Embracing community, mentorship and interdisciplinary science during Black History Month

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Interdisciplinary. Providing mentorship. Community-focused. These are just some of the terms that come to mind for Chris when she describes what it means to be a Black scientist. “When we think about being a non-majority community in STEM – and in this instance Black in STEM – we are tasked with a three-pronged responsibility because this is a lived experience for so many of us: being inherently interdisciplinary, mentoring others, focusing on your community”. Chris Mantegna is currently a graduate student at SAFS, after earning her bachelor’s degree in UW Marine Biology in 2021.

Chris Mantegna, wearing a yellow rain jacket and holding a blue clipboard, stands on a rocky outcropping with a body of water and another island behind her. A blue sky with white clouds is above.
University of Washington
Chris Mantegna on Yellow Island during her 2024 mentorship program.

She is also a founding board member of BWEEMS (Black Women in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Science) and created their first foundational mentorship program, has been a part of BIMS (Black in Marine Science) since its beginnings as a tweet in 2020, and collaborates with many other BIPOC-focused organizations such as Sea Potential and NABS (National Association of Black Scuba Divers). “One of the many things I love about the Black community in marine science is we’re all connected. So many organizations and groups work together – be it Sea Potential, BIMS or BWEEMS – because our numbers are so small, and water touches all of it,” Chris said.

The experience of being an excellent scientist while also shouldering the responsibility of enhancing representation and uplifting others in your community can be a challenge, but a rewarding one. “The experience of trying to be the best, while walking into a space which doesn’t always value the experience, knowledge, and lessons you’re bringing, is tough. I love Black excellence, but we also need to give ourselves the space to make excellence whatever we want,” Chris shared.

A key part of Chris’ mentorship programs, such as the Yellow Island NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergrads-Blinks internship, is to highlight that each student brings a different lived experience and view of science to the table. “A lot of us are navigating the different environments in which we grew up in, or currently live and work in, and therefore bring a different understanding to science and research,” she said.

Chris Mantegna
Chris with her 2024 Yellow Island summer interns. L-R: Benjamin Brown, Galen June, Darian Pierre, Chris Mantegna, Kai Miller, Noah Krebs and Luis Hurtado.

Marine and aquatic science has been filled with pioneering contributions from Black scientists – from the first Black marine biologist, Ernest Everett Just, who pioneered understanding of cell physiology, embryonic development and fertilization, to Joan Murrell Owens, who shed light on the evolutionary relationships of corals.

This legacy continues but there is a lot of work to be done to continue the effort to increase representation in STEM and create a space where Black and other minority groups feel welcome, valued, and safe in the spaces where science is conducted: both inside and in the outdoors. “We can’t recruit students to a place that isn’t ready for them, so we should look to retain and support the students who are here,” Chris shared. “Retention starts with representation across all departmental levels and course content coupled with action-oriented allies.”

Learn more about Chris’ Yellow Island mentorship program 

We asked Chris what a more inclusive future would look like? “I would love to see syllabi changed at the university level to include more Black scientists – be they from the US or from the Global South,” Chris said. “We need to change the way we teach to encourage more young Black scientists, and make sure the pipelines are in place from middle-school and even earlier, as that’s one place where we’re losing our future scientists”. Building community partnerships is a crucial aspect of this change that Chris would like the future to hold. “Our communities have a different lived experience, and I would like to see that acknowledged, celebrated, and brought into research and science in ways where students can see knowledge coming from the communities that resemble them”.

A global syllabus, more interrogation of teaching styles to demonstrate it can be done differently, embracing creativity around scientific the process, including community, art, and geography – these are all actionable ways that Chris shared that can make science more inclusive.

This Black History Month, Chris is sharing an important message: “Give yourself time to rest and rejuvenate. Revisit some of our strongest, most creative, or marginalized thinkers, such as Tricia Hersey (Rest is Resistance) and the writings of Octavia Butler, June Jordan and Audrey Lorde to support our imaginations in creating what can be. For more marine related writing – Pauline Alexis Gumbs and Jasmin Graham. And remember: let’s be gentler with ourselves in 2025”.

