'&/ Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Center ^.25 Montlake Blvd. E. ^Seattle, WA 98112 The NORTHWEST AND ALASKA FISHERIES CENTER-with headquarters in Seattle, Washington— is one of four re- search centers of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), NOAA. The Center plans, develops, and manages pro- grams designed for better comprehension of the living marine resources of the sea, such as crabs, fishes, seals, and whales. The Center also recommends actions for their utilization, conservation, or protec- tion, consistent with national needs and goals. Another principal function of the Cen- ter is to serve as technical advisor to: (1 ) the Northwest Regional Office and Alaska Regional Office, NMFS; (2) the North Pacific and Pacific Fishery Manage- ment Councils; and (3) U.S. Commissions or groups involved in fisheries negotia- tions with foreign countries. The Center's activities extend over a vast oceanic area as well as the coasts and inland waters of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska. Research is undertak- en on the marine life in the waters of the northeastern Pacific Ocean (including the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska) and off the west coast of Canada. Research is also conducted in coastal, estuanne, and river areas to examine their role in pro- duction of marine animals and vegetation. The Center is staffed by professionals in biological and physical sciences in addi- tion to statisticians, computer experts, chemists, and economists. Administrative support is provided in accounting, budg- eting, personnel, procurement, program planning, and public affairs. The Center's objective is carried out through seven divisions of the Seattle Laboratory. The Auke Bay Laboratory is located in Alaska. Field stations are lo- cated at Kodiak, Alaska, and along the Columbia River and Puget Sound. The Center also jointly operates and conducts research (with Oregon State University) at the Newport Aquaculture Facility. Resource Ecology and Fisheries Management Division Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division The Resource Ecology and Fisheries Management Division (REFM) assists the Pacific Fishery Management Council and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council, established by the Fishery Con- servation and Management Act of 1976, in management of the fishery resources within the 200-mile fishery conservation zone in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. Scientists study the ecology, population dynamics, and exploitation of marine re- sources in the area. They determine lev- els of harvest that commercially fished species can sustain without affecting their reproductive capacity. Their ultimate goal is to develop and evaluate alternative management strategies to maintain com- mercially important fisheries. Another major activity is the adminis- tration of a foreign fisheries observer pro- gram. All foreign vessels fishing within the 200-mile fishery conservation zone are required to provide accommodation for a U.S. observer if requested by the U.S. In 1979, 163 observers gathered in- formation aboard foreign fishing vessels from waters off northern California northward to the Bering Sea. In addition to providing a check on the accuracy of the catches reported by foreign govern- ments, observers also monitor the inci- dental catch of species whose retention is prohibited and report on suspected viola- tions of U.S. regulations. While aboard, the observer records the location, duration, and landed weight of each haul or longline set. He (she) sam- ples the catch to determine species com- position, length, weight, and other bio- logical information for commercially im- portant species. A major effort of the Division is direct- ed at obtaining a broad base of biological and physical oceanographic data with which to supplement the collections of fisheries information. Particular emphasis is focused on the food-chain and on the time-space variations in the physical- chemical properties and current systems in the marine environment. The basic data bank is further enhanced with contributions about marine mam- mals and seabirds. The entire pool of data is grist for another of the Division's large undertakings— the forward-looking ecosystems modeling program. This pro- ject attempts to ascertain and predict the consequences of manipulating harvests of particular species based on the interaction with the productivity of other species in the ecosystem. Finally, the socioeconomic research pro- gram is designed to develop information and tools which will help determine how and to what extent fishermen and con- sumers are affected by management deci- sions. Concern is also focused on isolat- ing implementation costs of various man- agement measures. Marine fish and shellfish populations of potential commercial importance are studied by Division (RACE) scientists. These populations consist of bottomfish (e.g., cod, Pacific whiting [hake] , flat- fish, pollock) or open-sea (pelagic) dwell- ers (herring, smelt, capelin, squid) as well as shellfish (Alaskan king and snow [Tan- ner] crabs, shrimp, and clams) that occur in offshore waters from northern Califor- nia northward to Alaska. Many of these populations are intensely fished by both U.S. and foreign fishermen. Research personnel determine how abundant these animals are and whether their abundance is increasing or declining. Crab, shrimp, and most bottomfish are sampled, using commercial fishing trawls which are dragged along the sea bottom. Sampling is done in a statistical manner so that estimates of the number and weight of animals of a given species can be obtained. Pelagic fish are sampled with large midwater trawls that can be positioned in the water where the fish have been located by hydroacoustical (sounding) devices. For clams, dredges are used; and for some animals (like sa- blefish), traps or longline gear are fished on the sea bottom. Other biological data are collected that indicate the age and size composition of the