The following is a summary of NOAA ship operations in July and planned operations in August 2023:
Bell M. Shimada completed the second leg of the Integrated Ecosystem and Pacific Hake Acoustic Trawl Survey off the coast of Newport, Oregon. This survey provides data on Pacific hake fish stocks along the Pacific coastline from San Francisco to Seattle. In August, Shimada will travel from Newport, Oregon, to Port Angeles, Washington for the third leg of this survey.
Fairweather completed the second leg of the Togiak Bay Survey off the coast of Unalaska, Alaska. This project will provide modern bathymetric data (water depth) in an area of high hydrographic risk, improve maritime safety, and support the Nippon Foundation-General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans Seabed 2030 Project. In August, they are expected to complete the second leg of the Pribilof Islands hydrographic survey and the 2023 Seascape Alaska mapping project.
Ferdinand R. Hassler conducted extended maintenance to prepare for the Approaches to Wilmington, North Carolina, Survey. Once the survey resumes, scientists will identify hazards and changes to the seafloor and provide critical data for updating nautical charting products to improve maritime safety.
Gordon Gunter completed the second leg of the Gulf of Mexico (GOMEX) Marine Mammal Survey off the coast of Pascagoula, Mississippi. This survey helps inform plans to restore marine mammal and seabird populations. In August, Gordon Gunter is expected to complete the final leg of the GOMEX Marine Mammal Survey, and will begin the first leg of the Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program’s Fall Plankton Survey.
Henry B. Bigelow conducted a sea scallop survey in the New England region in July after completing an ecosystem monitoring survey in the Gulf of Maine. In August, Bigelow will begin the Summer Ecosystem Monitoring Cruise.
Nancy Foster completed the Blake Plateau Survey. During this survey, scientists identified hazards and changes to the seafloor and provided critical data for updating nautical charting products to improve maritime safety. In August, Nancy Foster will transit to Key West, Florida, for the Mesophotic Multi-Mission project.
Okeanos Explorer completed a leg of the 2023 Seascape Alaska remotely operated vehicle and mapping project from Kodiak to Unalaska, Alaska. The data collected from this project improves knowledge about unexplored and poorly understood deepwater areas offshore Alaska, with a particular focus on the Aleutian Islands, Gulf of Alaska, and Aleutian Trench. In August, Okeanos Explorer will continue the Seascape Alaska project on their transit back to Kodiak, Alaska.
Oregon II completed the Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program’s (SEAMAP) Summer Groundfish Survey. This survey provides data on Groundfish stocks offshore the coast of Pascagoula, Mississippi. After completing the SEAMAP project, Oregon II began the Shark and Red Snapper Bottom Longline Survey that will continue through August. This survey provides data on shark and red snapper stocks in offshore areas between Pascagoula, Mississippi, and Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Oscar Dyson completed the second leg of the Walleye Pollock Survey off the coast of Kodiak, Alaska. This survey provides data on walleye pollock fish stocks of the Alaskan coast. During this survey, the DriX uncrewed system was tested to assist in surveying the fish populations. In August, Oscar Dyson will begin the third leg of the Walleye Pollock Survey.
Oscar Elton Sette completed the Hawaiian Islands Cetacean and Ecosystem Assessment Survey (HICEAS). This survey provides data on whale, dolphin, and seabird populations along the Hawaiian Island coasts. The HICEAS will continue through August.
Pisces supported the Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Community Restoration Project off the coast of Pascagoula, Mississippi. The data collected will guide plans for the restoration of mesophotic and deep benthic invertebrates and fish populations, identify threats to the communities, and improve NOAA’s understanding of these communities. In August, Pisces will begin the Southeast Fishery Independent Survey.
Rainier completed the sixth leg and began the seventh leg of the Rainier Integrated Charting Hydrography and Reef Dynamics (RICHARD) Project. The data collected will help NOAA make important decisions about habitat management and restoration, tsunami modeling, ocean monitoring, and other resource management issues. In August, Rainier will begin the eighth leg of the RICHARD project.
Reuben Lasker completed a leg of the Integrated West Coast Pelagic Fish Survey offshore the coast of San Diego, California. This survey provides data on pelagic fish stocks along the U.S. west coast. In August, Reuben Lasker will continue this survey along the U.S. West Coast towards Astoria, Oregon.
Ronald H. Brown is drydocked at the Bollinger shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, for its midlife repair period. This ship is expected to be back online in 2024.
Thomas Jefferson completed the Approaches to Galveston, Texas Survey. This survey is used to identify hazards and changes to the seafloor, provide critical data for updating nautical charting products, and improve maritime safety. In August, Thomas Jefferson will begin Potomac River surveys off the coast of Norfolk, Virginia.
Updated 07-28-23
United States