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Antarctic Ecosystem Research

Environmental Research

Operations, Management and Information

Contact Information:

Southwest Fisheries Science Center
3333 North Torrey Pines Court
La Jolla, CA 92037-1023
Phone: (858) 546-7000
Fax: (858) 546-7003

Mailing Address
8604 La Jolla Shores Drive
La Jolla, CA 92037-1508

Division Locations

La Jolla, CA
Santa Cruz, CA
Pacific Grove, CA

Field Stations

Antarctic Peninsula
Arcata, CA
Granite Canyon, CA
Piedras Blancas, CA

News

BBC Filming of Gray Whale Survey

Protected Resources Division, 5/8/2012

The SWFSC gray whale calf count at Piedras Blancas Lighthouse will be featured on the BBC production "Planet Earth Live"and will play on National Geographic in the U.S. starting around mid May. To learn more about eastern North Pacific gray more>

SWFSC Scientists and Gray Whales are Forging New Paths

Protected Resources Division, 4/23/2012

The California gray whale is a beloved icon, drawing crowds to the beaches for a close up look at these migrating denizens. Their journey is one of the longest made by any mammal, covering over 12,000 miles round trip, from more>

Cooperative Groundfish Research at the SWFSC (Video)

Fisheries Resources Division, 4/23/2012

Since 2002, Dr. John Butler, Dr. David Demer, and other researchers at NOAA's Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) have been conducting cooperative fisheries research with Capt. Ken Franke, owner of the fishing vessel Outer Limits and president of the more>

2012 Coastwide Survey Featured on San Diego Channel 10News

Fisheries Resources Division, 4/11/2012

On April 10, 2012, Channel 10 News aired “Scientists to Set Sail to Monitor Sardines Scientists on Bell M. Shimada to Survey Coastal Waters from Mexico to Santa Barbara” The report covers the 2012 Coastwide Survey. This will be the more>

New Barotrauma Webpage Posted

Fisheries Resources Division, 4/9/2012

Click to view the new webpage following FRD’s barotrauma study , including research results and a video of the efforts. On Wednesday December 21, 2011, FRD staff initiated a study on post release survival of rockfish following field recompression. The goal of more>

19th Annual Survey of Gray Whale Calf Production - Field Season 2012 Underway

Protected Resources Division, 4/4/2012

March 26, 2012 marked the beginning of the 19th consecutive year for the Southwest Fisheries Science Center’s Protected Resources Division survey of Eastern North Pacific gray whale calf production. Each year our team journeys to Piedras Blancas Lighthouse Station in more>

Spring CalCOFI Survey is Underway

Fisheries Resources Division, 3/28/2012

Since 1951, The California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI), a unique partnership between NOAA Fisheries Service, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the California Department of Fish and Game, has been monitoring the California Current through regular surveys. The information is used more>

Antarctic Killer Whale Research Featured in Upcoming TV Series

Protected Resources Division, 3/15/2012

Discovery's television series "Frozen Planet" features research and field work recently performed by Southwest Fisheries Science Center scientists Bob Pitman and John Durban. Visit the site to learn more and watch video, including that of the cooperative hunting behavior of more>

Gray Whale Tracking

Protected Resources Division, 3/9/2012

On March 7, 2012, Southwest Fisheries Science Center scientists and Mexican collaborators completed their mission to deploy small satellite dart tags on adult gray whales (19 total whales tagged) in order to monitor the whales' fine scale migration routes through more>

Killer Whale Research in Antarctica

Protected Resources Division, 2/13/2012

Mysteries of Killer Whales Uncovered in the Antarctic by Fen Montaigne Yale Environment 360 Two of the world’s leading experts Robert Pitman and John Durban on the world’s top marine predator are now in Antarctica, tagging and photographing a creature more>

A Glimpse into the Elusive Basking Shark's Habits

Fisheries Resources Division, 2/13/2012

On Monday, February 13th, 2012, the San Diego Union Tribune published an article on NMFS's latest successful attempt in gathering information on the dwindling Basking Shark population. The piece, entitled "Shark's journey a first for science,"featured an interview with Heidi Dewar regarding more>