fish and shellfish, how rapidly the an- imals grow, where and when they repro- duce, as well as their rate of survival. The information is used by various groups: fishery managers to set fishery regulations such as catch quotas, seasonal closures, and size limitations; scientists in- volved in the protection of the environ- ment (e.g., from pollution and other dele- terious activities) and endangered species (e.g., some seals and whales); and com- mercial fishermen and processors in their planning and operations. Environmental Conservation Division Utilization Research Division Environmental Conservation Division (EC) research is carried out with the aim of elucidating the nature, fate, and effects of the myriad chemical pollutants in the marine environment. These include pe- troleum hydrocarbons, synthetic organics (e.g., PCB's and other chlorinated hydro- carbons), and metals. Disciplines such as biology, chemistry, biochemistry, physi- ology, microbiology, toxicology, and pathology are applied to tie together causes and effects. Invertebrates and vertebrates are studi- ed, with emphasis on commercially im- portant species of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska regions. Accumulation, biotransformation, and retention of environmental contaminants in marine organisms are studied in con- junction with effects of pollutant-expo- sure on susceptibility to disease, behav- ior, cellular and subcellular abnormalities, pathological incidences, and survival. Analytical capabilities of the Division are enhanced by the NOAA National Analytical Facility (NAF). Foremost among NAF services is the capability to measure and identify contaminants at low levels found in environmental samples. Utilization Research is concerned with fishery resources from catch to consump- tion. A guiding principle of utilization is that wise use of our commercial fishery resources can be achieved best through application of preservation and process methods appropriate to each fishery. The objective is to provide the knowledge that will assist and encourage the industry to produce for consumers in both the U.S. and foreign countries a wide variety of fishery products of high quality and ac- ceptability at a reasonable price and eco- nomic return. In the past decade demand for seafoods, especially the convenience foods for quick preparation like breaded fish por- tions and the premium foods like crab and shrimp, has increased substantially in both the U.S. and Europe. At present the traditional coastal fisheries for cod, had- dock, salmon, halibut, sole, ocean perch, herring, shrimp, crab, and clams have been fully developed. New resources are necessary for an expanded fishing indus- try. The result has been a large increase in use of neglected or underutilized spe- cies that have been long ignored by fisher- men and processors because of problems in handling, preserving, and processing. In the Pacific Northwest and Alaska fisheries, these neglected species include Pacific whiting (hake), many of the rock- fish species, walleye (Alaska) pollock, sablefish, arrowtooth and starry flounder, as well as several species of soles and flounders from the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea. Of first importance are the studies on handling and preservation of problem species aboard vessel and in the pilot plant. Secondly but of equal importance are laboratory studies on quality and ac- ceptability factors, chemical and micro- biological changes in the fresh and frozen fish, and new and improved concepts for processing and utilization. Laboratory in- vestigations also include the basic differ- ences and composition of the muscle of various species, the characteristics of the proteins, chemistry of post-mortem changes, and new concepts for using dif- ficult-to-process species in a variety of food systems as primary protein ingredi- ents. Research on the quality of products from traditional and underutilized species is a continuing major activity. Chemical research includes basic nutritional compo- sition and levels, in addition to health sig- nificance, of microconstituents occurring naturally, such as the trace mineral ele- ments, and organic constituents from the environment, such as polychlorinated bi- phenyls (PCB). Microbiological research on pathogens in fish is a second part of this program and emphasizes factors de- termining growth of Clostridium botu- linum, potential toxin formation, and ap- plication of findings to assure quality in processing of smoked and other fishery products. A small but important research project in aquaculture is concerned with the de- velopment of nutritionally adequate fish feeds, whose cost is consistent with the economic return, and an investigation of fish diseases of infectious and nutritional origin. National Marine Mammal Laboratory Office of Fisheries Information Systems The National Marine Mammal Labora- tory is the principal laboratory responsi- ble for conducting research on marine mammals. Responding to international commitments and national goals and ob- jectives of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act, lab- oratory programs deal with a broad spec- trum of species of whales, porpoises, sea lions, and seals, and subject matter in- cluding population dynamics, migrations, distribution, as well as behavior and tro- phic relationships. In recent years, major program emphasis of the NMML has cen- tered on the bowhead, gray, and hump- back whales, Dall's porpoise, and north- ern fur seal. Bowhead whale Because the bowhead is the principal subsistence animal for Alaskan north slope Eskimos but, at the same time, one of the most endangered species of large whales, there is a national requirement to provide for Eskimo subsistence needs without further endangering the species. Consequently it has been a major item of research since 1978. Emphasis of the work is on assessment of the population, including annual censusing of the whales migrating past Barrow, Alaska; monitor- ing and biological sampling of whales taken by the Eskimos; and