By: Dana Sackett The answer to the question, “Where does the mercury in our fish come from?” can be a bit complicated. While most mercury in our air and water originates from burning coal and other industrial sources, the form of mercury released from these sources is usually inorganic, meaning not the form that we…
The top 10 list of natural resources schools (is completely rubbish)
by Brandon Peoples Late this summer, an interesting link popped up on my Facebook feed: “The 10 best colleges for studying natural resources and conservation”. The list was put together by College Factual, a website dedicated to helping people find college programs that will improve their employment possibilities after graduation. I clicked the link, and was…
Talking trash in the deep sea
By: Anela Choy (guest blogger and postdoctoral researcher at MBARI) Plastic debris in the ocean is no stranger to headline news… Surfers gliding through waves filled with plastic in Indonesia. The world’s largest landfill in the middle of the ocean, a vast area otherwise deemed the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” Sea birds ingesting large amounts…
What creature defies science, carries your money, cleans the ocean, and produces buckets of slime?
By Patrick Cooney Take a look at a hagfish and see if you can find a single redeeming quality? You couldn’t find a redeeming quality, could you? I don’t blame you. Besides looking a little like the racing snail from The NeverEnding Story, the darn thing doesn’t seem to offer much. However, the little buggers…
Value of Professional Conferences
In an age of constantly advancing telecommunications, there’s still something irreplaceably human about connecting with a wide range of colleagues in person at a professional conference.
Happy Conferencing!
We’re taking this week off from blogging because we are busy with events at the American Fisheries Society’s Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon! If you are at the conference, say hi, otherwise we’ll be back next week.
Adventures with the Humpback Chub
Brandi Salmon, Guest Blogger Well, I must say, going from large, saltwater fish to the not-so-large, freshwater specimens involves a slight amount of adjustment. Being a marine fisheries biologist in South Florida, I am constantly measuring anything from small grunts to huge sailfish. Southeast Florida is known for having a diverse fishery thanks to its tropical…
Biologists take over Twitter
by Anne Hilborn, guest blogger Many scientists (myself included) are initially suspicious of using social media professionally, thinking it a bit too show offy, a bit too much like tooting your own horn, a bit too much of a waste of time. However, many of us eventually discover it can be a great tool for…
Plankton or Plastic?
By: Dana Sackett At the end of this article you will get to play a game that many aquatic species are playing these days: Plankton or Plastic? If aquatic animals get it right and choose plankton, they get to enjoy a tasty treat full of life-sustaining nutrition, if not, they fill the much-needed space in…
Why are fish cold blooded?
A pretty simple question, right? But the answer may be a bit more complicated than you think. First, we have to specify what exactly it means to be “cold blooded” with a few definitions. We’ll start with the terms, endothermic and ectothermic. I’m sure you’ve got these down pat, as they probably were drilled into…
Three Things You Should Know About North Carolina’s Sharks
The shark population of North Carolina has been in the news quite a bit lately. Thanks to a record-setting string of eight bites on people so far this summer (about four times what North Carolina has in an average year), there has been a surge of interest in what sharks are doing in the state’s…
Top 10 Books About Fish
By Patrick Cooney Every week in 1st grade, we made the march to the library to check out a book. One week, I harmlessly checked out a book about fish identification. Little did I know that it would be the start of my journey to becoming a fisheries scientist.I can still smell the freshly dried glue…
Pope Francis uses faith and science to discuss climate change (and fish!)
Pope Francis is the leader of the largest faith community in the world and polls indicate that he is one of the most trusted global leaders. He just may be the advocate the climate change community needs to garner momentum for change.
Thank You Jaws! The Upside for Sharks 40 Years Later
By: Tobey Curtis, guest blogger When Jaws hit theaters 40 years ago this week, it changed everything for sharks. Steven Spielberg’s film adaptation of Peter Benchley’s monster shark novel is now so iconic that it requires no introduction. The thrumming, two-note cello riff can still send shivers down your spine even if someone starts humming…
Fishackathon
When reading the news this weekend I came across something pretty cool. I wasn’t even looking for fish-related news, but I couldn’t resist. What I found was something called ‘Fishackathon.’ Here is the website, and here is the release from the US Department of State announcing what it is, and how Fishackathon is held. So what the…
The Fisheries Blog 