Collision Course: Whales and Ships in Southern California

Protected Resources Division, 2/1/2012

Wayne Perryman and Jessica Redfern were interviewed in a recent articlein the San Diego Union Tribune that highlights the vulnerability of large whales to vessel strikes in waters off southern California. To learn more about research on this topic at the more>

Critical Habitat Expanded for Endangered Leatherback Turtles off the U.S. West Coast

Protected Resources Division, 1/27/2012

The National Marine Fisheries Service has designated almost 42,000 square miles of marine habitat along the U.S. west coast as critical habitat for the endangered leatherback sea turtle. The final rule was published in the Federal Register on January 26, more>

Aerial Survey of Gray Whales

Protected Resources Division, 1/23/2012

Whale researchers are taking to the sky to study the gray whale migration that is currently underway off the coast of California. The whale research team is conducting aerial surveys from a twin otter plane to capture photos of the more>

Abalone Research Article in Union Tribune

Fisheries Resources Division, 1/18/2012

On December 11, 2011 the Union Tribune published a short piece entitled “Abalones cling to life as recovery plan forms.” The article cited NOAA fisheries biologist , Dr. John Butler, and his current research in the field. The piece more>

The Annual Gray Whale Migration is Underway

Protected Resources Division, 1/12/2012

Gray whale expert Wayne Perryman was recently interviewed in an articlein the San Diego Union Tribune to discuss the annual migration of gray whales. The eastern North Pacific gray whales are currently swimming south on their annual migration from their more>

Daily Blog: Follow Scientists on an Expedition to Study Killer Whales in the Antarctic

Protected Resources Division, 1/12/2012

SWFSC scientists John Durban and Robert Pitman are participating as invited scientists aboard the M V National Geographic Explorer during four 10 day cruises to the Antarctic Peninsula to research Antarctic killer whales. Join them on their journey by following more>

2011 CalCOFI Conference

Fisheries Resources Division, 12/27/2011

The annual CalCOFI conference was held December 12 14th at the Sumner Auditorium, SIO. Eighty participants representing government, academia and industry attended from Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico and the United States. Members of the California Department of Fish and Game more>

SWFSC hosts the 12th annual Trinational Sardine Forum

Fisheries Resources Division, 12/27/2011

Photo of 2012 TSF Participants On December 8th and 9th, the SWFSC held the 12th Annual Trinational Sardine Forum (TSF) at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, CA. The Forum attendees included seventy participants from Australia, more>

San Diego Bay Green Turtle Research Featured in San Diego Union Tribune

Protected Resources Division, 12/18/2011

Research on green turtles in San Diego Bay that is being conducted by scientists from the Protected Resources Division was highlighted in a recent articlein the San Diego Union Tribune. The article focues on the potential impacts of the shut down more>

NOAA Research Cruise Featured in Science - Books et al.

Protected Resources Division, 12/18/2011

A children's book written by Sophie Webb highlights a NOAA research survey of marine mammals and seabirds in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. To learn more about ship-based surveys conducted by the Protected Resources Division in this region, click here . more>

Researchers from the SWFSC Conduct Necropsy on Stranded Fin Whale

Protected Resources Division, 11/30/2011

Researchers from the SWFSC conduct necropsy on stranded fin whale On Saturday, November 19, 2011, the USCG contacted NMFS staff in the SW Region to report a dead stranded whale at the foot of cliffs in Point Loma, San more>

New, Higher Estimates of Endangered Humpback Whales in the North Pacific

Protected Resources Division, 11/4/2011

A team of researchers, including scientists from the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, has increased the estimated population of humpback whales in the North Pacific Ocean to approximately 21,000 and possibly higher. The higher abundance estimates come after a reanalysis more>

Antarctic Killer Whales May Seek Spa-like Relief in the Tropics

Protected Resources Division, 10/31/2011

Killer whales need pampering too Some Antarctic killer whales travel over 5,000 miles to visit the warm waters off southern Brazil before returning immediately to Antarctica. SWFSC scientists believe the whales are seeking warmer waters to help speed up the more>

Southern California Coral and Sponge Community Report

Fisheries Ecology Division, 10/26/2011

The Fisheries Ecology Division's Habitat Ecology Team has released a new report characterizing the coral and sponge community on Piggy Bank seamount in Southern California. more>

