Grant news release.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 29, 2000
Contact: Judy McDonald, NOSB Coordinator, 907-224-5261
SG-2000/NR189
Is that your final answer? Juneau team wins second Alaska Ocean Sciences Bowl
SEWARD, Alaska—From the mouths of babes.
Over the years, and without much success, some of Alaska's brightest scientists and fisheries managers have searched for ways to break the state's boom and bust salmon runs. Five high school students from the remote Native village of White Mountain, Alaska, may have the best idea yet.
Cryogenics.
Sounds like science fiction, but White Mountain students were absolutely serious when they suggested it during the Alaska Ocean Sciences Bowl held February 12-13 in Seward, Alaska. Freeze the fertilized eggs of salmon during years of large runs, said the students, and use them to supplement salmon runs in years when returns are small. The novel solution helped them win the research project category of the two-day ocean knowledge competition.
"Brilliant!" enthused science judge Susan Inglis, a former Canadian fisheries policy analyst who is now the director of the Alaska SeaLife Center's research programs. "These kids could really be onto something. And to think those five come from a high school with only eighteen students."
White Mountain students were among 41 students from high schools across the state to go head-to-head in a science knowledge quiz game, research presentation and art show. The event, now in its third year, decides who represents Alaska at the National Ocean Sciences Bowl finals in Washington D.C. April 14-17. Teams this year came from White Mountain, Anchorage, Juneau, Seward, Unalakleet, Chugiak, and Soldotna.
Tsunami team repeats first place overall win
The event's second highlight was the fast-paced quiz-game that tested student knowledge of marine biology, fisheries science, oceanography, chemistry, geology, physics, social sciences and technology. After several grueling rounds of single-elimination play, Juneau's "Tsunami" team emerged victorious for the second straight year. Anchorage East High School took second place in the knowledge quiz.
Juneau's knowledge quiz victory and second place standing in the research project category was enough to claim first place overall. For the win, Juneau students received a free year of tuition at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and will travel to Washington D.C., to compete against 19 other regional teams in the National Ocean Sciences Bowl finals April 14-17. White Mountain's first place win in the research presentation and fourth place standing in the knowledge quiz was all they needed for a second place overall victory. For their performance, White Mountain students laid claim to one-year tuition waivers to the University of Alaska Southeast. Chugiak High School and Anchorage East High School took third place and fourth place respectively overall.
Almost cancelled
It was an event that almost didn't happen, says NOSB coordinator Judy McDonald of the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
"Avalanches that blocked the road to Seward for over a week forced us to move the date of the competition," McDonald said. "That caused lots of headaches for the teams. For awhile, we were really worried we'd have to cancel. I'm just so thankful we were able to go ahead with it."
Avalanches weren't the only obstacles students faced on the path to the state's official ocean sciences competition. White Mountain students sacrificed the chance to watch their home basketball team compete in a regional tournament, and they had trouble raising enough money to travel to Seward. Besides the logistical headaches, students from all the teams spent months studying and rehearsing for the competition.
Three high schools participated in the juried art competition, called Ocean Connection. Some 130 pieces were entered in the art show. Taking Best of Show was "Harmonic Symbiosis," an oil pastel painting of clown fish by Missa Braund-Allen from East Anchorage High School.
The National Ocean Sciences Bowl is sponsored by the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (CORE) in partnership with the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA). The Alaska regional competition is sponsored by the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, with additional support from the Alaska Sea Grant College Program.
For more details go to the National Ocean Sciences Bowl Alaska Region web site.
RESULTS
Overall Standings
First Place Overall (Students awarded one year tuition waivers from the University of Alaska Fairbanks):
Juneau-Douglas High School Tsunami Team
- Margie Housley
- Wesley Brooks
- Sommers Cole
- Josh Passer
- Coach: Clay Good
Second Place Overall (Students awarded one year tuition waivers from the University of Alaska Southeast):
White Mountain School Team
- Catherine Morris
- Yvonne Ashenfelter
- Ella Morris
- Jeenean Ferkinhoff
- Leslie Richards
- Coach: Jack Adams
Third Place Overall (Students awarded trip on UAF research vessel Alpha Helix in March):
Chugiak High School Team
- David Jonathon Breiler
- Zachary Pickett
- Monica Anderson
- Amy Van Cise
- Elizabeth Spalinger
- Coach: Andrew Sullivan
Fourth Place Overall: Anchorage East High School
Research Project and Oral Presentation
- First Place: White Mountain
- Second Place Juneau "Tsunami"
- Third Place: Chugiak
- Fourth Place: Seward "Resurrection"
Knowledge Quiz
- First Place: Juneau "Tsunami"
- Second Place: East Anchorage
- Third Place: Seward
- Fourth Place: White Mountain
Classroom awards to the coaches of the top 3 project winners:
- ( 1) Jack Adams; $1,000 from Alaska Sea Grant College Program
- ( 2) Clay Good; $300 from College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS) faculty and staff
- ( 3) Andrew Sullivan; $200 from CFOS faculty and staff
Mayor Bob Satin's Trophy to the team with the most points scored in a single round: Juneau "Tsunami" with 134 points in Round One
NOSB Ocean Connection Art Show
Entries are hanging in the Alaska SeaLife Center until February 28.