Want to learn more about some local and national organizations dedicated to celebrating and amplifying the work of Black scientists in marine and freshwater science this Black History Month? Visit:

Xerxes Society Hiring Conservation Biologist

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The Xerxes Society for Invertebrate Conservation is hiring an Endangered Species Conservation Biologist. Reporting to the Xerces Society’s Endangered Species Program Freshwater Mussel Lead (Portland, OR office) and working in collaboration with partner agencies and organizations, the Endangered Species Conservation Biologist will focus on a variety of projects related to aquatic invertebrates, especially freshwater mussel, research, conservation, and advocacy. The Endangered Species Conservation Biologist will conduct substantial fieldwork involving snorkeling and wading in rivers and streams, requiring frequent but seasonal overnight and remote travel, with the majority of fieldwork from May-September each year. The successful candidate must be able to wade and swim safely in streams, lakes and rivers, walk over uneven terrain, carry 30 pounds using a backpack and be comfortable working long hours in the field as part of a team. Successful candidates will be required to pass an in-water safety training upon hiring. The successful candidate must also be able to work autonomously, organize and deliver training events, write scientific, management, or conservation-related documents, develop communications materials for the public, manage and analyze data, and work collaboratively with Xerces staff and partners. The successful candidate must be comfortable managing multiple projects and responsibilities, be detail-oriented, and have excellent communication skills. The ability to work collaboratively and build lasting conservation partnerships with diverse groups of people will be crucial to the candidate’s success.

Overview

Job Title: Endangered Species Conservation Biologist

Location: Based in Pacific Northwest, preferably NW Oregon or SW Washington

Compensation: $62,857 per year

Status: Full-time, regular position scheduled to work approximately 40 hrs/wk

Job Start Date: Approximate start date April 2025

Application Deadline: February 24, 2025

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities

Working as a team with the Xerces Society Endangered Species Program staff, the applicant who fills this position will:

During the field season (approximately May – September):

  • Spend Monday through Thursday of most weeks conducting fieldwork (i.e., routine multi-day and routine overnight travel);
  • Routinely snorkel, wade, or boat in rivers and streams of variable sizes to collect data using digital tools or paper data forms. Fieldwork will also include supporting other conservation efforts such as monitoring water quality, conducting freshwater mussel salvages, or conducting survival studies;
  • Deliver trainings to other professionals at oftentimes remote field locations;
  • Conduct outreach to the general public;
  • Manage work under multiple field-based projects simultaneously, maintaining a high degree of professionalism with Xerces staff and partners, including working with seasonal staff.

Throughout the year:

  • Maintain regular communication with a remotely based supervisor, including collaborating via digital tools such as Google Drive and virtual meeting platforms;
  • Coordinate and deliver presentations and respond to requests for information from Xerces Society team members, natural resource agencies, researchers, and the public;
  • Manage databases and datasets, and analyze, map and report on data collected and work conducted during the field season and through other desktop projects;
  • Complete writing projects including project reports, scientific papers, blogs, and social media materials;
  • Contribute to strategic conservation planning efforts with Xerces staff and partner organizations, including attending meetings, conducting literature reviews, reviewing documents and providing comments, and developing projects and plans;
  • Manage multiple projects simultaneously with attention to detail;
  • Engage in other endangered species research, education, outreach, restoration, and conservation projects and campaigns.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

Required

  • Experience conducting aquatic fieldwork in remote locations and an ability to work in inclement conditions, including heat, cold, rain, and around biting or stinging insects or other environmental hazards
  • Ability to follow policies that promote a safe working environment, including making informed, collaborative judgement calls in changing environments
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Strong attention to detail and ability to work independently
  • Project management expertise
  • Proficiency with common software applications and ESRI’s ArcGIS application

Preferred

  • Experience with and knowledge of freshwater mussels and/or other aquatic invertebrates (training will also be provided to the successful candidate)
  • Experience snorkeling and open water swimming
  • Database management skills
  • Understanding of regional aquatic conservation issues

Qualifications

Required

  • A Bachelor’s degree in fisheries, ecology, wildlife biology, biology, natural resource management, entomology, or related field (graduate degree preferred) with at least 1 year of professional experience in biological research or conservation.
  • Valid driver’s license in the United States and a motor vehicle records check allowing employee to be insured under Xerces corporate liability insurance. Offer of employment is contingent on this record check.
  • Current U.S. work authorization.

Preferred

  • Master’s degree in a field listed above
  • At least two years of professional experience in biological research or conservation
  • Wilderness first aid or swift-water rescue certifications

Learn more and apply here.

Snails and their shells: Capstone research in the Burke Museum’s shell collection

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Walk along any beach, and you’re likely to find snail shells dotting the sand. Sea snails are a very large and diverse group of marine organisms, slow-moving with a shell covering their bodies, pretty similar to the ones we find on land. In the Bering Sea, located in the North Pacific Ocean and bordering Alaska and eastern Siberia, more than 200 species of sea snails exist. They’re an important source of prey for fish and walruses, playing a vital part in the Bering Sea food web.

