TECHNOLOGY AND DATA: NOAA and Partners Deliver New Climate and Health Data Tool to Public

By Juli Trtanj
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

This week, in conjunction with the release of the Obama Administration Open Data Policy, the interagency U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) launched a new online tool that promises to accelerate research relating to climate change and human health—the Metadata Access Tool for Climate and Health or “MATCH.”  MATCH is a publicly accessible, online tool for researchers that offers centralized access to metadata—standardized contextual information—about thousands of government-held datasets related to health, the environment, and climate-science.  

Led by NOAA’s National Ocean Service and with cutting edge technical capacity from NESDIS National Coastal Data Development Center and OAR Climate Program, MATCH is the culmination of a two-year collaborative effort by representatives of USGCRP’s Climate Change and Human Health Group from NOAA, NIH, CDC, EPA, and USGS.   For the first time, public health metadata are available together with climate and environmental metadata.

MATCH provides access to metadata for more than 9,000 datasets from NOAA, NASA, CDC, EPA, USGS, and USACE (US Army Corps of Engineers).  Many of the publicly available datasets accessible via metadata records on MATCH would be difficult or impossible to find and access through an ordinary search of Federal agency websites.  MATCH supports the Climate Adaptation Task Force and the National Climate Assessment.

Juli Trtanj

NCCOS Blogger Biography: Formerly the director of the NOAA’s Oceans and Human Health Initiative, Juli Trtanj now oversees special projects related to oceans and human health at the NCCOS.

NOAA Completes Ship-based mapping of the Northeast Reserves, Puerto Rico

By Tim Battista
Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment,
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

A team of scientists from NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) and partner organizations just returned from a three and a half week mission (March 5-30, 2013) onboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster.  This mission is a continuation of work conducted between April 3-20, 2012. The objectives of these missions were to map and study the distribution of fish and seafloor habitats in and around the Northeast Grand Reserve Ecological Corridor, a marine protected area northeast of Puerto Rico.  Approximately 560 km² of seafloor was mapped in the Reserve, covering depths from 25 to 1,000 meters .

Over 50 ROV dives were completed within the Reserve and another 6 in other areas surveyed during the mission. These dives covered nearly 60 km of seafloor with 33 hours of video collected nearly 2,000 digital stills taken. Products from the research mission will soon be available here: (http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/products/biogeography/usvi_nps/data/).

Photographing Coral Reef Ecosystems and Organisms

Figure 1. Agaricia spp. coral.

Figure 2. Montastrea spp. coral.

Figure 3. An invasive lionfish swims over a sponge.

Seafloor habitats inside and outside the Northeast Grand Reserve Ecological Corridor were most often large areas of bare sand or hardbottom dominated by algae and sponges.   Large colonies (>30 cm) of plating and encrusting corals (Agaricia spp., figure 1) and (Montastrea spp., figure 2) infrequently dotted the seascape at depths < 90 m.  Nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum), green moray eels (Gymnothorax funebrisand), various species of groupers (Serranidae), coneys (Cephalopholis spp.) and other smaller reef fish also made an appearance on the shelf, finding refuge among the complex structure of the seafloor. Two ship wrecks lay on the bottom encrusted with algae and sponges, serving as habitat for the invasive Lionfish (Pterois volitans, figure 3) and schooling juvenile snappers (Lutjanidae). Communities changed dramatically along the shelf break at approximately 90 m in depth.  A vertical wall often marked where the shelf ended and escarpment began.  These rock walls were colonized by several species of sp0nges, mesophotic and deep water corals (figure 4), as they plunged to depths in excess of 200 m.  At the base of these walls, sloping mud flats were dotted with boulders and rock outcroppings that provided habitat for a whole different set of species, including tongue fish (Symphurus spp., figure 5), bat fish (Ogocephalus spp., figure 6), silk snappers (Lutjanus vivanus, figure 7), spanish flags (Gonioplectrus hispanus, figure 8), jackknife fish (Equetus lanceolatus, figure 9) and misty groupers (Epinephelus mystacinus, figure 10).

Figure 4. Mesophotic corals.

Figure 5. Tongue fish.

Figure 6. Bat fish.

Figure 7. Silky snapper.

Figure 8. Spanish flag.

Figure 9. Jackknife fish.

Figure 10. Misty grouper.