Scientists Sink Their Teeth Into Shark Study

Fisheries Resources Division, 10/6/2011

Photo credit Hayne Palmour IV, North County Times Scientists from the Southwest Fisheries Science Center's Fisheries Resources Division recently completed an 18 day survey along southern California's coastal waters to catch, tag, and release common thresher sharks. The survey more>

Green Seas, Blue Seas Exhibit Opens at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History

Environmental Research Division, 10/5/2011

On 1 October 2011, the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History opens afive month exhibit featuring the art of Ray Troll and the science of the SouthwestFisheries Science Center and NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service. An interactive exhibit featuring originalart, more>

Killer Whale Tagging Video on BBC One

Protected Resources Division, 8/11/2011

SWFSC scientist John Durban is featured in the BBC series "Ocean Giants" as seen here on the BBC One website. The video clip demonstrates Killer Whale tagging operations as part of an ongoing study to understand Killer Whale predation on Gray Whales. more>

Researchers Map Long-range Migration of Leatherback Sea Turtles

Protected Resources Division, 7/27/2011

An international team of scientists from NOAA Fisheries Service and several western Pacific research and conservation organizations published a paper today in the journal Ecosphere that reveals how leatherback turtles use vast areas of the Pacific Ocean and Indo Pacific more>

Public Asked to Report Basking Shark Sightings

Fisheries Resources Division, 6/29/2011

It is hard to believe that scientists need help finding one of the largest fish in the ocean. But so few basking sharks remain in the waters off California that researchers are hoping the general public can assist by reporting more>

Paper on Tagging and Tracking Apex Marine Predators Published

Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 6/23/2011

A team of researchers, including scientists from the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, has published results from the Census of Marine Life's Tagging of Pacific Predators (TOPP) project in the online version of the journal Nature. The paper, "Tracking apex marine predator more>

Keel-laying Ceremony Held in Marinette, Wis., for NOAA Survey Vessel Reuben Lasker

Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 6/23/2011

NOAA and Marinette Marine Corporationheld a keel laying ceremony June 21 at the MMC shipyard in Marinette, Wis., for NOAA’s newest fisheries survey vessel, Reuben Lasker. During the ceremony, the ship’s sponsor, Pamela Lasker, daughter of the ship’s namesake, engraved more>

FRD Tags Two More Basking Sharks in the Pacific Ocean

Fisheries Resources Division, 6/14/2011

Basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) have shown up once again off the coast of Southern California and sportfishermen and private boaters are reporting sightings from Carlsbad to the U.S. Mexico border. On Sunday, May 15, 2011, Dr. John Hyde and Owyn more>

New SWFSC Lab and NOAA Ship Featured in the San Diego Union-Tribune

Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 6/1/2011

The San Diego Union Tribune featured the construction of the new Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) Laboratory in La Jolla and the new NOAA ship Reuben Lasker in a front page story May 29. Construction of both the lab and more>

'Working on Thin Ice: 25 Years of Research in Antarctica' Opens at the San Diego Natural History Museum on May 14, 2011

Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division, 5/13/2011

A brand new exhibit celebrating 25 years of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research in the most extreme of continents opens at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Photographs spanning the history of the U.S. Antarctic Marine Living Resources more>

New Paper Links Antarctic Penguin Population Decline to Krill Population Variability

Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division, 5/3/2011

NOAA's Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division recently published a paper linking the decline in some species of Antarctic penguins to the availability of their main prey species, Antarctic krill. Since its release, this reseach has been covered by many periodicals, including National more>

New Paper on North Pacific Albacore Migration

Fisheries Resources Division, 4/19/2011

A new paper was published in the most recent issue of Fisheries Oceanography. Archival tags were used to study the seasonal movements, migration patterns and vertical distribution of juvenile North Pacific albacore (Thunnus alalunga). Between 2001 and 2006, archival tags were more>

U.S. AMLR Program Completes Its 25th Field Season

Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division, 4/5/2011

The Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division succcessfully completed its 25th year of field research on March 20, 2011. The field season began on October 8, 2010, when scientists opened the Copacabana Field Station on King George Island. The Cape Shirreff Field more>