One large shell, brown/yellow in color, sitting in a white container
Jasper Nevis
Beringius undatus is a large sea snail species in the genus Beringius.

Working with a 50-year-old shell collection sourced from NOAA trawls from the mid-late 1970s, Jasper Nevis is looking at community structure in Bering Sea snails. Community structure refers to figuring out not only which species are present in a particular location, but also how many individuals of each species there are, and how they interact with each other through feeding, competition, or other ecological relationships. “Lewis’s moon snail can grow shells around 6 inches across and extend their foot well past that. The Buccinid snails generally get pretty large for snails, many growing >10 cm in length,” Jasper said.

Conducting his SAFS undergraduate capstone project, Jasper’s dataset is comprised of roughly 150 different sea snail species. “These shells were scooped up from the Bering Sea and have essentially just sat in a warehouse for the last five decades, so it is somewhat of a novel view of historical populations,” he said. Jasper has been assisting with integrating the NOAA snail shell collection with the larger Malacology Collection kept by the Burke Museum. Malacology refers to the scientific study of molluscs, of which sea snails are a part of.

Shells of different shapes and colors - large, round, white, and brown - sit in white containers.
Jasper Nevis
Moon snail shells, from the family Naticidae.

One of Jasper’s tasks is to identify and label each specimen. “From this data, I can then determine fairly precise GPS coordinates of where each shell was taken from and assess how the snail community varied across the Bering Sea. The GPS data was collected separately on the ship conducting the trawls, so I take this from separate records and correlate the two datasets,” Jasper shared. The key focus of Jasper’s research into sea snail community structure is looking at changes across depth and latitude, as well as comparing this to more modern assessments of the communities.

What do you call a snail that sails the seven seas? A snailor. 

While studying or working at SAFS, many of us are well-acquainted with the UW Fish Collection, but the Burke Museum Malacology Collection is just as impressive, housing more than 150,000 specimens from 7,500 mollusc species from around the globe. “My favorite part of my capstone research so far has been working in the shell collection. It’s such an amazing resource to be able to compare specimens for identifying species,” Jasper said. “It’s also really cool to see with your own eyes the huge variety of shapes and colors that the different mollusc shells in the collection have.”

Lots of different types of shells sit in white containers, separated into the same shapes and sizes.
Jasper Nevis
Assorted Buccinidae shells in the Burke Museum Malacology Collection.

How does an undergraduate in the SAFS program get involved with sea snails? “I’m interested in invertebrate taxonomy and was pointed towards the shell collection by my capstone advisor, Luke Tornabene. From there, I spoke with my workplace advisor and Malacology Collections Manager at the Burke, Melissa Frey, and decided on this project,” Jasper shared.

Jasper will soon be graduating in Spring this year, and plans to continue working in the field. “My time with SAFS has definitely made me think more about the kind of work that I enjoy and helped me move towards this project. Hopefully someday after graduation I can be working on the NOAA groundfish and invertebrate surveys that collect similar data to my capstone!”

What are other SAFS undergrads up to?

Turning up the heat: Revealing lake hotspots using mobile data

SAFS undergrad conducts research in Hawai’i during HPP internship

Hurricane hunting with NOAA: Hollings Scholarship internship set for 2025

Ghostly flight species of baleen whales avoid attracting killer whales by singing too low to be heard

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Killer whales are the only natural predator of baleen whales – those that have “baleen” in their mouths to sieve their plankton diet from the water. More solitary than toothed whales, baleen whales face predatory attacks from killer whales, especially mother and calf pairs. When attacked, some species fight back, while others choose flight. But whale species also produce loud underwater songs…what stops killer whales from homing in on their calls and attacking them?

In new acoustic research conducted by Trevor Branch, a Professor in the University of Washington School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, he found that some baleen whale species call at such deep frequencies that they’re completely undetectable by killer whales—who cannot hear sounds below 100 Hz. These tend to be the whale species that flee in the face of attack. Meanwhile, their high-frequency singing brethren who fight back when attacked, also tend to be slower-moving and more maneuverable. The deep singers are in the flight club and include blue, fin, sei, Bryde’s and minke whales, while the fight club includes right, bowhead, gray and humpback whales. Branch’s research was published in Marine Mammal Science on Jan 31. 2025.

