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Ashley H. MacKenzie

Ashley MacKenzie is the Data Management Specialist for the Western Fisheries Research Center.

Professional Experience

  • 2023 to Present – Data Management Specialist, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Seattle, WA

  • 2021 to 2023 – Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Marrowstone Marine Field Station, Nordland, WA

  • 2014 to 2021 – Biological Science Technician (Microbiology), U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Marrowstone Marine Field Station, Nordland, WA

Education and Certifications

  • Master of Business Administration, Western Governors University, Salt Lake City, UT

  • Business Administration, Accounting Certificate, Peninsula College, Port Angeles, WA

  • B.S. Marine Biology, Hawaii Pacific University, Kaneohe, HI

Science and Products

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Herring juvenile 103 days post-hatch.

PCB Exposure and Disease Susceptibility

Researchers at that MMFS are experimentally determining the impacts of high PCB body burdens on the immunocompetency and disease susceptibility of Pacific herring.
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Fisheries Research Center, Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
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PCB Exposure and Disease Susceptibility

Researchers at that MMFS are experimentally determining the impacts of high PCB body burdens on the immunocompetency and disease susceptibility of Pacific herring.
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Image: Pacific Herring larvae

PAH Exposure and Disease Susceptibility

Researchers at the MMFS are studying the immediate and delayed effects of petroleum hydrocarbon exposures to Pacific herring.
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Fisheries Research Center, Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
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PAH Exposure and Disease Susceptibility

Researchers at the MMFS are studying the immediate and delayed effects of petroleum hydrocarbon exposures to Pacific herring.
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Kidney of a steelhead with heavy N. salmincola infection

Effects of Nanophyetus salmincola on the Health and Survival of Puget Sound Steelhead

Low early marine survival rates of Puget Sound steelhead ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ), the state fish of Washington, have contributed to its dramatic population decline and current listing as a “Threatened Species” under the Endangered Species Act. Determining the cause(s) of this elevated mortality remains a primary objective of the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project, a large US / Canada effort...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Fisheries Research Center, Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
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Effects of Nanophyetus salmincola on the Health and Survival of Puget Sound Steelhead

Low early marine survival rates of Puget Sound steelhead ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ), the state fish of Washington, have contributed to its dramatic population decline and current listing as a “Threatened Species” under the Endangered Species Act. Determining the cause(s) of this elevated mortality remains a primary objective of the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project, a large US / Canada effort...
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Lingering oil in the sediments of Knight Island

Genomic Mechanisms that Underlie Lack of Recovery of Prince William Sound Herring Following the 1990s Collapse

In the decades following the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (EVOS), it has become increasingly apparent that oil can be toxic at extremely low concentrations to developing fish embryos including herring, where some toxic phenotypes may be apparent during embryogenesis, but some are delayed until later in life. Therefore, acute and lingering oil may act as an insidious selective force within populations...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Fisheries Research Center, Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
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Genomic Mechanisms that Underlie Lack of Recovery of Prince William Sound Herring Following the 1990s Collapse

In the decades following the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (EVOS), it has become increasingly apparent that oil can be toxic at extremely low concentrations to developing fish embryos including herring, where some toxic phenotypes may be apparent during embryogenesis, but some are delayed until later in life. Therefore, acute and lingering oil may act as an insidious selective force within populations...
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Oil Tanker in Prince William Sound

Herring Disease Program

Using an approach that involves a combination of field- and laboratory-based studies, we are investigating fish health factors that may be contributing to the failed recovery of Pacific herring populations in Prince William Sound, AK. Field studies are providing infection and disease prevalence data to inform the population models, serological data that indicate the prior exposure history and...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Fisheries Research Center, Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
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Herring Disease Program