Data Critical to Local Coral Reef Ecosystem Management Efforts

Puerto Rico is currently developing a Watershed Management Plan for the Northeast Grand Reserve Ecological Corridor. One significant impediment to enacting management and conservation measures is a lack of basic information about seafloor habitats and coral reef fish distributions in this region. The data collected on this mission (and last year’s mission) will be combined to help fill this informational gap and to establish a baseline for seafloor habitats and fish abundances and distributions inside and outside the Corridor.  This baseline data will also be used to update nautical charts in the area, as well as support the informational needs of the broader coastal ecosystem management community in northeast Puerto Rico, related to restoration, fisheries, climate change and scientific research.

This research mission was a complete success and would not have been possible without the tremendous capabilities of the crew and officers of the NOAA ship Nancy Foster, funding support from NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program, mission support from our jurisdictional partners in Puerto Rico, and the amazing ability of all the scientists who were a part of the mission. We hope to focus our efforts next year on the east side of St Croix, USVI and Lang Bank. For more information, contact: Tim.Battista@noaa.gov

PARTNERSHIPS: Mapping Puerto Rico’s Marine Resources: An Interview with John Christensen, Director of the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program

In an effort to give our readers a sense of why coral research in the Caribbean is so important, NOAA Ocean Science Blogger sat down with NOAA’s John Christensen, Program Director of the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, to discuss his program’s efforts. 

Thank you for speaking with our readers, Mr. Christensen.

The Coral Program has a strong presence in the U.S. Caribbean, particularly the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Why is coral reef ecosystem research so important to the area?

The Caribbean is often referred to as the ‘Third Border’ of the United States and is critically important to the nation’s environment, economy and national security. Caribbean coral reef resources provided between $3.1 and $4.6 billion per year from fisheries, shoreline protection and tourism services. The region receives over 20 million visitors each year.

The coral reef ecosystems in the region are particularly vulnerable to human impacts. In recent decades coral reef communities throughout the Caribbean have experienced major declines, suffering from a series of large scale impacts, including mass coral bleaching events, infectious disease outbreaks and substantial die-offs of important species. As a result, many reefs in the region have lost as much as 80% of their historical coral cover.

Where is the program focusing its efforts in the region?

As identified by a consensus of coral reef managers in each jurisdiction, the top priority sites in Puerto Rico are Culebra, North East Reserves, Cabo Rojo and Guánica. In U.S. Virgin Islands, the top priority sites are Fish Bay, St. John; Coral Bay, St. John; St. Thomas East End Reserve; and St. Croix East End Marine Park. The CRCP uses this information to direct its resources.

This is the second year that NCCOS and the Coral Program have mapped portions of the Northeast Grand Reserve. How are the mapping missions addressing data needs specific to the reserve?

Previously very little was known about the underwater habitats and fish populations in the Northeast Grand Reserve. At the close of the 2013 mapping mission, 100% of the commonwealth’s priority deep water areas of the reserve will be mapped. In addition to that, this year marks the beginning of a two-year effort to map priority shallow-water areas.

All this is significant because managers and stake holders will soon have the scientific tools to identify important habitats that may need further study and protection. The scientists are also gathering fishery acoustic data to shed light on fish populations, habitat utilization patterns and potential spawning sites. Together these data sets paint a clearer picture of the reserve’s coral reef ecosystems and related marine life. Our data will serve as the road map for future scientific endeavors in the area, including biological monitoring and fish assessments, and help inform management decisions.

What are some other efforts undertaken by the Coral Program and NCCOS to meet broader regional data needs?

The Coral Program has a long-standing partnership with NCCOS to leverage the center’s broad skill set to meet our scientific priorities for the U.S. Caribbean, as well meet evolving management needs. These include the National Coral Reef Monitoring Plan, which is a national effort to monitor and assess the status of, and changes to, coral reefs.  We are also working with NCCOS to understand the human connections to coral reef ecosystems, the impacts of chemical contaminants, the efficacy of marine protected areas and many others.

What are the program’s future priorities for the region and Puerto Rico in particular?

Puerto Rico recently completed its local action strategy – the guideline that will be followed to address key issues and facilitate solutions for the conservation and protection of the coral reefs. It targets important and solvable issues with specific projects that are feasible and measurable. http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/strategy/reprioritization/managementpriorities/#strategies

Where can readers learn more about the Coral Program and its efforts in the U.S. Caribbean?