Two dorsal fins of killer whales pictured in the ocean, charging a blue whale calf with visible killer whale toothmarks like a rake and missing chunks of flesh.
P. Markovic, CETREC, Western Australia
Killer whales charging next to a blue whale calf with visible killer whale toothmarks like a rake and missing chunks of flesh. Location: Bremer Bay, Western Australia.

The fight or flight hypothesis is not new, but research into acoustics is shedding new insights into the behavioral, morphometric, and ecological adaptations of baleen whales. Could this so-called acoustic crypsis, where whales that call at such deep frequencies that they are acoustically invisible to killer whales, have developed as a defense mechanism from attack?

Killer whales are found in every one of the world’s oceans, and their prey ranges from small fish to the largest whales on Earth. The fight species of baleen whales usually migrate and calve closer to the coast in shallow water, a haven of sorts which provides easier defense against killer whale attacks—especially for group defense in aggregations. Combined with their slow-swimming and more navigable bodies, their communication with other whales is often at higher frequencies easily heard by killer whales—above 1500 Hz. In contrast, flight species have streamlined and slender bodies adapted for speed, and typically disperse across wider open ocean regions for mating and calving, where they are able to flee in all directions.

These behaviors also have implications for feeding and mating. Denser congregations in shallow coastal areas leaves less food for fight species, in comparison to the open ocean favored by flight species. However, the opposite is true for finding a mate—it’s easier when you’re all in a similar location, versus spread out over long distances. Where do acoustics fit into this picture?

Singing is a fundamental part of mate attraction and selection for whales. Males of the flight species sing in a way that maximizes the number of females that hear them, producing simple and repeated songs to attract a potential mate, and singing over prolonged periods to allow females to track them down. “But these super loud songs could expose them and their mates to killer whale attack. And this is where acoustic crypsis comes in: singing at low frequencies that are impossible, or very difficult, for killer whales to hear,” Branch said.

A close up view of the mouth of a blue whale is pictured, with the side profile of a killer whale shown entering the blue whale mouth (to feed on its tongue after an attack). Pictured in a blue ocean with choppy white water around the whales.
J. Daw, CETREC, Western Australia
After a killer whale pod kills a blue whale calf, one dives into the mouth of the blue whale to feast on its tongue. Location: Bremer Bay, Western Australia.

Branch conducted a review of aquarium experiments on killer whale hearing ranges, reviewed the source frequency and source level of populations of all baleen whales, and combined these with knowledge of how sounds move through the ocean, to predict which whale populations can be easily heard by killer whales. It turns out that flight species generally can’t be heard more than 1 km away by killer whales, unlike the calls of fight species.

The research shows that under the sea there is a sound landscape governed by fear, with some whale species choosing to sing their songs to their prospective Valentines at deep levels to avoid attacks; while other whale species compete to sing the most varied and interesting songs, and fight back when attacked. The fight vs. flight differences appear to drive all aspects of the lives of baleen whales, from where they are found, to their communication, to where and when they breed and feed.

Branch said: “It just never occurred to me that some whales sing low to avoid killer whales, but the more I looked at this, the more I realized that every aspect of their behavior is influenced by the fear of predation.”

For more information, contact tbranch@uw.edu

Turning up the heat: Revealing lake hotspots using mobile data

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You may think aquatic and fishery science is all about fish, whales and oceans, but Iris Haley’s research is demonstrating that essentially anything to do with water is related to this field of study. What is Iris investigating? The link between lake visitation and its relationship with heatwaves using cellphone data!

If you live in Washington, you’re familiar with the much-anticipated summertime when the lakes, rivers and Puget Sound beaches are filled with people enjoying a reprieve from the “Big Dark”. But as our climate becomes warmer and warmer, and more frequently, what does this mean for our lake environments, and the ability of people to enjoy them? The “heat dome” event of 2021 set 128 all-time high temperature records across Washington state, with some places reaching 107 degrees Fahrenheit. For Iris’ project, the definition of a heatwave event is a period of 3+ days in which minimum daily temperature is over a threshold of historical normal temperatures.

The tip of a red kayak is pictured on a large lake, surrounded by wooded area. Big fluffy white clouds are visible in the sky.
Iris Haley
Enjoying the view from a kayak on Lake Sammamish. Located in King County, Lake Sammamish is a freshwater lake seven miles long.

