Teacher Role Reverses on Southeast Fishery-Independent Survey with Student Assuming Leadership Role
In the vast expanse of the Southeast United States, a unique collaboration is underway. The Southeast Fishery-Independent Survey (SEFIS) is a crucial initiative that provides unbiased, systematic data on fish populations, independent of commercial or recreational fishing activities. This data is integral to regional stock assessments, playing a pivotal role in shaping sustainable management decisions for fisheries.
For one volunteer, this year's survey has taken on a special significance. The volunteer, who has been participating in SEFIS annually since 2017, recently had the honour of welcoming their former sixth and seventh grade science teacher, Mr. Steve Brown, to the team. Mr. Brown joined the survey for a 10-day stint, immersing himself in the rigours of offshore fieldwork.
The SEFIS team treats its volunteers as welcomed members, and Mr. Brown was no exception. He was prepared for the physically challenging nature of the work, learning various tasks such as filleting fish and pulling otoliths. His inquisitive nature and infectious laugh helped keep morale high during the survey.
Mr. Brown, who had a significant impact on the volunteer's career in marine science, spent time with the captain, chief scientist, and first mate during the survey. He was the primary sampler of otoliths for the entire SEFIS, contributing significantly to the data collection effort.
The data collected by SEFIS, including trap- and video-based indices of abundance and samples such as fish hard parts and reproductive tissues, is used in stock assessments to determine stock status. This information is essential for quantitative stock assessment models that reconstruct fish population dynamics over time, assess stock status, estimate biomass and fishing mortality rates, and inform sustainable management decisions.
The survey staff deploys baited traps outfitted with cameras from the Outer Banks, North Carolina, to Port St. Lucie, Florida. The speaker, who has trained multiple volunteers on shifts and filled in as a watch chief, has not served as chief scientist or set up the videos for sampling. However, they feel like a seasoned volunteer in the group, better understanding the process for when questions are asked during a stock assessment.
The speaker and Mr. Brown shared evening ice creams on the back deck after their shifts, creating a fond memory that the speaker will treasure for the rest of their career. The SEFIS coordinator, Dr. Nate Bacheler, oversaw the operation, ensuring that the survey runs smoothly and efficiently.
Incorporating SEFIS data improves the accuracy of stock assessments and the reliability of harvest strategies applied in the Southeast United States region. Long-running surveys like SEFIS provide continuous time series critical for characterising stock status and detecting trends necessary for effective management. Data from these surveys feed into statistical models that combine biological, catch, mortality, and survey abundance information to estimate stock status and support conservation advice. These surveys also contribute to indicators used in harvest strategies that must adapt to environmental changes like climate impacts.
In summary, the Southeast Fishery-Independent Survey contributes essential, unbiased biological and abundance data to stock assessments, facilitating better-informed management decisions for sustainable fisheries in the Southeast region. The survey data serve as a foundational element for modeling fish population dynamics, evaluating stock health, and guiding regulatory measures.
Science and environmental-science intertwine in the collaboration between SEFIS and Mr. Steve Brown, a former teacher of a SEFIS volunteer. In his 10-day stint with the team, he immersed himself in online-education on the fieldwork techniques, including filleting fish and pulling otoliths. His learning contributes to the data collection effort, fostering education-and-self-development within the team.
