Nearshore Fish Surveys in the Beaufort Sea
Science Center Objects
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)
A 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.)
An 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.)
Biologists 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.)
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...
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Date published: April 24, 2018Status: ActiveEcosystem Shifts in Arctic Seas
In addition to the direct effects of sea ice loss on walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) and polar bears (Ursus maritimus) that use ice as a platform, the decline of Arctic sea ice is predicted to promote a fundamental ecosystem shift from benthic animals that forage on the sea floor to pelagic animals that forage near the sea surface.
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Date published: April 19, 2018Status: ActivePrimary Production Sources and Bottom-up Limitations in Nearshore Ecosystems
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Date published: April 3, 2018Status: ActiveAssessing heat stress in migrating Yukon River Chinook Salmon
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Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) char captured in brackish water
Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) char captured in brackish water along the Beaufort Sea coastline. Dolly Varden are an important subsistence fish across their range.
Arctic smelt (Osmerus dentex) captured along the Beaufort Sea
Arctic smelt (Osmerus dentex) captured along the Beaufort Sea coastline in Alaska. This species is a close relative of rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax)
Arctic smelt (Osmerus dentex) captured along Beaufort Sea
Arctic smelt (Osmerus dentex) captured along the Beaufort Sea coastline in Alaska. This species is a close relative of rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax).
Arctic cisco (Coregonus autumnalis) captured along the Beaufort Sea
Arctic cisco (Coregonus autumnalis) captured along the Beaufort Sea coastline in Alaska.
Least cisco (Coregonus sardinella) captured along the Beaufort Sea
Least cisco (Coregonus sardinella) captured along the Beaufort Sea coastline in Alaska. Least cisco are part of subsistence fisheries in Alaska.
Humpback whitefish (Coregonus pidschian) captured along Beaufort Sea
Humpback whitefish (Coregonus pidschian) captured along the Beaufort Sea coastline in Alaska. Humpback whitefish are part of subsistence fisheries in Alaska.
Broad whitefish (Coregonus nasus) captured along the Beaufort Sea
Broad whitefish (Coregonus nasus) captured along the Beaufort Sea coastline in Alaska. Broad whitefish are part of subsistence fisheries in Alaska.
Two Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) captured along the Beaufort Sea
Two Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) captured along the Beaufort Sea coastline in Alaska. Arctic cod are the primary forage fish and a key prey item for predators in the Pacific Arctic.
Saffron cod captured near Kaktovik Alaska
Saffron cod (Eleginus gracilis) captured near Kaktovik Alaska
The catch from a fyke net set near Kaktovik, Alaska
Biologists identify species, count, measure length, and release thousands of fish each year to understand how fish use nearshore habitats.
A fyke net set to catch nearshore fish near Kaktovik, Alaska
A 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.
Underwater image of fish captured by a fyke net
An 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).