Iris is using cellphone user data from telecommunications company, Airsage, to study lake visitation in the face of heatwave events in Western Washington, focusing on 48 lakes primarily located in King and Snohomish counties. “When we call or text, our phone pings from a tower nearby. This can give an estimate of where someone was when they used their phone,” Iris said. This concept may be ringing a bell if you’ve watched true-crime documentaries, but this information is also useful to study things such as visitation to wildlife refuges, or in Iris’ case, lake visitation during heatwaves. “Cellphone data has not yet been utilized to study my specific topic, so it’s an exciting piece of research to work on,” Iris added.

Drilling down into the data, information from Airsage was taken from the lake itself and potential park areas of each lake, for example, beach parks and dog parks. “I looked at the number of unique pings to nearby towers to these specific areas and then compiled it to give a daily estimate of visitation,” Iris shared. Even though the results of Iris’ research are still in the works, it will be interesting to find out any correlation between lake visitation and heatwaves, especially for lakes that Iris grew up near, like Beaver Lake in Sammamish. “Research like this often takes a while to show concrete results, but I’m intrigued to see how different lakes compare to each other in terms of how visitation changes around heatwaves, and why.”

A lake with a very reflective surface, surrounded by woods and big white clouds in the sky.
Iris Haley
Pine Lake, located in the city of Sammamish, is a popular recreation spot.

So why study things like this, and what wider impacts could the information generated from this research have? City planning and management is a significant one. “This topic is super interesting in regards to implications for city planning. If a lot of people are going to certain lakes during heat events, then there needs to be more infrastructure to support this influx,” Iris said. “As our summers get hotter, it’s in the city and states best interests to fund parks and lakes where people can take refuge against extreme heat, especially as we continue to urbanize.”

Iris chose this topic when the data was offered by SAFS Professor, Julian Olden. “I had been volunteering as a tech in Julian’s lab for a few quarters when it came to choose my capstone project, so it also made sense to pursue my capstone with him,” Iris said. “I’m also bringing some personal experience into it as a Western Washington local, and someone who gravitates towards my local lake when it gets very hot, so this definitely motivated my interest in this topic!”

Interested in more SAFS undergraduate research stories?

SAFS undergrad conducts research in Hawai’i during HPP internship

Hurricane hunting with NOAA: Hollings Scholarship internship set for 2025

A Crab Network is Connecting Communities and Generating Crucial Data for Salish Sea Fisheries

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A collaborative network of agency and tribal scientists and resource managers, university faculty and students, and community volunteers are diligently working together to unlock the secrets of the Dungeness crab’s life cycle in the Salish Sea. The Pacific Northwest Crab Research Group (PCRG) is leading this unprecedented effort, generating vital data and fostering robust relationships to ensure the long-term sustainability of this ecologically, economically and culturally-important species.

Ally Galiotto
Dungeness crab megalopae captured in light trap at PCRG’s Shilshole Bay site.

“The Dungeness crab represents an iconic symbol for those who live, work and play in our region, but they also serve an important role both within the ecosystem and for the human communities who rely on them through commercial, recreational and subsistence fisheries” says Katelyn Bosley, research scientist and crab fishery manager with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “The Dungeness crab fishery has a very high economic value and we must develop a better understanding of this resource to maintain a productive, resilient fishery into the future”

Recognizing the urgent need for more comprehensive data to inform management decisions, the PCRG launched a collaborative larval crab monitoring network in 2019. This ambitious project utilizes standardized light traps deployed at various locations throughout the Salish Sea to capture and study Dungeness crab megalopae, the final larval stage before they settle and transition into juvenile crabs.

PCRG’s methods and broader approach, described in a new paper published Jan. 22 in Fisheries Magazine, are the best hope for understanding this iconic crustacean.

“Our light traps are made from items found at most hardware stores, making them an approachable and cost-effective monitoring tool. They’re modeled after traps used in coastal Oregon for similar studies which use light to draw in larval marine organisms like a moth to the flame.” said Claire Cook, graduate student at the University of Washington School Aquatic and Fishery Sciences and author of the methods document used to standardize light trap monitoring across the network.

Josefin McDonald
P. Sean McDonald checks the trap at PCRG’s Shilshole Marina Site.

“This network really underscores the power of the collective,” said Emily Buckner, the lead author of the study and one of the PCRG program coordinators. Margaret Homerding, the Shellfish Program Manager for the Nisqually Tribe agreed, adding, “by working together we are able to collect this information across a much larger spatial scale than we could alone, giving us a much clearer picture of crab recruitment patterns in the Salish Sea and allowing us to be better stewards of the resource.” 