You can learn more about the Coral Program, as well as our efforts in the U.S. Caribbean and beyond, by visiting our web site: http://coralreef.noaa.gov/aboutcrcp/workwithus/funding/grants/welcome.html.

John Christensen, Program Director
NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program

NCCOS Blogger Biography:  The Coral Reef Conservation Program supports effective and sound science to preserve, sustain and restore valuable coral reef ecosystems for future generations. As program director, John Christensen is responsible for all aspects of program management.  John has been with NOAA’s National Ocean Service (NOS) for 18 years, and came to CRCP with a background in coastal research and monitoring. He managed NOAA’s National Status & Trends Program, the longest running annual coastal contamination monitoring program that is national in scope, and served as Deputy Director for NOS’ National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) from 2009 to 2011.

Vol. 2, Issue 1 – NOAA in the Caribbean Newsletter: Connecting NOAA and Partners across the Caribbean

By Simon Pittman
Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment,
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

Learn more about NOAA and partner activities in the Caribbean in the current issue of the NOAA in the Caribbean Newsletter.

Forecasting hurricanes, mapping coral reefs, monitoring climate change, operating tsunami warning systems, managing fisheries and producing navigation charts are just a few of the NOAA services of economic and environmental importance to the people of the Caribbean. Given the diversity and geographic extent of projects across the region, sharing best practices and communicating the status and coordination of science, service and stewardship happening with NOAA and its partners in the region can be challenging. To aid this effort, the NOAA in the Caribbean collaborative was formed in 2010, and we are pleased to have released
Vol. 2, Issue 1 of the NOAA in the Caribbean Newsletter in March of 2013 to continue our commitment to better connect NOAA activities and scientists with the Caribbean region’s managers, partners, and decision makers. NOAA’s Southeast and Caribbean Regional Team and the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science support the collaborative newsletter. You can see the previous newsletter from August of 2012, read the blog post, or download the eBook onto your e-Reader at Internet Archive.

In this issue, we cover stories on the Caribbean Regional Ocean Partnership, efforts to remediate bomb damaged reefs in Puerto Rico, economic valuation of Virgin Island coral reef ecosystems, the Regional Climate Outlook Forum for the Caribbean, and we introduce you to the new chief meteorologist in Puerto Rico, as well as providing news on NOAA activities and products for the U.S. and wider Caribbean region.

We welcome feedback on the newsletter style and content, and we are always interested in receiving contributions from across the Line Offices that help connect NOAA and partners in the Caribbean. Please e-mail us your feedback and story ideas to CaribbeanNews@noaa.gov.

NCCOS Blogger Biography: Simon Pittman, Ph.D., has served as a senior marine ecologist for the Biogeography Branch of NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) since 2004 and simultaneously as U.S. Virgin Islands Science Coordinator for NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program from 2007 to 2012. He first worked in the Caribbean as a marine biologist in 1993 performing underwater surveys on the Belize Barrier Reef to support the designation of marine protected areas. In addition to his role as NOAA scientist he is an Adjunct Research Professor at the University of the Virgin Islands where he co-founded a spatial data facility, ran courses on Geographical Information Systems and Spatial Modeling and mentored NOAA funded MS students. Dr. Pittman earned his Ph.D. in Marine Spatial Ecology from the University of Queensland, Australia. He is currently a Visiting Research Fellow at the Marine Institute, University of Plymouth, UK.

Puerto Rico’s Northeast Reserve: where science and management converge.

By Tim Battista
Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment,
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

The relationship between science conducted to support marine management, and resource management supported by science, is one worth furthering. Historically, these two have not been fully intertwined. However, the increasing impacts of a burgeoning human population and a legacy of inadequate marine conservation demand better coordination.

Despite its relatively small size and geographical isolation, the U.S. Caribbean is not immune to the challenge of improved resource management. If anything, it is a microcosm of the issues being wrestled with by other regions throughout the coastal U.S, albeit on a smaller scale. The crux of the problem? Do we adequately understand that the condition of our coastal marine resources in order to make informed decisions on how to best manage those resources? In other words, can we evaluate the effects of management decisions to determine their effectiveness to mitigate or reverse human impacts?

Some of the small islands, or “keys,” found in the reserve.

