FISH DATA INTERN (FDI) TRAINING

2014

Overview

• What is the Marine Science Institute?• Our Flagship the R/V Robert G. Brownlee• Typical Discovery Voyage (DV)• Fish Data Collection

Marine Science Institute (MSI)

R/V Robert G. Brownlee

Typical Discovery Voyage

• Benthic Station1

• Plankton Station2

• Hydrology Station3

• Ichthyology Station4

Benthic Station

Chinese Mitten Crab

Plankton/Hydrology Station

Ichthyology Station

FISH DATA COLLECTION

Overview• Preparing for your voyage

– Before boarding the ship• Arriving at MSI

– Boarding the ship protocol• Fish Station

– Set up and preparing for trawls

• Data Set-up– Recording data

• Final Steps– Cleaning up and departure

Before you the leave your house

• Closed-toed shoes are mandatory!

• Dress in layers• Sunblock and a hat are

highly recommended• Bring water and/or a

snack if you wish• There is always water

available onboard

Upon arriving at MSI…• Get to MSI at least 15

minutes before departure

• Check in/sign in– Volunteer binder in office

• Pick out and put on the lifejacket of your fancy

• BUCKLE UP the lifejacket, and head to the boat

First Trip Out

• Congratulations!• Please sit inside the classroom with the

students and listen attentively to the introduction and safety instructions

• When the students are excused to roam around the boat, feel free to do a little roaming yourself

All Trips Out

• Introduce yourself to the instructors if you haven’t already

• Go say hi to Captains Jackson or Steve• Please be in the wheelhouse, in the

classroom, or upstairs at the picnic tables when we are docking or undocking for safety

• No bananas on the boat

The Fish Station

Preparing for a Trawl• As the kids are lining up

to pull in the net, fill four buckets with water and set a big net on top for the instructor

• Step back and let the instructor get the net on board, the fish in the tank, and the kids working on their buckets

• Stay out of the way of the instructors until needed

• Do not interrupt the Instructors while they are teaching

• Do not interrupt the stations• Do not distract students• Refrain from foul/rude language

Please be Courteous

DATA SET-UP

• 2 Buckets1• Measuring board2• Ruler/measuring tape3•White Board/Slate4•Pencil5

Fish Data Collection

Recording Data ~ step 1• Identify the fish you have using the key • If you have a question, set the fish aside and ask an

instructor or the Captain• If you can’t figure out what you’ve got, take a lot of

pictures of it, measure it, and record it in the computer as a “new species”

• Note the trawl number and let Tiff or Karen know immediately

Recording Data ~ step 2• Choose the best instrument for

measuring the fish in question• Measuring tape for large fish,

sharks or rays• Handheld ruler for very small

fish• Measuring tray for everyone

else

Recording Data ~ step 3• Measure the fish’s

standard length• This is from the tip of

their nose to the end of their caudal peduncle

• We always measure in millimeters

• Round the length up to the nearest 5 mm

What is this fish’s length?

It would be recorded as 70mm

Recording Data ~ step 4• Record the following on

your slate:– Species– Size– Running tally of the

number of fish in each size class

– The instructor and trawl number!

– Hydrology data

Lines and grids are not necessary- just be sure someone else could read your writing.

Catch, measure, record, repeat

• Measure and record all the fish in the trawl in front of you

• Before the next trawl is brought on board, have the touch tank cleared out of fish

Remember the stragglers!

The instructors may have taken fish from the trawl for the students. Remember to measure and record those fish too after they are released to you

Recording Data ~ step 5• Bring your slate(s) up to the wheelhouse and turn on

the computer• For each trawl, enter both the fish data you’ve

recorded and the voyage specifics given to you by the captain into the Volunteer Fish Database

• If you had a unidentified fish, remember to enter it as New Species and note the trawl ID number for reference

SPECIFICS

• We measure the first 50 of a species, then we count the rest

• Measure and record both the living and the dead fish. Half fish or bits of fish are not measured

• The sharks, skates, and rays get their gender recorded as well as their length

• This is done for each and every trawl

Fish Comfort and Handling• Put and keep water on any surface

the fish will be in contact with, especially the measuring tray

• Try to measure and release the active fish, like anchovies and surfperch quickly

• Remember to change out the water in the fish buckets regularly– This is critical when the weather is

warm!

• NO THUMBS! Be gentle and patient with the fish

• For cleanliness’ sake, keep shrimp out of the fish measuring buckets

• Empty buckets often, hungry birds might become daring

What do you do if there are still unmeasured fish and the next trawl is being hauled onboard?

• Don’t panic. Get the remaining fish into buckets and keep going

• You may not get to every trawl and that’s ok

• Always complete the trawl you’re working on

Safety • Never attempt to hold Sharks or Rays• Do not put your hands in the center fish tank

on the ship– Only fill buckets from port or starboard side tanks

• Keep hands clear of ship equipment and lines• While ship is un-docking/docking please

remain on the sun deck, in the wheel house or in the main classroom

• Work vest must always be buckled• No glass bottles on boat

Final Steps• Save the data• Put away the computer• Check the fish station, make sure all pertinent

fish data items have been put away– Clean off the slates for the next voyage

• See if boat staff need help with anything• Prepare to disembark the ship• Put work vest away in life jacket locker

QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU!WE HOPE TO SEE YOU OUT ON THE BROWNLEE OFTEN.

Marine Science Institute ~ www.sfbaymsi.org ~ 500 Discovery Parkway ~ Redwood City, CA ~ 94063 ~ (650) 364-0416

• Set up white boards/slates• Break into groups• Identify fish/measure/record• Rotate groups thru each fish bucket• Compare notes and point out mistakes• Clean up, put fish data stuff back on ship, put

fish in aquarium (leave them in the buckets)

Practice Fish Data