Since its inception, the PCRG’s larval crab monitoring network has experienced remarkable growth, expanding from 16 sites in Washington in 2019 to an impressive 43 sites across Washington and British Columbia in 2023. This expansion has been driven by the enthusiastic participation of a diverse array of stakeholders, with over 85% of participating sites returning for a second year.

Ally Galiotto
An adult Dungeness crab.

The meticulous data collection efforts of this dedicated network have yielded the first standardized, continuous dataset on Dungeness crab larval dynamics in the Salish Sea. This treasure trove of information has revealed fascinating insights into the species’ early life, including:

  • Temporal and Spatial Trends: Megalopae were observed from April to September across all study years, with peak abundances generally occurring in June and July. Notably, larval abundance showed significant variation across the Salish Sea, consistently greatest in the central Salish Sea and north Hood Canal with lowest abundances in the southern Salish Sea and south Hood Canal.
  • Seasonal Size Variation: A consistent decline in the average size of megalopae from April to September across sites and years suggests potential environmental influences on larval growth within the Salish Sea.
  • Potential Coastal Subsidy: The detection of an early seasonal pulse of large megalopae, similar in size and timing to Pacific coast populations, in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and adjacent areas suggests a possible larval subsidy from the outer coast, underscoring the interconnectedness of marine populations.

The PCRG larval crab monitoring network stands as a shining example of the power of collaboration in addressing complex environmental challenges. By bringing together a diverse array of stakeholders with a shared passion for the Salish Sea, this groundbreaking project is generating the knowledge needed to inform sustainable fisheries management and ensure the long-term health of Dungeness crab.

Tandy Wilbur, Swinomish Fisheries Manager and Tribal member noted, “There is so much that we do not yet understand about Dungeness crab in the Salish Sea. As a policy-level manager for a tribal nation, we look forward to improving our ability to manage this fishery with more science-based information. But, as a long time fisherman, I can’t state enough the importance of ensuring the sustainability of the fishery for the livelihoods of members of the Swinomish community.”

Ally Galiotto
Several of the study authors checking a light trap.

Other authors of the study include: Allison Brownlee (Washington Department of Natural Resources), Julie S Barber and Sarah K Grossman (Swinomish Indian Tribal Community), Heather Earle (Hakai Institute), Bonnie Becker (UW Tacoma), Neil Harrington (Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe), P. Sean McDonald (UW Program on the Environment and School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences), Blair Paul (Skokomish Tribe), Katie Houle (Pacific Shellfish Institute), Alexandra Galiotto (Puget Sound Restoration Fund), Gianna Pantaleo (Suquamish Tribe), and Austin Paul (Point No Point Treaty Council).  

For more information, contact Emily Buckner, Crab Program Manager & Sea-Land Program Co-Lead at the Puget Sound Restoration Fund.

Small-scale fisheries essential to global nutrition, featured on cover of Nature

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FAO/Luis Tato/Nature
New research into the impact of small-scale fisheries on sustainable development goals is featured on the cover of Nature.

Small-scale fisheries play a significant but overlooked role in global fisheries production and are key to addressing hunger and malnutrition while supporting livelihoods around the world, according to research featured on the cover of Nature in Jan. 2025. Published by an international team of scientists, including Professor Chris Anderson from the University of Washington School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, the study is the first to rigorously quantify how marine and inland small-scale fisheries contribute to aquatic harvests and nutritional and socioeconomic security on a global scale.

“This project is particularly important because it is the largest effort to systematically collect data describing the contributions of small-scale fisheries to the multiple dimensions of fishery outcomes,” said Chris Anderson. “This includes several places where fisheries contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, including eliminating hunger, eliminating poverty, ensuring gender inclusive development, and supporting ecologically healthy oceans.”

The international team, consisting of scientists from almost 10 different countries, found that fisheries that rely on labor-intensive, relatively low-tech methods make surprisingly large contributions to societies, economies and diets around the world. “Illuminating the large scale of these small-scale contributions will provide small scale harvesters and shoreside participants with voice and visibility in policymaking circles. More systematic data will also make it possible to study the mechanisms that support higher levels of small-scale fishery benefits, including food provision and social and economic safety nets, from the very diverse resources and circumstances in which small-scale fishing occurs,” Chris Anderson added.

Adapted from a Duke University press release

Read the cover story in Nature

NOAA Explorer-in-Training Program Application Now Open

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NOAA Ocean Exploration is excited to announce that the application for the 2025 Explorer-in-Training program is now open!

