We welcome back guest blogger, Ella Kelly, to Currents and Connections for her final post. Ella is an undergraduate student attending the University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau, Alaska. Ella is currently interning at Alaska Fisheries Science Center’s Auke Bay Laboratories. She is participating in the NOAA Fisheries juvenile Pacific cod research survey in the Gulf of Alaska. The objective of this research is to increase our understanding of how juvenile Pacific cod use nearshore coastal habitats and what factors influence their survival through winter. By collecting detailed data on the early life stages of Pacific cod, scientists are refining a computer model that predicts how larval cod disperse and where they settle. Incorporating these findings into stock assessments can improve estimates of Pacific cod population size and the number of young fish entering the fishery each year, ultimately leading to more accurate and sustainable fisheries management. Read on to learn more about Ella’s journey into the field of marine science and her adventures aboard the Lady Sea.
Reflections of my time aboard the Lady Sea
While I was aboard the Lady Sea, I was able to see parts of Alaska that most residents never get to experience. From abandoned canneries, to old fox fur farms, and towns of 30 people where we stopped to fuel up and meet the mayor, there was rugged charm to be found. Alaska isn’t subtle in its beauty. We would be out on a rolling, foggy sea, and then suddenly towering mountains would emerge, with waterfalls, jagged rocks, and shores we would soon be sampling. As we entered the bays, we would start to suit up, put on our gloves smelling of the sea, and wait for the skiffs to be put in the water. We eventually got into a routine of loading the boats that became so habitual for me I could probably do it half asleep. I miss this routine, the sea spray waking me up when we went out to seine on the low, early morning tide. It is hard to be thrown back into my comparatively gentle and slow life after such a beautiful and physically demanding adventure.
The Importance of Field Science
On this research cruise, we collected field data to ground-truth a model that predicts which bays in the Gulf of Alaska juvenile cod drift and settle in from offshore spawning areas. These nearshore areas are important nurseries for juvenile cod. Now that we are back from our survey, we are starting a variety of laboratory analyses on cod samples we collected (fat content, genetics, daily aging). Data analysis is underway to evaluate the model’s prediction accuracy over the past four years and to what extent juvenile cod abundance and distribution change from year to year. Preliminary observations from this year’s field work are that juvenile cod abundance and length were lower in 2025 than 2024. Being out in the field, collecting real data and samples on what is actually happening in the environment is key to making informed management decisions for sustainable fisheries and ecosystems.
When sampling the seine and underwater camera sites, we collected a lot of information about the nearshore habitat that contributes to a favorable environment to little cod. We measured the water for temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen. We also assessed the site’s substrate and marine vegetation. The substrate refers to the sea floor and its composition–be that pebbles, sand, cobble, gravel, silt and so on. The substrate influences the presence and density of kelp and eelgrass - both of which are important to juvenile cod for food and cover. Relating habitat characteristics at each site to cod abundance and body condition allows us to determine which conditions promote juvenile cod growth and survival. Field science is paramount to making informed fishery decisions. To make decisions about fishing for adult cod, we need to make sure we have information on juvenile cod. Identifying habitat requirements for juvenile Pacific cod is foundational to this.
Final Remarks
To wrap up my final blog post, I want to do two things. First, I want to tell you all how much I have changed. Before getting to Kodiak and boarding the Lady Sea, the world was smaller to me. Field science was a mysterious, attractive, looming unknown part of my future that I anticipated every day. Kodiak was the name of an island west of Juneau. The other interns were just two guys I wasn’t even sure I’d like. Now that I am back home in Juneau, my world is a bit bigger. Kodiak is “the northernmost Hawaiian Island”, with fossil beaches, salmonberries, emerald hills, and big brown bears. Fionn O’Duggan and Josh Morgan are now two of my best friends. We went on an amazing trip together, and I will always keep them close to me. Field science is undoubtedly my goal. My time interning with NOAA was the most career path-affirming time of my life. The joy and fulfillment I get from this kind of work is unmatched. Second, I want to thank everyone who helped me on this trip including my mentors, Johanna Page, Katharine Miller, Darcie Neff, and Stori Oates. I would also like to thank the Lady Sea crew: Tyler Randolph, Ed Ward, and Andrew Ward. Finally, a huge shout out to my fellow interns, Fionn O’Duggan and Josh Morgan. You all made this trip and this science possible and fun. Thank you for being my friends and for inspiring me to be a better friend, student, and scientist. I will write again soon, on my next adventure!
