The advanced sampling technology program at the NEFSC provides fisheries independent abundance and biomass estimates for pelagic fish species in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank regions of the Northwest Atlantic. Currently, the primary species of interest are Atlantic herring and Atlantic mackerel. Future studies will include other commercially and ecologically important pelagic and demersal fish and invertebrate stocks. Multifrequency acoustic data are collected with EK500 or EK60 echo sounders (18, 38, 70, 120, and 200 kHz). Midwater trawling and underwater optics are used to verify species composition and quantify organism behavior. Research and survey components comprise advanced sampling technology efforts, where new technologies are tested and implemented into standardized survey methodology. Participation on pelagic and bottom fish survey cruises provides ample opportunities to apply underwater acoustic methods to fisheries ecology and management topics. Research opportunities include (1) laboratory measurements of acoustic scattering by marine fish species, (2) theoretical modeling of acoustic scattering by individual and aggregations of marine fishes, (3) underwater optical imaging, (4) multifrequency methods for target identification, and (5) acoustic methods to detect and enumerate demersal species.

Additional Benefits

Awardees who reside more than 50 miles from their host laboratory and remain on tenure for at least six months are eligible for paid relocation to within the vicinity of their host laboratory.

A group health insurance program is available to awardees and their qualifying dependents in the United States.