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Rasmuson Fisheries Expansion

Connecting Oceanography and Fisheries

The close relationship between oceanography and fisheries at the School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences will be an important asset in the development of our new curriculum. While most of this initiative is on fisheries and the fisheries undergraduate program, we will also build upon our strengths in oceanography and ocean observing to form an even stronger connection between oceanography and fisheries. As resource management in Alaska and elsewhere relies more and more on broader, ecosystem-based science that incorporates multiple disciplines, our students will receive a broad education that will include an understanding of oceanography and the ecosystem that supports a fishery. As Dr. Rosenberg pointed out to us, our School's unique organization allows us to build upon this important connection and thus elevate the entire school to a higher level within the academic community.

Our oceanography faculty are some of the most productive at UAF. During the last academic year, our oceanography faculty received ten national or international awards and served in 169 different service positions. Of the 1208 publications produced by these outstanding faculty, 423 have been cited in scientific papers more than twelve (12) times indicating that oceanographers around the world depend on the scientific knowledge of our faculty. As the field of oceanography has evolved, our faculty have become more involved with data collection through remote ocean observations.

Construction of an ocean observing system was one of the main recommendations of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. An Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) was recommended to meet national needs for:

With its large expanse of ocean area, it is anticipated that 30% of the U.S. portion of the ocean observing system will be built in Alaska waters, including the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean. SFOS faculty have a leadership role in the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS) and we will continue to expand our activities in this area as funding for the IOOS evolves through the federal appropriation process. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is the lead federal agency for IOOS.

The linkage between ocean observations and fisheries is especially important in Alaska waters, particularly in the Bering Sea. Recent, significant ecosystem changes in the Bering Sea have focused the attention of both the scientific community and federal regulators on this area and its important fishery. Many studies have revealed changes in abundance and distribution of marine mammals and other species. Although the Bering Sea fishery is of vital importance in Alaska, we still lack regularly gathered oceanographic data on the Bering Sea. It is essential that we understand how temperature and ice changes in the Bering Sea affect the prey base of fish, mammals and birds. For example, what is the effect of changes in benthic species composition on higher trophic levels? As part of this initiative, additional oceanography faculty will be employed to pursue these and other questions with external funding and to interact with our fisheries faculty and students to better understand the connections between the fishery and changing ocean processes.

For more information about the Rasmuson Fisheries Expansion, please contact Dr. Trent Sutton, Undergraduate Fisheries Coordinator, e-mail: tmsutton@alaska.edu, (907) 474-7285.

If you are a student interested in studying at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, please contact Katie Murra Straub, Recruitment and Retention Coordinator, e-mail kmstraub@alaska.edu or 907-474-6786.