Best of Show: Missa Braund-Allen with "Harmonic Symbiosis" from East Anchorage
Art Teacher: Robert Wick awarded a drawing pen for computer graphics from the Alaska
Sea Grant College Program .
3-D:
(1) Carol Clausen—Seward, (2) Serena Sterrett—East Anchorage, (3) Andrea Knopik—Seward.
Honorable mention: Joslyn Perry—Seward.
2-D Color:
(1) Ben Clock—Seward, (2) Karie Schafer—Seward, (3) Stephanie Christian—Seward. Honorable
mentions: Ira Schaefer—Juneau, Daty Peterson—Seward, Nikki Sears—Seward.
2-D Black and White:
(1) Mary Meeks—Seward, (2) Mary Meeks—Seward, (3) Amy Fosket—Juneau. Honorable mentions:
Heather Bartlett—Seward, Amber St. Amand—Seward.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 2, 2000
Contact: Judy McDonald, NOSB Coordinator, 907-224-5261 Email: fnjm1@uaf.edu
SG-2000/NR188
Alaska's ocean sciences bowl rescheduled
Heavy snow strands team, equipment
SEWARD, Alaska — Organizers of the Alaska regional competition of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) have postponed the popular statewide high school marine knowledge quiz because of heavy snow and avalanches that block the only road to Seward, where the competition is to be held.
The marine sciences bowl has been rescheduled for February 12-13, 2000, in Seward.
Heavy snow also is preventing one of the Seward teams from returning home from Anchorage, where they are participating in other school-related activities.
Severe winter weather has delayed the delivery of the bowl's electronic buzzer system. The buzzers are stuck in Anchorage, along with caterers' supplies, t-shirts, prizes and the trophy to be presented to the winning team.
The Alaska marine science competition is only three years old, yet it draws students from across the state. Teams this year that will make the trip to Seward come from as far away as White Mountain, a small, a predominantly Native village in southwest Alaska. High schools in Anchorage, Unalakleet, Soldotna, Seward, and elsewhere also will compete to represent Alaska at the NOSB national finals in Washington, D.C., in mid-April.
At stake in the Alaska event are prizes including free tuition at the University of Alaska for the first and second place teams.
For more information about the Alaska event:
Alaska Tsunami Ocean Sciences Bowl
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 1, 2000
Contact: Judy McDonald, NOSB Coordinator, 907-224-5261 Email: fnjm1@uaf.edu
SG-2000/NR187
Alaska students vie for spot at National Ocean Sciences Bowl
Competition predicted fierce as Juneau defends state title
SEWARD, Alaska — The high school that won last year's statewide National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) is thinking "repeat."
Coach Clay Good led six students from Juneau-Douglas High School to victory last year, and hopes to do it again when this year's NOSB competition gets underway February 5-6 at Seward High School in Seward, Alaska. But they'll have some stiff competition from schools big and small across the state.
"This year we expect the competition to be especially tough because Juneau is out to hold onto its title and the other schools are looking to knock them off their perch," said organizer Judy McDonald of the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
The statewide marine science competition is only three years old, yet it draws students from across the state. Teams this year come from as far away as White Mountain, a small, predominantly Native village in southwest Alaska. High schools in Anchorage, Unalakleet, Soldotna, Seward, and elsewhere also will compete to represent Alaska at the NOSB national finals in Washington, D.C., in mid-April.
Also at stake are prizes including free tuition at the University of Alaska for the first- and second-place teams.
High schools participating in the NOSB have been invited to enter an art competition that has an ocean theme. Entrants in this juried art show will be on display during the two-day competition.
"The goal of this competition is to recognize and reward excellence among students interested in ocean studies," said McDonald. "It's also meant to encourage high school students, their teachers and parents to increase their knowledge of the oceans and to broaden awareness of the critical value of ocean research."
The quiz portion of the competition is organized as a series of matches in a round-robin/double-elimination format. In each match, two teams compete against each other and the clock, trying to be the fastest to answer the toss-up questions.
The second component of the Alaska ocean sciences bowl is a research project. Student teams must together write a research report that discusses the future of salmon fisheries in Alaska. They must also prepare a long-term management plan for the salmon resources closest to their school, considering both scientific and socioeconomic factors. Written and oral presentations of these reports count for 50 percent of the total points awarded in the competition.
The National Ocean Sciences Bowl is sponsored by the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (CORE) in partnership with the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA). The Alaska regional competition is sponsored by the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, with additional support from the Alaska Sea Grant College Program.
For more details, visit the Alaska Sea Grant Ocean Science Bowl website