Using an approach that involves a combination of field- and laboratory-based studies, we are investigating fish health factors that may be contributing to the failed recovery of Pacific herring populations in Prince William Sound, AK. Field studies are providing infection and disease prevalence data to inform the population models, serological data that indicate the prior exposure history and...
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Caligus Clemensi prevalence and counts on Clupea pallasii from Port Angeles Harbor, WA and from a controlled laboratory experiment conducted at USGS Marrowstone Marine Field Station, WA

We characterized a natural sea louse epizootic of Caligus clemensi and the effects of parasitism on Pacific herring Clupea pallasii in Port Angeles Harbor, WA, USA. Infestation prevalence on newly metamorphosed age0 Pacific herring reached 100% prevalence by mid-August. At this time, the mean louse intensity was 4.6 lice and a positive correlation occurred between louse intensity and Pacific herri
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Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
Large purse seine net deployed from a research vessel during northern lights display
Large purse seine net deployed from a research vessel during northern lights display Hawkins Island, Alaska
Large purse seine net deployed from a research vessel during northern lights display Hawkins Island, Alaska
Large purse seine net deployed from a research vessel during northern lights display

Large purse seine net deployed from a research vessel during northern lights display Hawkins Island, Alaska

Large purse seine net deployed from a research vessel during northern lights display Hawkins Island, Alaska

Northern lights above Hawkins Island, Alaska. Large purse seine net is deployed from the stern of the research vessel R/V Solstice (owned and operated by Alaska Department of Fish and Game) during a joint collection effort with the USGS to sample fish for an annual disease survey in the sound.

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Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
Large purse seine net deployed from a research vessel during northern lights display

Large purse seine net deployed from a research vessel during northern lights display Hawkins Island, Alaska

Large purse seine net deployed from a research vessel during northern lights display Hawkins Island, Alaska

Northern lights above Hawkins Island, Alaska. Large purse seine net is deployed from the stern of the research vessel R/V Solstice (owned and operated by Alaska Department of Fish and Game) during a joint collection effort with the USGS to sample fish for an annual disease survey in the sound.

By
Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
Panoramic view of large purse seine net being loaded onto deck of boat
Large purse seine net being loaded onto the deck of research vessel R/V Solstice
Large purse seine net being loaded onto the deck of research vessel R/V Solstice
Panoramic view of large purse seine net being loaded onto deck of boat

Large purse seine net being loaded onto the deck of research vessel R/V Solstice

Large purse seine net being loaded onto the deck of research vessel R/V Solstice

Ashley MacKenzie, U.S. Geological Survey, watches as Heather Scannell, Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) and Jenni Morella, ADF&G pull the purse seine onto the deck of the research vessel R/V Solstice after setting on a school of Pacific herring in Prince William Sound Alaska.

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Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
Panoramic view of large purse seine net being loaded onto deck of boat

Large purse seine net being loaded onto the deck of research vessel R/V Solstice

Large purse seine net being loaded onto the deck of research vessel R/V Solstice

Ashley MacKenzie, U.S. Geological Survey, watches as Heather Scannell, Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) and Jenni Morella, ADF&G pull the purse seine onto the deck of the research vessel R/V Solstice after setting on a school of Pacific herring in Prince William Sound Alaska.

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Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
Purse seine filled with Pacific herring in Prince William Sound Alaska
A purse seine net filled with Pacific herring in Prince William Sound Alaska
A purse seine net filled with Pacific herring in Prince William Sound Alaska
Purse seine filled with Pacific herring in Prince William Sound Alaska

A purse seine net filled with Pacific herring in Prince William Sound Alaska

A purse seine net filled with Pacific herring in Prince William Sound Alaska

Purse seine net filled with Pacific herring in Prince William Sound Alaska. The seine net is deployed off the research vessel R/V Solstice (owned and operated by Alaska Department of Fish and Game) during a joint collection effort with the USGS to sample fish for an annual disease survey in the sound. Collection of herring is rare during the daytime.