Our current efforts are focusing on trying to address some of the aforementioned issues within the Northeast Reserve MPA (marine protected areas) in Puerto Rico. This MPA is a corridor that extends from the west side of the island from Culebra to Point Miquillo, and encompasses nearly 76,000 acres of land and sea habitat, from the intertidal zone to waters nearly 900 meters deep. It includes an area which supports a rich diversity of marine and terrestrial life, and beautiful coastlines and embayments. These characteristics are the impetus for protecting this region, but also contribute to its over-use.

Click on the above to see the areas of essential fish habitat that we surveyed.

The beauty and accessibility of a string of small islands that traverse the center of the MPA is a lure to recreational boaters. Sixty-five percent of licensed recreational boats in Puerto Rico are located in close proximity to the MPA. Coastal development, and stressors such as sedimentation, nutrients, and other contaminants associated with human use, are known to have a negative effect on the health of  coastal communities. We are striving to better understand the current conditions of the marine resources, and the quantity and types of human activities that go on there, to provide valuable data and information for MPA managers to implement the appropriate conservation measures.

Click the above image to see the location of the areas we have been surveying.

Using the NOAA ship Nancy Foster, we are focusing on mapping and characterizing the condition of seafloor habitats and fishes. While our efforts are targeted to further the understanding the coral reef ecosystems, we are also simultaneously collecting data to support updates to NOAA’s nautical charts. Charts for the area presently contain data that was collected in the early 1900’s. The Nancy Foster is one of the most versatile oceanographic vessels in the NOAA fleet, uniquely suited to support the diversity of work we do on our missions. She has several state-of-the art mapping systems, including: a mid-water multibeam sonar (0-1000m), split beam fish acoustic sonar, and a high resolution shallow water multibeam sonar (0-300m), all of which we use within the MPA. We also deploy a remotely operate vehicle to visualize underwater habitats  and fish schools. We depend on the vessels dynamic positioning (DP) system for operations. The DP allows the ship to maintain any heading desired so that the ROV can slowly traverse an underwater transect while the ship maintains an optimum safe heading to the oceans swell or wind direction. The ROV allows us to “ground-truth” data we detect in the acoustic systems.

A montastria coral head and brightly colored coney.

This is our second (and hopefully) final year mapping the deep water sections of the Northeast Reserve. In 2012, we mapped 220 km² within the Reserve and 75 km² of adjacent, potential spawning aggregation areas. We are hoping to complete the remaining (two) areas which encompasses about 350 km². Data products from last year are already available for use and download with this year’s data to be released in October 2013.

Click on the image to see how we “ground truth” or confirm that what are sensors are detecting is correct. Photo credit: Gustav Kagesten, NOAA Associate.

Escollo Grappler seamount.

Our goal at the conclusion of the survey is to make the detailed bathymetric data, habitat maps, and fish distribution maps available for users and managers. We recently released a similar type of benthic habitat map product for St. Croix, USVI. Leg 1 of the mission was largely successful with the eastern project area of the MPA completed, but rough seas forced us to seek protected water south of Vieques. However, we put this time to good use to conducted detailed mapping along the south shore of Vieques as well as the seamount Escollo Grappler, located along the southeast coast of Puerto Rico. Escollo Grappler is a remarkably unusual seamount, rising vertically 750 meters from depths of 800 meters to 50 meters. Sheer vertical walls surrounding the seamount rise  to a stable flat platform on the surface. The feature was largely colonized by encrusting sponges, calcareous algae, and sporadic soft and hard coral. Unfortunately, the invasive lionfish is plentiful in this region, including the deepest sighting we have yet documented in our ten years in the Caribbean at 193.4 meters . Leg 2 of the mission commenced March 5 and continued until March 30. More blog posts on our mission to follow.

Click to see the lionfish we documented at 193 meters deep!

Partnerships: NCCOS Partners with UAF to Train Next Generation of Science Divers Series, Part 2: Interview with Reid Brewer

By Reid Brewer, Associate Professor,
University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF),
Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program agent in Dutch Harbor

NOAA Ocean Science Blogger sat down with Reid Brewer of University of Alaska Fairbanks, giving readers a glimpse into the intersection of ocean science and diving in some of the the coldest waters in the U.S. off the coast of Alaska.  

This is part 2 of a 2-part blog series on science dive training at NCCOS’ Kasitsna Bay Laboratory in Homer, Alaska .  To read NCCOS lab director Kris Holdereid’s overview of science dive training at the lab, click here. 

