NOAA Fisheries is pleased to announce the selection of two new supervisors for its Alaska bottom trawl surveys. Duane Stevenson was chosen for the position of Bering Sea Bottom Trawl Survey Group Supervisor. Ned Laman is the new Gulf of Alaska/Aleutian Islands Bottom Trawl Survey Group Supervisor for the Groundfish Assessment Program. These positions are within the Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division of NOAA Fisheries’ Alaska Fisheries Science Center.
Stevenson is a research fishery biologist with expertise in the taxonomy and evolutionary relationships of marine fish. His research focuses on the identification and distribution of fish in Alaska’s marine ecosystems. Stevenson also works closely with the North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program, where he has been training observers to identify fish and invertebrates for more than 20 years. More recently, he has been responsible for developing training materials for fishery observers working throughout Alaska. He also designs and implements quality control measures, and analyzes patterns in fishery-dependent and fishery-independent distribution data.
Laman has been a member of the Gulf of Alaska-Aleutian Islands bottom trawl group for more than 18 years, coordinating and leading annual surveys in Alaska. His research has focused on fish ecology, species distribution, and essential fish habitat. Prior to joining NOAA Fisheries in 2003, Laman worked as an environmental consultant conducting impact studies at coastal power plants in the California Current system. In that position, he identified early life stages of fish from oceanographic surveys. Laman conducted his graduate studies at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories on Monterey Bay. There he studied the morphometric (size and shape) condition of larval fish in Gerlache Strait, Antarctica.
“Duane and Ned are both very qualified, having worked for the Alaska Fisheries Science Center for around 20 years. They have each coordinated research surveys and led numerous research projects during that time,” said Stan Kotwicki, program manager for the Groundfish Assessment Program. “I think they will do a great job leading these important survey teams for the Center.”