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Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
Purse seine filled with Pacific herring in Prince William Sound Alaska

A purse seine net filled with Pacific herring in Prince William Sound Alaska

A purse seine net filled with Pacific herring in Prince William Sound Alaska

Purse seine net filled with Pacific herring in Prince William Sound Alaska. The seine net is deployed off the research vessel R/V Solstice (owned and operated by Alaska Department of Fish and Game) during a joint collection effort with the USGS to sample fish for an annual disease survey in the sound. Collection of herring is rare during the daytime.

By
Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
Scientists conducting fish disease sampling
Scientists conducting fish disease sampling
Scientists conducting fish disease sampling
Scientists conducting fish disease sampling

Scientists conducting fish disease sampling

Scientists conducting fish disease sampling

U.S. Geological Survey, and Alaska Department of Fish and Game researchers perform disease sampling on herring collected from a purse seine in Prince William Sound Alaska. Sampling includes length, weight, sex, age, blood for VHSV antibodies and VEN slides, gills/kidney/spleen for VHSV, and hearts for Ichthyophonus.

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Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
Scientists conducting fish disease sampling

Scientists conducting fish disease sampling

Scientists conducting fish disease sampling

U.S. Geological Survey, and Alaska Department of Fish and Game researchers perform disease sampling on herring collected from a purse seine in Prince William Sound Alaska. Sampling includes length, weight, sex, age, blood for VHSV antibodies and VEN slides, gills/kidney/spleen for VHSV, and hearts for Ichthyophonus.

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Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
Large purse seine net being loaded onto research vessel
Large purse seine net being loaded onto research vessel, Cordova Alaska
Large purse seine net being loaded onto research vessel, Cordova Alaska
Large purse seine net being loaded onto research vessel

Large purse seine net being loaded onto research vessel, Cordova Alaska

Large purse seine net being loaded onto research vessel, Cordova Alaska

Large purse seine net being loaded onto the research vessel R/V Solstice (Cordova Alaska). This net is used to collect Pacific herring throughout Prince William Sound. The herring disease surveys are the beginning of the field season for Alaska Department of Fish & Game in Cordova AK.

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Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
Large purse seine net being loaded onto research vessel

Large purse seine net being loaded onto research vessel, Cordova Alaska

Large purse seine net being loaded onto research vessel, Cordova Alaska

Large purse seine net being loaded onto the research vessel R/V Solstice (Cordova Alaska). This net is used to collect Pacific herring throughout Prince William Sound. The herring disease surveys are the beginning of the field season for Alaska Department of Fish & Game in Cordova AK.

By
Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
Aerial image of an oil tanker
Aerial image of an oil tanker in Prince William Sound, Alaska
Aerial image of an oil tanker in Prince William Sound, Alaska
Aerial image of an oil tanker

Aerial image of an oil tanker in Prince William Sound, Alaska

Aerial image of an oil tanker in Prince William Sound, Alaska

Aerial image of an oil tanker in Prince William Sound, Alaska.

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Western Fisheries Research Center
Aerial image of an oil tanker

Aerial image of an oil tanker in Prince William Sound, Alaska

Aerial image of an oil tanker in Prince William Sound, Alaska

Aerial image of an oil tanker in Prince William Sound, Alaska.

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Western Fisheries Research Center
Oil Tanker in Prince William Sound
Oil Tanker in Prince William Sound
Oil Tanker in Prince William Sound
Oil Tanker in Prince William Sound

Oil Tanker in Prince William Sound

Oil Tanker in Prince William Sound

Oil Tanker in Prince William Sound.

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Western Fisheries Research Center, Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
Oil Tanker in Prince William Sound

Oil Tanker in Prince William Sound

Oil Tanker in Prince William Sound

Oil Tanker in Prince William Sound.