Thanks for sitting down with us, Reid.

Please describe yourself, where you live and what you do.
As part of Alaska Sea Grant (ASG), I have lived and worked in the community of Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, Alaska for the last nine years.  As the ASG agent in Unalaska, I work as one of the island’s only marine biologists, so my experiences range from teaching young kids tidepool science, to performing a necropsy on a 60 foot Humpback whale.  In addition to marine science, I also teach commercial fishing safety, SCUBA diving, and university credit classes.  I have been happily married for five years and have a one year old son, Finnegan, that keeps me on the go.  When not sampling mussels for Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins or sampling docks for invasive tunicates, I also enjoy kiteboarding, distance swimming in local lakes (temp 45 C), and back country snowboarding.

What do you see as the role of diving as it relates to science?
Diving is an opportunity for researchers to see marine organisms in their natural environment.  Though shipboard and laboratory studies are important platforms to answer questions about our oceans, diving offers the unique perspective of putting animals in the context of their habitats.  Seeing a Red King crab on the deck of a fishing vessel is a completely different perspective from watching a King crab shuttle across sandy bottoms and rearing their claws up at would-be predators.

Please describe your science diving experience at NCCOS’ Kasitsna Bay Lab.
I have completed over 500 dives at NCCOS’ Kasitsna Bay lab, from taking Scientific Diving classes, certifications (Open Water Diver through Dive Master), and field research for my M.S. degree.  From 2001 to 2004, I spent three summers at the lab working on my M.S. project as well as helping other graduate students with their projects.  After completing both the Scientific Diving and the Advanced Scientific Diving courses, I also became a teaching assistant for the course.

What did you learn from the course that’s being offered this week at NCCOS’ Kasitsna Bay Laboratory, and how did it inform the way you view field work now?
The Scientific Diving course offered at NCCOS’ Kasitsna Bay laboratory is a great opportunity to gain experience in diving, while also learning the concepts of performing research while diving.  During the course you not only learn different scientific diving techniques like using RPC (Random Point Contact) bars and quadrats, but you also learn about the logistics of dive planning, gear requirements, planning for environmental factors like tide changes.  For me, these courses were ground school for the rest of my diving career.

Since these classes, I have applied these same scientific diving techniques to numerous research projects like the 60-day baseline assessment of the Aleutian Islands nearshore called Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP).  In this two-year study we performed over 400 dives in 50 locations spanning 1,200 miles of coastline from Attu to Amila Islands.  As a result of this study, in addition to the baseline information collected on invertebrates, fish and habitats, over 50 new species have been identified.  University of Alaska scientific divers can get certified as American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) divers, which requires at least 12 dives per year.  Though this can be difficult for researchers from Fairbanks as they are located in the middle of the state of Alaska, in Unalaska, we do as many as four dives per week.

What other types of diving opportunities have you had as a results of this skill?
As a result of completing the Scientific Diving courses at Kasitsna Bay laboratory and receiving my AAUS certification, I have worked on several projects to include:  collecting jellyfish for diet analyses, fish diversity associated with different types and degrees of kelp cover, kelp growth under different salinity and turbidity conditions, fish and invertebrate diversity among different species of kelp, baseline invertebrate taxonomy, monitoring seasonal patterns in octopus denning habits, and many more.  Over the last 10 years I have dove in Seward, Juneau, Kodiak, Ketchikan, Valdez, Homer, Fairbanks (in a pond), and throughout the Aleutian Islands.

Where do you see future of cold water science diving going?
As a result of the work the Brenda Konar (UAF) and Katrin Iken (UAF) have put into this program, it seems that scientific diving in Alaska could only continue to grow.  There are many applications for cold water science diving and the students are guaranteed a challenging yet fulfilling experience.  As one of the first students to come out of the Kasitsna Bay laboratory’s Scientific Diving class, I am continually amazed at where graduates from this program end up.  Some are teaching scientific diving programs themselves, some are doing research diving in Antarctica, and others are working with fisheries management programs to better understand the dynamics or marine populations.