This year, the Explorer-in-Training program will feature two paid internship options: (a) 10-week, summertime opportunities and (b) 2-4 week expedition-based opportunities. The 10-week internships provide students an opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge through long-term projects supported by mentors in NOAA Ocean Exploration and partner organizations. The 2-4 week expedition-based internships involve participation in NOAA Ocean Exploration-supported expeditions aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer supporting seafloor mapping operations, giving participants the chance to contribute to mission efforts while gaining tangible skills that can benefit their future pursuits. Internship themes available in 2025 are listed below, and additional details may be found on the Explorer-in-Training webpage. Applicants may only apply for one internship theme per year.

Internship Themes

  • Midwater ROV Annotations (10-week summer internship)
  • Emerging Technologies/eDNA (10-week summer internship)
  • Maritime Heritage Communications (10-week summer internship)
  • Science and Native Hawaiian Cultural Communications (10-week summer internship)
  • Ocean Mapping (2-4 week expedition-based internship)

Eligibility

  • U.S. citizenship
  • Must be at least 18 years of age by internship or expedition start date
  • Students (undergraduate or graduate) who are currently enrolled in or recently graduated (within one year of graduation date) from an accredited academic institution
  • Degree, major, or intent to major in a field relevant to NOAA Ocean Exploration’s mission, including but not limited to: STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields, social sciences, communications, education, business operations/administration, and ocean policy/management
  • Willingness to learn and follow office policies and/or shipboard standard operating procedures
  • Clearance of a Special Agreement Check (SAC) upon acceptance into the program
  • Valid U.S. Passport (2-4 week, expedition-based ocean mapping internship only)

How to Apply

Submit online application form on the Explorer-in-Training webpage, including the following:

  • Current resume or curriculum vitae (maximum 2 pages). If you have never created a resume or CV before, see resources and guidance from the Purdue Online Writing Lab.
  • Required short answer response to each of the following prompts:
    1. Tell us where you are in your academic/professional path, and how ocean exploration fits with your long-term career and educational goals. (Maximum 250 words)
    2. The Explorer-in-Training program is intended to be an experiential learning opportunity. For the internship theme you are applying for, what specifically interests you in the opportunity and what skills and/or experiences are you hoping to gain? (Maximum 250 words)
    3. Describe a situation when you had to overcome a challenge or step outside of your comfort zone. How did you get through it and what did you learn? (Maximum 250 words)
    4. NOAA Ocean Exploration is committed to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Tell us about your journey and how you would like to contribute to NOAA Ocean Exploration’s goal of creating a more diverse global pool of talent engaged in deep ocean exploration. (Maximum 500 words)
    5. The following question is required for applicants to the 10-week Science and Native Hawaiian Cultural Communications internship only: Explain how you hope that your passion for and familiarity with Native Hawaiian culture, knowledge, and language will connect to local and indigenous communities through this role. (Maximum 250 words)
  • Contact information for at least one professional reference (professor, advisor, work supervisor, mentor, etc.). References should be able to speak to your character and your professional and/or academic background.

Application Deadlines

Applications for the 10-week summer internship opportunities will be accepted until January 31, 2025. Applications for the 2-4 week expedition-based ocean mapping internship will be accepted on a rolling basis, with a priority deadline of January 31, 2025. After this priority deadline, applications will still be accepted until all slots are filled for the 2025 field season.

Please visit the Explorer-in-Training webpage for more details. For questions and additional information, or if you experience technical difficulties, please contact NOAA Ocean Exploration Internship Program Coordinator at oer.internships@noaa.gov. The Explorer-in-Training program is administered in partnership with the Cooperative Program for the Advancement of Earth System Science (CPAESS), a community program of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR).