Northbound Gray Whale Calf Production Survey Begins

Protected Resources Division, 3/30/2011

PRD scientists are currently conducting an annual survey of calf production in the Eastern North Pacific gray whale population. The newborn calves and their mothers are migrating northward close to the California shore line. They are leaving the warm breeding grounds of Baja, Mexico and moving to Arctic feeding grounds. more>

Dr. Cisco Werner Featured in San Diego Union-Tribune Interview

Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 3/29/2011

SWFSC Director Cisco Werner was interviewed recently by the San Diego Union Tribune. Dr. Werner, former director of the Institute of Marine and Coastal Studies at Rutgers University, brings to NOAA Fisheries Service a deep and broad blend of marine ecosystem research more>

NOAA's Newest Fisheries Survey Vessel Named Reuben Lasker

Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 3/25/2011

NOAA’s newest fisheries survey vessel will be named after Dr. Reuben Lasker who served as the Director of SWFSC's Coastal Fisheries Division asnd as adjunct professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, U.C. San Diego. Dr. Lasker built a renown research group more>

Tagged Sablefish Recovered Decades Later

Fisheries Ecology Division, 3/22/2011

In the last six months, commercial fisherman have recovered three sablefish tagged between 1986 and 1991. more>

Data Needed for 5-Year Review of Pacific Coast Groundfish Essential Fish Habitat

Fisheries Ecology Division, 3/2/2011

NMFS is calling on all interested parties to provide new and updated information related to essential fish habitat (EFH) for Pacific coast groundfish. more>

Your Chance To Visit With NOAA Scientists in Southern California

Fisheries Resources Division, 2/23/2011

NOAA will have exhibits at the Fred Hall Fishing and Boat Show in Long Beach (March 9 13) and Del Mar (March 24 27). Nautical charts, marine forecast information, fisheries research, management, FishWatch, and marine conservation are just a few of more>

25th US AMLR Field Season Commemorated by San Diego's Union Tribune

Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division, 1/27/2011

The San Diego Unione Tribune featured the US Antarctic Marine Living Resources (AMLR) Program's 25th anniversary field season with a story in Monday's paper. The field season began in October of 2010 and continues through March 2011. Currently, two field more>

Southbound Gray Whale Population Survey Begins

Protected Resources Division, 1/17/2011

Southwest Fisheries Science Center scientists are currently conducting an abundance survey of Gray Whales as they pass close to the California shoreline on the way to breeding and calving grounds in Baja, Mexico. To learn more about the project, please visit Gray Whale more>

SWFSC Scientists Showcase ROV Surveys of Deep-water Corals along the West Coast

Fisheries Resources Division, 1/14/2011

SWFSC scientists have launched a new interactive Google Earth page documenting a recent research cruise between San Diego, CA and Seattle, WA. Remotely operated vehicle more>

AMLR 25th Anniversary Featured on ABC News

Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division, 1/6/2011

San Diego's ABC 10 News channel highlighted the start of the 25th AMLR oceanographic survey on Wednesday, January 6. The survey will run for 70 days in the vicinity of the South Shetland Islands, and will complement field studies conducted more>

SWFSC Welcomes New Director Francisco (Cisco) Werner

Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 1/3/2011

The SWFSC is pleased to welcome Dr. Francisco (Cisco) Werner as the new permanent Science and Research Director. Dr. Werner begins his new position on January 3, 2011. He brings to NMFS a deep and broad blend of marine ecosystem research more>

SWFSC Scientists Prepare New Fact Sheet on Thresher Sharks

Fisheries Resources Division, 12/22/2010

SWFSC scientists have prepared a downloadable fact sheet on thresher sharks and their fisheries. The common thresher shark is the most important commercial shark species in the U.S. west coast highly migratory species fisheries. Threshers are caught primarily in the California more>

WHAT'S NEW?

5/8/2012

BBC Filming of Gray Whale Survey

4/23/2012

SWFSC Scientists and Gray Whales are Forging New Paths

4/23/2012

Cooperative Groundfish Research at the SWFSC (Video)

4/11/2012

2012 Coastwide Survey Featured on San Diego Channel 10News

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