ProTech-Fisheries Project Profiles
Saltwater is proud to be a NOAA ProTech-Fisheries contractor. We provide a variety of professional and technical services to support a wide range of NOAA science centers and laboratories throughout the U.S.. Here’s a quick look at a few of our current projects.
Collecting Longline Fish Data in the Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska
In coordination with the Auke Bay Laboratory in Juneau, Saltwater provided a Lead Contract Biologist for the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) Longline Survey in the Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska. Our biologist participated in a 3-month longline survey aboard a research vessel to support the Auke Bay Lab’s objectives of determining the relative abundance and size composition of various groundfish species. The data will contribute to gaining a better understanding of the life history, age, and growth of populations of sablefish, shortspine thornyhead, and pacific cod and facilitate the development of accurate stock assessments.
Services Provided
Onboard SurveyClient
NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC)Location
Gulf of Alaska
Electronic Monitoring of Shrimp Trawl Fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico
In this collaborative project with the Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Saltwater provides electronic monitoring (EM) services to shrimp trawl vessels in the Gulf of Mexico. These services include outreach to the fleet, provision of EM systems, on-going maintenance/support, and data review and analysis. The Gulf of Mexico shrimp trawl fishery is the most valuable fishery in the Gulf of Mexico and one of the most economically valuable fisheries in the United States. While observer programs are still utilized in this fishery, the current shrimp observer rates are very low. This project aims to increase coverage and provide more accurate data and a better overall understanding of the number of targeted species and bycatch, including protected species and endangered species.
Services Provided
EM ServicesClient
NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC)Location
Gulf of Mexico
Analyzing Otoliths to Determine Age and Growth Rate of Fish
Saltwater’s Fish Aging Lab Support Scientist works with the Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) on establishing a more efficient way to provide age and growth data on species of interest. Our scientist preps, processes, and analyzes extracted fish otolith specimens from forage fish, coastal pelagic species, and highly migratory species. The fish otoliths are used to estimate age and growth. These data are linked to species, sex, length, weight, and reproductive status, all of which contribute to a species’ life history. The project is designed to and aims to analyze up to 5,000 specimens per year with the goal of scanning 500-2000 samples per species. Along with information on foraging ecology, spatial distribution, and stock structure, these data are used to support sustainable management of the fisheries.