The Fall Bottom Longline Survey: Enjoying the Ride Despite the Weather

It's fall and I'm back at sea.

After three years at a land job, I'm hoping I'm still up for this. I'm a little bit older and a little bit more cautious than I was last time I was out here, but I also spent the three years before that working as a commercial fisheries observer, so I should be fine…right?

My aforementioned "land job" was working with the Northeast Fisheries Observer Program, helping other commercial fisheries observers with their data quality. Some observers were experienced, but many were very new to their roles and would, understandably, struggle with the physical demands of working at sea.

"You have to be careful and take care of yourself out there-the floor is wet and moving!"

I would often tell my new observers after their first trip. Now I'm reminding myself of the same thing.

Rewards and Challenges of Working at Sea

Working at sea is no joke. Of course I have always shared the "highlight reels" of my trips offshore-the brilliant sunrises and sunsets, the vast pods of common dolphins that are frequent visitors alongside commercial vessels, the shades of blue that you simply will not see on land-but there are some less glamorous parts of the job, too.

For starters, the weather this season has been a challenge. Fall is typically the time when the winds pick up in this region, which can create challenging sea conditions. We've had more than a few bumpy rides this season, which can make retrieving gear in the water and collecting high quality data difficult. Add to this a frosty wind chill and an earlier-setting sun.

Working with fish can be messy as well. Known for being slippery, slimy, and maybe even a bit stinky, many fish will also put up quite a fight! Some of the large white hake and cusk we catch can be challenging to grasp a hold of and lay flat in order to record their lengths-one of the many data points we collect on all caught fish.

Sampling Rocky Habitats

I am aboard a vessel participating in the fall Gulf of Maine Bottom Longline Survey, which collects data on species that prefer rocky habitats where the Bottom Trawl Survey cannot access. Together, the information collected from these two surveys will be used to inform fish stock assessments and identify possible trends in shifting populations and ecosystems. This is important data to collect so that we know how healthy our fish stocks are now, and can anticipate what they might look like in the future.

Despite the challenging conditions, the numerous data points which need to be collected, and the slippery fish, I find that working at sea is such a rewarding experience. The ocean is a beautiful place still full of so much we do not know, and to come to know some of the species within it is an honor few get to enjoy.

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