2021 Alaska Fisheries Science Center Groundfish Seminar Series

The Groundfish Seminar Series (2016 – present) at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) starts in early October and ends in mid-December. We host 9 or 10 weekly talks on Tuesdays at 10AM Pacific Time, with speakers from both inside and outside of the AFSC. The purpose is to provide a friendly venue for connecting researchers in the widely dispersed groundfish community so that we can learn about advancements in other geographic locations, or on other species, that might be applicable to you and your work. We encourage speakers to talk in general terms about works-in-progress or newly published findings that might be of interest to a broad community.

The seminar series is hosted by the Groundfish Assessment Program at the AFSC and, as a well-attended seminar series at the AFSC, we attract an audience from other parts of the AFSC, the other five NOAA Fisheries science centers, NOAA Fisheries; regional offices, NOAA Fisheries headquarters, other parts of NOAA, non-NOAA parts of the federal government, state agencies, universities, the fishing industry, non-governmental organizations, and independent research groups.

2021 Groundfish Seminar Series Reach

2021 Groundfish Seminar Series Participant Map (PDF, 1 page)

The Groundfish seminar series continued to be the most popular AFSC seminar in 2021, with an average of about 84 attendees per talk. Staff from all 6 NMFS Science Centers, all 5 NMFS Regional Offices, many other parts of NOAA, and other federal agencies participated. We reached an audience in 29 states plus Washington DC, 29 universities and colleges, numerous state agencies, NGOs, fishing industry groups, and 7 foreign countries including Canada (4 provinces).

2021 Groundfish Seminar Series Overview Poster

2021 Groundfish Seminar Poster (PDF)

December 14, 2021 - Rebecca Peters

poster (pdf) - Rebecca Peters 2021 Groundfish Seminar

Webinar Recording (mp4) - Rebecca Peters 2021 Groundfish Seminar

Tuesday, December 14, 2021 @ 10 am Pacific Time

The Maine-New Hampshire inshore trawl survey: We catch more than lobster

The Maine-New Hampshire Inshore Trawl Survey (ME-NH Survey) is a fishery-independent collaboration with commercial fishers to study shallow coastal zones that are inaccessible to federal surveys. Prior to this survey, fisheries management was based on monitoring programs and studies conducted only in deeper waters, where fishing pressures and environmental conditions are entirely different. For twenty-one years the ME-NH Survey has filled a significant data gap and is a platform for research in the Gulf For more of Maine that could not be surveyed previously.

For more information contact:

Liz Dawson (liz.dawson@noaa.gov) or Mark Zimmerman (mark.zimmermann@noaa.gov)

Rebecca Peters event page and webinar link

December 7, 2021 - Jane DiCosimo

poster (pdf) - Jane DiCosimo 2021 Groundfish Seminar

Slide Deck (pdf) - Jane DiCosimo 2021 Groundfish Seminar

Webinar Recording (mp4) - Jane DiCosimo 2021 Groundfish Seminar

Tuesday, December 7, 2021 @ 10 am Pacific Time

The power of participation and collaboration: An Alaska groundfish success story

The Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea support some of the largest and most valuable commercial fisheries in the world. The success of Alaska groundfish management is due to the foresight of US fishermen and government officials that led to the U.S. Congress adopting a federal law in 1976 that requires regional fishery management councils, along with their scientific experts, fishery stakeholders, council and agency staffs, and the public balance biological, economic, and social concerns to manage US fisheries for the greatest benefit to the Nation and in accordance with ten national standards.

For more information contact:

Liz Dawson (liz.dawson@noaa.gov) or Mark Zimmerman (mark.zimmermann@noaa.gov)

Jane DiCosimo event page and webinar link

November 30, 2021 - Donnie Arthur

poster (pdf) - Donnie Arthur 2021 Groundfish Seminar

Webinar Recording (mp4) - Donnie Arthur 2021 Groundfish Seminar

Tuesday, November 30, 2021 @ 10 am Pacific Time

Counting yelloweye rockfish eggs from my couch and other reproductive findings from Prince William Sound and the northern Gulf of Alaska

By using image analysis software and widely-accessible cameras, we generated rapid and accurate fecundity estimates for Yelloweye Rockfish, even when most laboratories were closed due to COVID- 19. These fecundity estimates allowed us to evaluate assumptions associated with spawning stock biomass, engage with stakeholder groups, and apply results to stock assessment models. We hope to add fecundity to the suite of estimation methods for many fish and invertebrate species, and facilitate more frequent monitoring of egg production.

For more information contact:

Liz Dawson (liz.dawson@noaa.gov) or Mark Zimmerman (mark.zimmermann@noaa.gov)

Donnie Arthur event page and webinar link

November 9, 2021 - Laura Slater

poster (pdf) - Laura Slater 2021 Groundfish Seminar

Webinar Recording (mp4) - Laura Slater 2021 Groundfish Seminar

Tuesday, November 9, 2021 @ 10 am Pacific Time

Crab reproduction and management implications in the eastern Bering Sea

We examined snow crab female sperm reserves in the eastern Bering Sea over a ten-year period as a direct measure of mating success in this male-only fishery. We observed mating success for most females but, despite the capacity for females to store sperm for use across multiple years, our results suggest females must mate each year to successfully fertilize their eggs. Our findings underscore the importance of maintaining adequate adult sex ratios within spatial scales that are meaningful for mating of benthic species.