What steps you do you recommend readers interested in pursuing science diving take to learn about the subject?  
Over the last several years, many people have asked me how to get involved in research diving in Alaska.  To begin with, get a basic SCUBA certification (for the PADI the certification is called Open Water Diver).  At UAF, once you have your basic certification, you can take Scientific Diving as an introduction to science diving techniques and local marine flora and fauna.  After you have completed the basic course, you can take the Advanced Scientific Diving course where you propose and complete a diving project using the skills you learned in the previous class.  Upon completing the Scientific Diving course, you will have the opportunity to take the Kelp Forest Ecology class or to get certified as a AAUS diver to work on actual research projects.  Gaining knowledge and experience will open new opportunities for diving on other projects in other areas.

Where can readers find out more about your work and organization?
For more information readers can visit the Alaska Sea Grant Website, or my website.  To see some videos of my research diving, you can visit our YouTube channel.

When Reid isn’t diving for science, he sometimes dives for dinner.  Shown are two Red King crab weighing approximately 10 pounds each”

When Reid isn’t diving for science, he sometimes dives for dinner.  Above: Reid holds two Red King crab, each weighing 10lbs. Photo credit: Reid Brewer

Guest Blogger Biography:
Reid Brewer is an Associate Professor with the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program (ASG) as part of the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF).  Reid is ASG agent in Unalaska/Dutch Harbor where he has worked to serve the needs of Aleutian Island communities for the past nine years.  Reid is a Marine Biologist, holding a B.S. in Systems/ Environmental Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point, an M.S. in Marine Biology from UAF, and is currently working to complete his Ph.D. in Marine Biology from UAF.  Reid is also a PADI Master SCUBA Diver Trainer with over 1,500 Alaska dives and has certified 130 students in the last five years.

Partnership: NCCOS Science Dive Training Helps Prepare the Next Generation of Science Divers, Part 1: Overview with Kris Holderied

By Kris Holderied, Director of Kasitsna Bay Laboratory,
Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research,
National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)

This is part 1 of a 2 part series on dive training at NCCOS’ Kasitsna Bay Laboratory in Homer, Alaska.  Below, laboratory director, Kris Holdereid gives readers a quick overview of the partners between NOAA and University of Alaska Fairbanks for this week’s cold water training. To read NOAA Ocean Science Blogger’s interview with Associate Professor and Science Diver, Reid Brewer, click here.

Cold water diver surveys off Alaska coast.  Photo Credit: NOAA/NCCOS/CCFHR.

Science Diving at NOAA
Here at NOAA we have some great field work opportunities – some of which are just really cool.  Being a science diver is right up there.  You get to see organisms and environments that most people will never personally experience – especially if you’re willing to jump into cold North Pacific Ocean waters.  As a leading federal ocean science agency, NOAA routinely conducts underwater research, with coastal science efforts being led by NCCOS at the National Ocean Service.  Aside from the NOAA research, NCCOS is also helping to train the next generation of science divers, and the future marine science work force. 

Divers geared up and ready for the cold water.  Yes, that’s ice.  Photo credit: NOAA/NCCOS/CCFHR.

This Week’s Class
This week, NCCOS is partnering with Dr. Brenda Konar of the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) to train scientific divers at our Kasitsna Bay Laboratory.  The partnership has existed for 10 years, training students in underwater dive research techniques and cold-water diving – and March diving in Alaska provides plenty of cold conditions!  To learn more about science diving courses in Alaska, visit UAF’s website.

2012 dive class on beach in front of NCCOS’ Kasitsna Bay Lab. Yes, that’s snow in the background!            Photo Credit: NOAA/NCCOS/CCFHR.

 

Divers practice water-to-land rescue and first aid techniques. Photo Credit: NOAA/NCCOS/CCFHR.

Where Are They Now?
Most of our dive class students go on to graduate programs and work with state and federal agencies and universities around the world. Reid Brewer, is now the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program agent in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and applying his dive training for field work on giant octopus and teaching other divers up north.  To read more about his work and experience with our dive classes visit his post here.

Kris Holderied

NCCOS Blogger Biography: Kris Holderied is director of the NOAA Kasitsna Bay Laboratory, a coastal marine field laboratory overseen by the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science’s Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research, and operated in partnership with the University of Alaska Fairbanks.  The lab conducts and supports subarctic coastal ecosystem research to help Alaska coastal managers and communities understand and prepare for ecosystem changes.   Kris is a physical oceanographer, holding a B.S. in Oceanography from the U.S. Naval Academy and an M.S. in Physical Oceanography from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program.  In her free time, she enjoys exploring the great Alaska outdoors by foot, kayak, ski and bike, and skating with the fabulous Homer Divas ice hockey team.