The Southeast Fishery-Independent Survey monitors reef fish in the U.S. South Atlantic. I have been fortunate to participate in this cruise annually since 2017, marking this as my ninth expedition. Since then, I’ve come a long way. I have trained multiple volunteers on shifts, filled in as a watch chief (person in charge of sampling during a workday), and now am able to recommend volunteers to join. The only jobs I haven’t done are serving as chief scientist or setting up the videos for sampling. In short, I feel like a seasoned volunteer in the group, am treated as a welcomed member of the survey, and better understand the process for when questions are asked during a stock assessment.
Fishery-independent survey data are an integral part of regional stock assessments because they fill in a lot of data gaps that fishery-dependent data lack. Each summer, survey staff deploy baited traps outfitted with cameras from the Outer Banks, North Carolina, to Port St. Lucie, Florida. We collect data including trap- and video-based indices of abundance (number of fish observed on camera), and samples such as fish hard parts (spines, otoliths) and reproductive tissues (gonads) that we analyze back in the lab. We use the information we gain from these samples in stock assessments to determine stock status.
Science Teacher Turned Friend
Mr. Steve Brown was my sixth and seventh grade science teacher. However, he first met my dad at the local Parent-Teacher Organization at my town’s school prior to him teaching both my older brothers. Due to all those connections, a family friendship blossomed that has continued to this day. In fact, I still visit him every time I’m home in Connecticut! Some of my fondest memories include being invited to his house for dessert on Thanksgiving.
I still call him “Mr. Brown” and he is the only person I’ve allowed to call me “Andrew.” While on the cruise, I was able to call him Steve, but I doubt I will continue to call him that once we get back to dry land (he will always be Mr. Brown to me!).
I really wouldn’t be where I am today without Mr. Brown. He had the cool science classroom with fish tanks in it. And, if you were lucky enough, he’d invite you to collect samples from Long Island Sound to fill the tanks at the beginning of each school year. Another highlight from Mr. Brown’s class was Project Oceanology, where we went out for an afternoon on a vessel to collect water quality data, do trawls, and get our “sea legs.” This first introduction to marine science was instrumental in planting the seeds to my career.
How My Science Teacher Ended Up on a NOAA Survey
During my last visit to Connecticut, I was over at Mr. Brown’s house on Thanksgiving, talking about my job. When discussing my two upcoming surveys, I offhandedly said, “You should join a cruise next summer!” His eyes lit right up and he was very interested from the start. Once the schedule came out, I reached out to Steve with dates and coordinated with Dr. Nate Bacheler, the survey coordinator.
Since offshore fieldwork is physically challenging and a lot of work, Nate wanted to make sure Steve knew what he was in for and what was expected. Undeterred, Steve accepted the challenge and started preparing for his experience.
A Unique Survey Experience
It’s not often that students get to take their former teachers out on surveys, especially for 10 days! Right from the start, I knew this would be unlike any other I’d been a part of. What especially made this experience different was the opportunity to spend so much time with Steve. Admittedly, I was slightly nervous as I hadn’t recommended any volunteers for the survey before, and it’s tough to know how folks will react to working in challenging conditions. But, Steve jumped right in and squashed my nerves in no time.
Overcoming seasickness (which he never admitted to—just worked through it), he learned the tasks really quickly, and became a valuable member of the shift. He wanted to learn as much as he could and volunteered for everything, including learning to fillet fish we donate to a local food bank, scrubbing the decks, and learning to pull otoliths. I’m pretty sure he learned how to pull otoliths faster than I did earlier in my career! In fact, he was the primary sampler of otoliths for our entire survey.
What stood out to me—but isn’t surprising—is how engaged Steve was in the entire operation. He asked a lot of great questions, both from me and everyone on board. He spent time with the captain, watching them pilot the boat to our sampling locations; with the chief scientist to decide which points to sample and how to schedule our days; and with the first mate touring both the engine room and forward mechanical room. His inquisitive nature was refreshing to experience and his infectious laugh always helped keep morale high. One of my fondest memories from this trip will be enjoying our evening ice creams on the back deck after our shift was over. This is an experience that I will treasure for the rest of my career and one I know we will reminisce about during our future visits.