Postdoctoral Research Scholar at Oregon State University

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Applications are invited for a full-time Postdoctoral Research Scholar appointment to be held at the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University. Primary research focus is developing quantitative decision-making tools for evaluating and prioritizing U.S. Bureau of Reclamation management actions and investments in the Klamath Basin focused on the conservation and recovery of various fish species and their habitats. Applicants must have completed all the requirements for their doctoral program (PhD or equivalent), with demonstrated research accomplishments, and publications in the primary research literature.
Applicants should have the necessary skills and experience with sample design and the estimation of animal population parameters and should have interest and capabilities in the development of integrated approaches to estimating and modeling population dynamics and applying the results to decision making. The position will primarily involve data analysis and modeling with some potential for field research. The successful candidate will work under the supervision of James Peterson and will be part of an interagency and interdisciplinary team of stakeholders and researchers. The successful candidate must be able to work successfully in a team environment. Periodic travel to meet with collaborators or conduct field work with overnight stays will be required. Excellent command of the English language, quantitative analytical skills, and written and verbal communication skills are absolutely required. Special consideration will be given to candidates possessing one or more of the following knowledge and skills: spatial statistics, sampling design and estimation, and Bayesian modeling techniques.
Appointment: Appointments will be intended for a term of one (1) year, with the possibility for renewal of an additional year, based upon a satisfactory performance review. Salary ($65,000 – $70,000 year depending on qualifications) and full benefits will be commensurate with qualifications of the successful applicants. Start date is negotiable but no later than June 2025.
Application Submission: Applications must include a complete personal resume with details of academic qualifications, electronic copies of two (2) representative scientific publications, and the names and contact information of three (3) individuals who have agreed to provide a personal and professional recommendation if requested. Email all applications to James Peterson at jt.peterson@oregonstate.edu.
Deadline for applications: Applications will be accepted starting 1/17/2025 and will close on 05/15/2025 or until the position has been filled.
Interviews: All applications will be acknowledged electronically; only those selected for consideration on a short list will be contacted and asked to provide letters of recommendation.

Presenting at the 2024 International Society for Behavioral Ecology Congress: a graduate student’s experience

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Presenting my doctoral research at the International Society for Behavioral Ecology (ISBE) Congress in Melbourne, Australia in the fall of 2024 was an incredibly profound experience. Having previously presented at the 2022 Congress in Stockholm, the opportunity to share my work once more on such a distinguished platform was not only gratifying but also deeply humbling. Engaging with fellow researchers and ecologists from around the globe (over 50 countries were represented), all passionate and committed to the field of behavioral ecology, enriched my perspective and deepened my own commitment to my research. 

Ashley stands behind a podium when delivering a presentation at a conference.
Ashley Townes
Delivering my oral presentation at the 2024 ISBE Congress in Melbourne.

At ISBE 2024, I presented the second chapter of my dissertation, which explores how the risk of predators (e.g., bears) affects the behavior and reproductive success of spawning sockeye salmon in Bristol Bay, Alaska. We’re studying whether adult salmon that move between different parts of a stream (movers) during spawning have more successful offspring compared to those that stay in one place (non-movers). By combining past data on salmon movements with information on their offspring, we hope to better understand how breeding behaviors can impact survival and success in the wild.

Two people smile into the camera as they stand in front of a conference event sign.
Ashley Townes
Reuniting with Dr. John Fitzpatrick, the president-elect of ISBE and the ISBE 2022 Organizing Committee Chair in Stockholm. Dr. Fitzpatrick, a reviewer of my research abstract, graciously selected me for a travel grant and extended an invitation for me to present again two years later. His support has been invaluable, and his kindness is truly remarkable.

When I decided I wanted to attend the ISBE Congress in Australia, my first thought was about how to fund the trip. I’ve made it a personal rule to explore outside funding opportunities before approaching my academic advisor for support. In this case, the ISBE Congress offered a travel grant application, which I applied for. These applications are usually straightforward – they typically ask for your abstract, estimated travel costs, whether you’ve attended an international conference before, and whether you’re a master’s or Ph.D. student. Occasionally, they include a personal statement or ask why you’re deserving of the grant, but that’s not always the case.

I’ve been fortunate to receive travel grants from conferences or host universities that have allowed me to present my research at several international conferences. But if a travel grant doesn’t work out, I still prioritize finding other funding opportunities to support my academic goals. Professors often have limited funds and may encourage you to look for external funding as well, so I always try to exhaust those options first.

Ashley smiles into the camera while the background shows a cityscape with a river running through it.
Ashley Townes
Exploring the sights of Melbourne, Australia.

The conversations I had at ISBE 2024 were enlightening, pushing the boundaries of what I thought was possible and opening new avenues for scientific exploration, particularly in terms of scaling my fish habitat work from local to global impacts. This experience has significantly motivated me as a scientist to further my research with renewed vigor and a broader perspective, understanding more profoundly how interconnected our work and its implications are on a global scale.

Being in an environment where everyone is aligned in their dedication to advancing knowledge and understanding was incredibly affirming. It reassured me that the path I’ve chosen is not only valuable but essential. The ISBE Congress was more than just an academic exercise; it was a confluence of minds and spirits, eager to make a difference and contribute to the betterment of our environment and world.

A large screen behind a stage during a presentation at a conference event.
Ashley Townes
View of the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre’s auditorium, the central gathering space where attendees convened each morning and afternoon to listen to keynote speakers.