Hollings Scholars at NOAA Fisheries
Learn more about NOAA Fisheries and the kinds of projects past Hollings Scholars have supported.
About NOAA Fisheries
NOAA Fisheries is responsible for the stewardship of the nation's ocean resources and their habitat. We provide vital services for the nation: productive and sustainable fisheries, safe sources of seafood, the recovery and conservation of protected resources, and healthy ecosystems—all backed by sound science and an ecosystem-based approach to management.
U.S. fisheries are among the world’s largest and most sustainable. Seafood harvested from U.S. federally managed fisheries is inherently sustainable as a result of the U.S. fishery management process. Using the Magnuson-Stevens Act as the guide, NOAA Fisheries works in partnership with Regional Fishery Management Councils to assess and predict the status of fish stocks, set catch limits, ensure compliance with fisheries regulations, and reduce bycatch.
The resilience of our marine ecosystems and coastal communities depend on healthy marine species, including protected species such as whales, sea turtles, corals, and salmon. Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act, NOAA Fisheries works to recover protected marine species while allowing economic and recreational opportunities.
Who We Are
NOAA Fisheries, also known as the National Marine Fisheries Service, is an office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration within the Department of Commerce. NOAA Fisheries employs about 4,200 staff including scientists, policy managers, and enforcement officers. Learn more about who we are.
Where We Work
We have five regional offices, six science centers, and more than 20 laboratories around the United States and U.S. territories, and we work with partners across the nation. Learn more about where we work.
Selection of Past Intern Projects by Region
Alaska
Investigating Changes in Summer Urban Habitat Use by Endangered Beluga Whales
Alaska Regional Office | Anchorage, Alaska
Concentrations and relationships between thyroid hormones and cortisol in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina).
Alaska Regional Office | Juneau, Alaska
Improving sustainable aquaculture in Alaska
Alaska Fisheries Science Center | Juneau, Alaska
Research and Synthesis within Alaska’s Priority Marine Seafood Industries
Alaska Fisheries Science Center | Kodiak, Alaska
Marine Mammal Research in the Pacific Northwest
Alaska Fisheries Science Center | Seattle, Washington
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Contacts: Sean McNally, Ph.D., Sean.McNally@noaa.gov
Analysis of fishery vessel tracking data to identify fishing activity and fishers behavior
Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office | Gloucester, Massachusetts
Conservation Physiology: How does abiotic environmental variation affect the ecophysiology of American lobster
Northeast Fisheries Science Center | Sandy Hook, New Jersey
Developing infrastructure for larval shellfish outplanting
Northeast Fisheries Science Center | Milford, Connecticut
Developing modeling frameworks and machine learning tools for a fisheries-independent optical survey
Northeast Fisheries Science Center | Narragansett, Rhode Island
Spatiotemporal patterns of baleen whales along the U.S. East Coast using passive acoustic data
Northeast Fisheries Science Center | Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Evaluating Sustainability Metrics for Maine River Herring Populations in the Penobscot River
Northeast Fisheries Science Center | Orono, Maine
Pacific Islands
Contact: Celeste Hanley, Celeste.Hanley@noaa.gov
Changes to Benthic Habitats in Saipan Lagoon; Implications for Coastal Flood Hazards
Pacific Islands Regional Office | Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
Identifying and Communicating the Threat of Ciguatera Poisoning in the Hawaiian Islands
Pacific Islands Regional Office | Honolulu, Hawaii
Species Distribution Mapping for Hawaii's Deep 7 Bottomfish Stock
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center | Honolulu, Hawaii
Southeast
Contact: Michelle Duncan, Ph.D., Michelle.Duncan@noaa.gov
Ecosystem structure along an oxygen gradient in the subtropical north Pacific
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center | Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
Improving data accessibility for protected species assessment and conservation in the Pacific Islands
Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center | Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
Synthesizing Two Decades of Citizen Science Research, Tagging, and Community Benefits
Pacific Islands Regional Office | Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
Environmental Enforcement in the Pacific Islands Region
Pacific Islands Regional Office | Pago Pago, American Samoa
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Fisheries In-Water Survey Methods Comparison
Pacific Islands Regional Office | Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
West Coast
Contact: Casey Ralston, Casey.Ralston@noaa.gov (Northwest), Sarah Mesnick, Ph.D., Sarah.Mesnick@noaa.gov (Southwest)
Ecological interactions of shellfish aquaculture in the Pacific Northwest: Nitrogen removal via Oyster harvest
Northwest Fisheries Science Center | Seattle, Washington
DNA Barcoding and eDNA Sequencing for Deep-sea Coral Associates
Northwest Fisheries Science Center | Seattle, Washington
Marine Mammal Morphology and Life History
Southwest Fisheries Science Center | La Jolla, California
Exploring Marine Protected Areas capacity to mitigate climate impacts and enhance coastal community resilience
Southwest Fisheries Science Center | Monterey, California
Effectiveness of education activities: communicating fisheries science to local communities
Southwest Fisheries Science Center | Santa Cruz, California
Pervasive Evasive Invasives: How NMFS Handles the European Green Crab and Other Unwelcome Aquatic Species?
West Coast Regional Office | Portland, Oregon
Headquarters
Contact: Laura Oremland, Laura.Oremland@noaa.gov
Engineering and Accessibility Support for NOAA Fisheries and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fish Passage Guidelines
Office of Habitat Conservation | Silver Spring, Maryland
Species Re-Identification and Morphology in Chimaera (Chimaeriformes) Museum Specimens
Office of Science and Technology | Silver Spring, Maryland
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Disease Research for the ESA 5-Year Review
Office of Protected Resources | Silver Spring, Maryland