RV Muskie Commissioning and Christening Ceremony
Detailed Description
The USGS Research Vessel Musky II (foreground) rests near its new replacement, the R/V Muskie (background), at the Sandusky Yacht Club.
The new large research vessel will enable USGS Lake Erie Biological Station researchers to explore the health and population of biological organisms in Lake Erie. Such research is used by federal, state, and tribal resource managers to protect the area's $7 billion annual commercial and sport fisheries.
The new research vessel is one of two USGS vessels recently constructed to replace the oldest vessels in the fleet. The new R/V Muskie is replacing the R/V Musky II, which has been the primary USGS research platform on Lake Erie since 1960. The second vessel, the R/V Kaho, will replace the ageing vessel on Lake Ontario. The new vessels will provide safe and reliable platforms for scientists, and will be equipped with state-of-the-art scientific instrumentation to improve the understanding of deep-water ecosystems and fishes in these lakes for ecological management purposes.
Sources/Usage
Public Domain.