By
Western Fisheries Research Center, Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)

Effects of temperature on viral load, inclusion body formation, and host response in Pacific Herring with viral erythrocytic necrosis (VEN)

ObjectiveThe primary objective of this study was to determine the effects of temperature on viral erythrocytic necrosis (VEN) progression under controlled conditions. Secondarily, this study was intended to evaluate the combined effects of temperature and VEN on the Pacific Herring Clupea palasii transcriptome.MethodsThe effects of temperature on VEN progression were assessed by waterborne exposur
Authors
Joanne Elizabeth Salzer, Justin Blaine Greer, Maya Groner, Ashley MacKenzie, Jacob L. Gregg, Paul Hershberger
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Fisheries Research Center

Temporal, environmental, and demographic correlates of Ichthyophonus sp. infections in mature Pacific herring populations

Causes of population collapse and failed recovery often remain enigmatic in marine forage fish like Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) that experience dramatic population oscillations. Diseases such as ichthyophoniasis are hypothesized to contribute to these declines, but lack of long-term datasets frequently prevents inference. Analysis of pathogen surveillance and population assessment datasets s
Authors
Maya Groner, Eliana D. Bravo-Mendosa, Ashley MacKenzie, Jacob L. Gregg, Carla M. Conway, John T. Trochta, Paul Hershberger
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Fisheries Research Center

Characteristics of a sea louse (Caligus clemensi) epizootic in wild Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii)

We characterized a natural sea louse epizootic of Caligus clemensi and the effects of parasitism on Pacific herring Clupea pallasii in Port Angeles Harbor, WA, USA. Infestation prevalence on newly metamorphosed age 0 Pacific herring reached 100% prevalence by mid-August. At this time, the mean louse intensity was 4.6 lice/fish, and a positive correlation occurred between louse intensity and herrin
Authors
David James Páez, Jacob L. Gregg, Ashley MacKenzie, Sophie Amanda Hall, Paul Hershberger
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Fisheries Research Center, Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)

Annual recurrences of viral hemorrhagic septicemia epizootics in age 0 Pacific herring Clupea pallasii Valenciennes, 1847

Throughout a 20 year biosurveillance period, viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus was isolated in low titers from only 6/7355 opportunistically sampled adult Pacific herring, reflecting the typical endemic phase of the disease when the virus persists covertly. However, more focused surveillance efforts identified the presence of disease hot spots occurring among juvenile life history stages from cer
Authors
Paul Hershberger, Theodore R. Meyers, Jacob L. Gregg, Maya Groner, Sophie Amanda Hall, Hiruni T. Jayasekera, Ashley MacKenzie, Abigail S. Neat, Ella N. Piatt, Kyle A. Garver
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)

Long-term shedding from fully convalesced individuals indicates that Pacific herring are a reservoir for viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus

Processes that allow viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) virus to persist in the marine environment remain enigmatic, owing largely to the presence of covert and cryptic infections in marine fishes during typical sub-epizootic periods. As such, marine host reservoirs for VHS virus have not been fully demonstrated, nor have the mechanism(s) by which infected hosts contribute to virus perpetuation an
Authors
Paul Hershberger, Ashley MacKenzie, Jacob L. Gregg, M. D. Wilmot, Rachel L. Powers, Maureen K. Purcell
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)

Differential susceptibility of Yukon River and Salish Sea stocks of Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha to ichthyophoniasis

Preliminary evidence suggests that Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha from the Yukon River may be more susceptible to Ichthyophonus sp. infections than Chinook from stocks further south. To investigate this hypothesis in a controlled environment, we experimentally challenged juvenile Chinook from the Yukon River and from the Salish Sea with Ichthyophonus sp. and evaluated mortality, infection
Authors
Diane G. Elliott, Carla M. Conway, Constance L. McKibben, Ashley MacKenzie, Lucas M. Hart, Maya Groner, Maureen K. Purcell, Jacob L. Gregg, Paul Hershberger
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)

Pacific herring Clupea pallasii are not susceptible to vibriosis from Vibrio anguillarum or V. ordalii under laboratory conditions

