Young of year Arctic cisco (Coregonus autumnalis).
Nearshore Fish Surveys in the Beaufort Sea Active
By Alaska Science Center
April 16, 2018
Nearshore systems provide habitat to a unique community of marine and diadromous (lives in both fresh and saltwater) fish and support high fish abundance.
Return to Ecosystems >> Fish and Aquatic Ecology
In the Arctic, rapid changes in temperature and salinity have led to changes in where fish commonly occur. Recent offshore survey efforts also provide an opportunity to compare fish abundance between offshore and nearshore habitats to understand which species use nearshore and offshore habitats and if nearshore habitats are used for specific part of their lives (like juvenile rearing, feeding, or reproduction). Updated information on fish community and use of nearshore habitats will provide management agencies with information for assessments and improve understanding of current susceptibility and risks of development and production in federal waters.
Project Tasks:
- Examine the composition of nearshore fish communities along spatial (central to eastern Beaufort) and temporal (inter-annual) scales.
- Describe the distribution and abundance of marine and diadromous fish species in nearshore habitats in relation to known hydrographic (e.g., salinity, temperature) and biological (e.g., presence of kelp) drivers.
- Assess the possible connectivity between continental shelf and estuarine nearshore fish communities through comparative analyses of community assemblage, abundance, and individual attributes (e.g., length) to identify the role of nearshore habitats.
Engage local students from Kaveolook School through K-12 Oceanography Program (see https://utmsi.utexas.edu/visit/summer-science/kaktovik-alaska)
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Fish and Aquatic Ecology
Fish and aquatic habitats in Alaska support important commercial, sport, and subsistence fisheries and provide forage fish that support wildlife populations. The USGS Alaska Science Center conducts interdisciplinary research to inform local, state, federal, and international policy makers regarding conservation of fish, aquatic species, and their habitats. We work collaboratively with hydrologists...
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 25
Young of year Arctic cisco
Young of year Arctic cisco (Coregonus autumnalis).
Pink salmon captured near Kaktovik, Alaska
Pink salmon captured near Kaktovik, Alaska
Pink salmon captured near Kaktovik, Alaska
Saffron cod captured near Kaktovik Alaska
Saffron cod (Eleginus gracilis) captured near Kaktovik Alaska
Saffron cod (Eleginus gracilis) captured near Kaktovik Alaska
Underwater photo of young of year Arctic cisco
Underwater photo of young of year Arctic cisco
Underwater photo of young of year Arctic cisco
- Overview
Nearshore systems provide habitat to a unique community of marine and diadromous (lives in both fresh and saltwater) fish and support high fish abundance.
Return to Ecosystems >> Fish and Aquatic Ecology
In the Arctic, rapid changes in temperature and salinity have led to changes in where fish commonly occur. Recent offshore survey efforts also provide an opportunity to compare fish abundance between offshore and nearshore habitats to understand which species use nearshore and offshore habitats and if nearshore habitats are used for specific part of their lives (like juvenile rearing, feeding, or reproduction). Updated information on fish community and use of nearshore habitats will provide management agencies with information for assessments and improve understanding of current susceptibility and risks of development and production in federal waters.
Project Tasks:
- Examine the composition of nearshore fish communities along spatial (central to eastern Beaufort) and temporal (inter-annual) scales.
- Describe the distribution and abundance of marine and diadromous fish species in nearshore habitats in relation to known hydrographic (e.g., salinity, temperature) and biological (e.g., presence of kelp) drivers.
- Assess the possible connectivity between continental shelf and estuarine nearshore fish communities through comparative analyses of community assemblage, abundance, and individual attributes (e.g., length) to identify the role of nearshore habitats.
Engage local students from Kaveolook School through K-12 Oceanography Program (see https://utmsi.utexas.edu/visit/summer-science/kaktovik-alaska)
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsA fyke net or fish trap used for continuous sampling of nearshore fish in shallow waters. Fish swimming along the beach are stopped by a small-mesh net that guides them in to one of these two underwater fish traps that are set side by side. Researchers visit nets at least once a day to identify, count, and release fish.(Credit: Vanessa von Biela, USGS. Public domain.)
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsAn underwater image of fish captured by a fyke net near Kaktovik, Alaska, Beaufort Sea, USA. The small silver fish with dark backs are young-of-year (age-0) Arctic cisco (Coregonus autumnalis) and the flatfish are Arctic flounder (Liopsetta glacialis).(Credit: Vanessa von Biela, USGS. Public domain.)
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsBiologists identify species, count, measure length, and release thousands of fish each year to understand how fish use nearshore habitats.(Credit: Vanessa von Biela, USGS. Public domain.) - Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Fish and Aquatic Ecology
Fish and aquatic habitats in Alaska support important commercial, sport, and subsistence fisheries and provide forage fish that support wildlife populations. The USGS Alaska Science Center conducts interdisciplinary research to inform local, state, federal, and international policy makers regarding conservation of fish, aquatic species, and their habitats. We work collaboratively with hydrologists... - Data
- Multimedia
Below are multimedia items associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 25
Young of year Arctic ciscoYoung of year Arctic cisco (Coregonus autumnalis).
Young of year Arctic cisco (Coregonus autumnalis).
Pink salmon captured near Kaktovik, AlaskaPink salmon captured near Kaktovik, Alaska
Pink salmon captured near Kaktovik, Alaska
Saffron cod captured near Kaktovik AlaskaSaffron cod (Eleginus gracilis) captured near Kaktovik Alaska
Saffron cod (Eleginus gracilis) captured near Kaktovik Alaska
Underwater photo of young of year Arctic ciscoUnderwater photo of young of year Arctic cisco
Underwater photo of young of year Arctic cisco
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