For more information contact:

Liz Dawson (liz.dawson@noaa.gov) or Mark Zimmerman (mark.zimmermann@noaa.gov)

Laura Slater event page and webinar link

November 2, 2021 - Melissa Head

Poster (PDF) - Melissa Head 2021 Groundfish Seminar

Webinar Recording (mp4) - Melissa Head 2021 Groundfish Seminar

Tuesday, November 2, 2021 @ 10 am Pacific Time

Evaluating spatio-temporal variability in reproduction of West Coast groundfish: A key component of sustainable fisheries

The Northwest Fisheries Science Center implemented a program in 2011 to ensure US west coast groundfish stock assessments could incorporate latitudinal variability in spawning capacity. Since then, we have collected size and age at maturity estimates of over 40 groundfish species along the entire west coast. This extensive data set allows for evaluation of spatio-temporal trends in reproduction, and for understanding more about the drivers of observed variability.

For more information contact:

Liz Dawson (liz.dawson@noaa.gov) or Mark Zimmerman (mark.zimmermann@noaa.gov)

Melissa Head event page and webinar link

October 26, 2021 - Madison Hall

Poster (PDF) - Madison Hall 2021 Groundfish Seminar

Webinar Recording (mp4) - Madison Hall 2021 Groundfish Seminar

Tuesday, October 26, 2021 - 10:00 am Pacific time

Building a cooperative rockfish survey in the Gulf of Alaska.

The AFSC and our partners in the Alaska fishing industry just completed the first summer of data collection in a cooperative rockfish survey. Our project, the Science Industry Rockfish Research Collaboration in Alaska (SIRRCA), aims to improve rockfish assessment models through partially standardizing industry trawls in "untrawlable" areas. Come learn more about what SIRRCA has accomplished thus far and the bigger promise of government industry cooperative research.

For more information contact: Liz Dawson (liz.dawson@noaa.gov) or Mark Zimmerman (mark.zimmermann@noaa.gov)

Madison Hall 2021 Groundfish Seminar event page and webinar link

October 19, 2021 - Caroline Senay

Poster (PDF) - Caroline Senay 2021 Groundfish Seminar

Webinar Recording (mp4) - Caroline Senay 2021 Groundfish Seminar

Tuesday, October 19, 2021 - 10:00 am Pacific time

Filling science gaps in response to an unprecedented increase in redfish (Sebastes mentella and S. fasciatus) biomass in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

The Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada, redfish supported substantial landings in the mid-1950s until a sudden drop in landings and the absence of strong recruitment led to a moratorium in 1995. According to DFO surveys, the biomass is now the highest value of the time series starting in 1984. How can we conduct sustainable harvests without repeating the mistakes from the past?

For more information contact: Liz Dawson (liz.dawson@noaa.gov) or Mark Zimmerman (mark.zimmermann@noaa.gov)

Caroline Senay 2021 Groundfish Seminar event page and webinar link

October 12, 2021 - James Thorson

Poster (PDF) - James Thorson 2021 Groundfish Seminar

Webinar Recording (mp4) - James Thorson 2021 Groundfish Seminar

Tuesday, October 12, 2021 - 10:00 am Pacific time

Grand challenge for habitat science: Synthesis of fishing effects, stage-structured dynamics and movement (with a few toy demos).

The AFSC conducts “habitat assessments” by tracking depletion and recovery of benthic infauna/epifaunain occupied habitat. I propose a “Grand Habitat Challenge” (GHC) to improve these assessments by combining habitat and stock assessment tools. Two real-world examples will address components of the GHC including how to (1) estimate fine-scale movement from tags and surveys, and (2) estimate diet using a simple generalized linear model (GLM).

For more information contact Liz Dawson (liz.dawson@noaa.gov) or Mark Zimmerman (mark.zimmermann@noaa.gov)

James Thorson 2021 Groundfish Seminar event page and webinar link

October 5, 2021 - Bianca Prohaska

Poster (PDF) - Bianca Prohaska 2021 Groundfish Seminar

Tuesday, October 5, 2021 - 10:00 am Pacific time

Stress physiology in the smalltooth sawfish: Effects of ontogeny, capture method, and habitat loss.

What does a gigantic fish with a hedge trimmer for a snout have to be stressed about? Come learn about the physiology of smalltooth sawfish, Pristis pectinata, one of the world's most endangered species of marine fish. Specifically, we investigated how stress in this species changes over ontogeny, with varying capture methods, and how habitat loss may be affecting juveniles.

For more information contact Liz Dawson (liz.dawson@noaa.gov) or Mark Zimmerman (mark.zimmermann@noaa.gov)

Bianca Prohaska 2021 Groundfish Seminar event page and webinar link

2020 Alaska Fisheries Science Center Groundfish Seminar Series

View recorded webinars from our 2020 Groundfish Seminar Series