studies of the population dynamics, life history, and trophic requirements of the population. Results of research are analyzed and used in developing domestic regulations and are also provided for consideration by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) which meets annually to establish inter- national whale conservation regulations and harvest quotas on all species of large whales. Northern fur seal As a party to the four-nation Inter- national North Pacific Fur Seal Com- mission, the United States is responsible for managing the major segment of the herd associated with the Pribilof Islands of Alaska (approximately 1.25 million animals). The research element has been conducted by the NMML and its prede- cessor organizations, for several decades. In recent years program emphasis has been on the dynamics of the population, that is, examination of changes in popu- lation structure with changes in density of the population as a whole or of the various components of the population. St. George, one of the two main islands of the Pribilof group, was declared a re- search sanctuary with no commercial har- vest in 1973. Intensive studies have been carried out there since 1974, on fur seal behavior and movements, including some radio tracking efforts to better define the feeding movements of the major popula- tion components. Other species Similar studies are conducted on Dall's porpoise in response to agreements under the International North Pacific Fisheries Commission, on other large whales to provide needed information for effective conservation and management by the IWC, and on a variety of pinniped species under statutory responsibility of the Mar- ine Mammal Protection Act. As a result, NMML biologists find themselves record- ing whale sightings throughout the North Pacific region, from the shores of Japan to the ice edge in the Chukchi Sea; and counting seal pups on rookeries from the remote Aleutian Islands to the Hawaiian Leeward's. The Office of Fisheries Information Sys- tems administers a computer network to provide automatic data processing (ADP) and fisheries information services to the Alaska and Pacific Northwest regions. The computer network is composed of a Burroughs B781 1 computer system in Seattle and two Burroughs B2835 com- puter systems in Alaska— one in Juneau and the other in Kodiak. These two med- ium computers operate as independent systems but are linked, via telecommun- ications lines, to the master computer in Seattle. The computer network is used to pro- cess and analyze information collected from various sources dealing in fishery, oceanography, marine mammal, and en- vironmental research. Such research in- volves "sifting" through large volumes of data and to synthezise manageable and comprehensible information for devel- oping policies and strategies as in fish- eries management in the 200-mile U.S. fishery conservation zone. The computer network also serves to communicte data and analyses expedi- tiously throughout the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and other parts of the nation. Another major function of the Office is the development and administration of fisheries data archival and retrieval sys- tems. These information systems are be- ing developed to allow efficient and in- stantaneous retrieval of information to support fisheries research and manage- ment needs. The data bases involved are: (1) the foreign fisheries catch-effort data of Japan, U.S.S.R., Republic of Korea, Poland, and Taiwan in the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, and off Washington- northern California; (2) the biological (length-weight-age) data of these foreign fisheries; (3) the Japanese high-seas salm- on fisheries in the Bering Sea; (4) the U.S. observer data on catch effort and biologi- cal data collected aboard foreign fishing vessels within the 200-mile zone; (5) the fishing fleet composition and fishing loca- tion of the foreign fleet; (6) U.S. and for- eign fisheries data collected during re- search cruises; and (7) many others in- cluding oceanographic features and other marine resources. Coastal Zone and Estuarine Studies Division Fisheries Data and Management Systems Division Two of the most important water re- source complexes in the western United States are the Columbia River and Puget Sound. Both are habitats for aquatic spe- cies which are the objectives of major commercial and recreational fisheries: salmon, steelhead, oysters, shrimp, and crab. The Coastal Zone and Estuarine Studies Division (CZES) provides infor- mation leading to their protection, devel- opment, and balanced growth. Research is separated among three areas: Ecological effect of dams Dams on the Columbia River watershed have severely changed ecological condi- tions in the downstream sreas, causing a loss of over 50% of the spawning and nur- sery habitats of important fisheries. Rapid acceleration of powerhouse con- struction in response to the energy crisis is creating a river situation which causes a much greater percentage of juvenile salm- on and trout migrating to the ocean to pass through turbines where they are in- jured or killed. Research has developed practical steps to minimize fish losses due to dams, such as: transporting juveniles around hazardous areas, controlling spill to enhance migrant passage, in addition to designing turbine intake screens and safe bypasses to reduce entrainment into the turbines. mile 46) is an extremely important and complex area involving a variety of bio- logical and physical interactions, in ad- dition to deleterious human activities (dredging, industrial development, pol- lution, etc.) and natural changes (the eruption of Mount St. Helens). Scien- tists monitor the biological effects of changes and predict the consequences of contemplated actions. Fisheries enhancement Research is carried out in Puget Sound, an inland sea with 2,300 miles of shore- line and rich in fish, shellfish, aquatic plants, and fishery-based recreational ac- tivities. There is a considerable potential for increasing