Southwest Alaska Troller CTDs
Alaska fishermen gather year-round data
Salmon fishermen are collecting data near fishing spots and along transit routes as part of the Southeast Alaska Trolling Vessel Ocean Measurement program.
Since August of 2022, participating trollers have conducted vertical profiles of the water column using hand-held Conductivity Temperature and Depth (CTDs) instruments attached to their gear. Regular measurements of temperature, salinity, and pressure will help establish a baseline for seasonal cycles of ocean mixing. These processes affect how nutrients from the deep Pacific are brought to the surface and distributed around Southeast Alaska. Some CTDs are also capable of measuring chlorophyll.
Fishermen attach instruments slightly larger than a water bottle to their gear to profile the water column in a partnership with the Alaska Trollers Association. Photo by Jim Moore.
Our Role
The Alaska Trollers Association leads the project in partnership with AOOS, Alaska Sea Grant, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences.
AOOS Contact:
Carol Janzen
janzen@aoos.org