Duane Stevenson

Duane began working with NOAA Fisheries as a graduate student and contracted trainer for the North Pacific Observer Program in 1999. In 2001, after finishing his Ph.D. in Fisheries Science at the University of Washington, he was hired at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center to work with the Groundfish Assessment Program (GAP) and the Observer Program. Duane’s dissertation research, focusing on the taxonomy and evolutionary history of fish, provided a foundation for numerous projects clarifying the taxonomy and systematics of North Pacific marine fish, and continuing development of field identification tools. He has been a regular participant in bottom trawl surveys throughout Alaska, particularly in the Bering Sea, and has worked extensively with the Observer Program to develop and refine observer training protocols and content. In 2021, Duane accepted the position of supervisor for the Bering Sea group of the GAP. In this role, he oversees the performance of annual bottom trawl surveys in the Bering Sea and the production of data products based on those surveys. He is also continuing his research into the taxonomy, distribution, and zoogeography of marine fish, and supporting the research and scientific activities of GAP team members.