production in this area. Scientists provide leadership in applica- tion of controlled rearing of aquatic or- ganisms, such as salmon, to increase pro- duction for commercial and recreational uses. The technology being developed for salmon aquaculture has many applica- tions by public and private growers. In- cluded are the development and improve- ment of freshwater and saltwater rearing systems, detection and prevention of dis- ease, better nutrition, reduced production costs, increased survival, and development of technology for culture of fishes other than salmon and steelhead trout. Data have been developed which indi- cate to hatchery personnel the readiness of juvenile salmon and steelhead for life in saltwater to increase the survival rate for ultimate return as adults. The Fisheries Data and Management Systems Division (FDMS) provides tech- nical support to the Center's research scientists in the areas of mathematics/ statistics, editing/graphics, and library ser- vices. Mathematics/statistics Design of experiments and analyses of resulting data which are adequately based in statistical theory form the basis for accurately interpreting experimental re- sults. To this end, staff statisticians work closely with fishery scientists in the Cen- ter's multidisciplinary approach to solving fishery problems. Editing/graphics Technical editors and graphic designers assist scientists in conveying results of re- search in a clear, concise fashion to tech- nical and lay audiences. Library services Library references and literature search- es by staff librarians provide scientists with background information needed in their development of research planning. The Center's library holdings include pop- ular, as well as scientific, fisheries, and biochemical literature. These resources are available for use by the public as well as the Center's scientific staff. Habitat investigations The Columbia River estuary (covering about 150 square miles and extending from the ocean inland to about river Auke Bay Laboratory PENN STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES A00DD7D C 141D7M In 1955, our biologists began studying problems related to Alaskan fishery re- sources. Since 1960, these studies have been headquartered at the Center's Auke Bay Laboratory in southeastern Alaska. Enhancement of salmon resources Between the 1930's and the 1970's, the annual U.S. harvest of Pacific salmon de- clined from 600 million pounds to about 200 million pounds. By the late 1970's, catches had increased to about 400 mil- lion pounds. Variations in these harvests are primarily caused by fluctuations in Alaskan salmon stocks. Presently, aqua- culture groups are interested in methods of enhancing the natural production of salmon to eliminate some of this fluctua- tion. To assist these aquaculture groups, sci- entists at the Auke Bay Laboratory and at two experimental hatcheries are devel- oping improved techniques for producing high-quality salmon fry and smolts for ocean release. Also, the scientists are try- ing to determine what causes fluctuations in the ocean survival of both hatchery and wild stocks. Development of fishery resources within the 200-mile fishery conservation zone Over 4 billion pounds of fish and shell- fish can be harvested annually from the waters within the 200-mile fishery conser- vation zone adjacent to Alaska. Manage- ment of this extremely valuable renew- able resource is now the responsibility of the National Marine Fisheries Service. Large quantities of groundf ish are pres- ent in the northeastern Pacific ocean and eastern Bering Sea— the development of a fishing industry there is attracting much attention. At the Auke Bay Laboratory, scientists are studying rockfish, walleye pollock, Pacific herring, sablefish, and flatfish to determine nursery areas and variations in year-class abundance of ju- venile fish. These variations will be relat- ed to environmental factors and changes in abundance of other species; fishery managers will then determine the number of fish that can be safely taken from the fishery. One result of these studies has been the discovery that the rocky, coastal waters off southeastern Alaska are habi- tats for juvenile Pacific ocean perch and other rockfishes. This finding establishes the importance of this region as a nursery area. Pacific salmon constitute one of the more valuable fisheries in the northeast- ern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea. Here, U.S. salmon mix with salmon from the U.S.S.R., Japan, and Canada. Some U.S. salmon are caught by foreign fishing fleets; scientists at Auke Bay Laboratory are conducting studies to determine how many U.S. salmon are taken. Informa- tion on country of origin is obtained from tagging experiments, analysis of scales taken from fish, and blood charac- teristics of fish. The results of these stud- ies are used in international negotiations to minimize the catch of U.S. salmon by fishermen of other countries. Determination of the effects of industrial development on marine resources Alaska has 54% of the nation's coast- line, 74% of its continental shelf, and a major part of the nation's resources. In- dustry is rapidly expanding in these coast- al and offshore areas as large oil reserves, natural gas, timber, and minerals are be- ing developed. Researchers are studying how pollution from two major industries in Alaska— logging as well as production and transport of crude oil— affects marine resources. Resource managers will use re- sults from these studies to evaluate dam- age, if any, to marine resources and envi- ronments. Logging may change water flow, temperature, and sediment and cause bark accumulation in streams and estuaries. Studies in both the field and laboratory will determine which levels of petroleum hydrocarbons in seawater have a deleterious effect on eggs, larvae, and juvenile and adult stages of fish and shell- fish. Studies are also underway to deter- mine the accumulation, cycling, and fate of pollutants in Port Valdez, site of the terminus of the trans-Alaska pipeline.