The ubiquity of Vibrio spp. throughout the coastal marine waters of the Pacific Northwest of North America raises questions about the susceptibility of native marine fishes, including Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii). Early reports of Vibriolike disease (Rucker et al., 1954; Walford, 1958) and Vibrio sp. isolations (Pacha & Kiehn, 1969) in Pacific herring remain questionable because both occurred
Authors
Paul Hershberger, M.E.T Stinson, Brenda L Hall, Ashley MacKenzie, Jacob L. Gregg, William August Richards, James Winton
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)

Ichthyophonus sp. Infection in Opaleye (Girella nigricans)

Over a 3-year-period, 17 wild-caught opaleye (Girella nigricans) housed in a public display aquarium were found dead without premonitory signs. Grossly, 4 animals had pinpoint brown or black foci on coelomic adipose tissue. Histologically, liver, spleen, heart, and posterior kidney had mesomycetozoan granulomas in all cases; other organs were less commonly infected. Four opaleye had goiter; additi
Authors
Elise E. B LaDouceur, Judy St. Leger, Alexandria Mena, Ashley MacKenzie, Jacob Gregg, Maureen K. Purcell, William N. Batts, Paul Hershberger
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)

A geographic hot spot of Ichthyophonus infection in the southern Salish Sea, USA

The prevalence of Ichthyophonus infection in Pacific herring Clupea pallasii was spatially heterogeneous in the southern Salish Sea, Washington State, USA. Over the course of 13 mo, 2232 Pacific herring were sampled from 38 midwater trawls throughout the region. Fork length was positively correlated with Ichthyophonus infection at all sites. After controlling for the positive relationship between
Authors
Paul Hershberger, Ashley MacKenzie, Jacob Gregg, A Lindquist, T Sandell, Maya L. Groner, D Lowry
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Species Management Research Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)

Susceptibility of Nanophyetus salmincola cercariae to formalin, hydrogen peroxide, and seawater

The ability of formalin, PEROX‐AID (hydrogen peroxide), and seawater to kill waterborne Nanophyetus salmincola cercariae was evaluated in vitro. Newly emerged cercariae survived for extended periods in freshwater, with 53–73% survival occurring in negative control groups after 24 h. Exposure to dilutions of formalin reduced this survival time, with 0% of cercariae surviving after 30 min in 450 μL/
Authors
Paul Hershberger, Bonnie Besijn, Ashley Mackenzie, Mallory Wilmot
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Fisheries Research Center, Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)

Optimization of a Plaque Neutralization Test (PNT) to identify the exposure history of Pacific Herring to viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV)

Methods for a plaque neutralization test (PNT) were optimized for the detection and quantification of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) neutralizing activity in the plasma of Pacific Herring Clupea pallasii. The PNT was complement dependent, as neutralizing activity was attenuated by heat inactivation; further, neutralizing activity was mostly restored by the addition of exogenous compleme
Authors
Lucas Hart, Ashley MacKenzie, Maureen K. Purcell, Rachel L. Thompson, Paul Hershberger
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)

Infecting Pacific Herring with Ichthyophonus sp. in the laboratory

The protistan parasite Ichthyophonus sp. occurs in coastal populations of Pacific Herring Clupea pallasii throughout the northeast Pacific region, but the route(s) by which these planktivorous fish become infected is unknown. Several methods for establishing Ichthyophonus infections in laboratory challenges were examined. Infections were most effectively established after intraperitoneal (IP) inje
Authors
Paul Hershberger, Lucas Hart, Ashley MacKenzie, M.L. Yanney, Carla M. Conway, Diane G. Elliott
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
Photo Contest Winner! By Air and by Sea, Pacific Herring Research is Underway in Alaska

Photo Contest Winner! By Air and by Sea, Pacific Herring Research is Underway in Alaska

Our photo contest winner is Ashley MacKenzie, for bringing multiple images to us from research in Alaska.

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