tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9629584192900582642024-03-14T02:19:21.906-07:00The Fish FilesCheck out the latest activities of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Washington FWO Fisheries DivisionUSFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-83954372431500824012013-06-17T11:36:00.000-07:002013-06-17T11:36:16.253-07:00USFWS Internship & Mentoring Programs 2013 - Outreach Activities<br />
<em>The hush that fell over the students as I made my first incision quickly transitioned into a wave of awe and excitement as they saw, for the first time, the inside of an adult coho salmon.</em><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vBxAB6KCL8Y/Ub9RTSsKRFI/AAAAAAAAAlk/JzAqSPDc8z8/s1600/Travis+dissection+frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" cya="true" height="171" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vBxAB6KCL8Y/Ub9RTSsKRFI/AAAAAAAAAlk/JzAqSPDc8z8/s200/Travis+dissection+frame.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish dissection with <br />
Poulsbo Elementary students</td></tr>
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My USFWS internship has been going well as I have kept busy providing support for numerous outreach and education events. Teaching the fish anatomy station at a recent school field trip at Quilcene National Fish Hatchery, for example, was both fun and rewarding. I worked with over 100 third-grade students from Poulsbo Elementary in groups of about 20 teaching them about salmon anatomy (both external and internal) as well as the significance of salmon to the ecology of the Pacific Northwest. Few things can capture the attention of a third grader like a fish dissection. Throughout the day I heard numerous “oohs” and “ahhs” as the students' excitement grew with each new discovery. Their interest reminded me of my younger self when I first discovered the wonderment and excitement that science has to offer. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sEPbqAk4bLk/Ub9RVxaj8zI/AAAAAAAAAls/mRpr64b1-J8/s1600/River+model+1+frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" cya="true" height="199" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sEPbqAk4bLk/Ub9RVxaj8zI/AAAAAAAAAls/mRpr64b1-J8/s320/River+model+1+frame.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simulating river processes </td></tr>
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I also had the pleasure of assisting with the outreach campaign associated with the Lake Sammamish kokanee salmon recovery project. Educating the public about this lesser-known, but no less important, salmon species is a major component of the long-term recovery and conservation strategy for these fish. During this project I provided lessons focusing on river morphology and fish habitat. I used an engaging and effective river model (<a href="http://www.emriver.com/">http://www.emriver.com/</a>) that allowed students to take part in hands-on demonstrations of how rivers change over time. It was also a useful tool for demonstrating features such as log jams, riprap, culverts and bridges. The students were utterly captivated as they watched a river evolving right in front of their eyes. This activity was also a very effective demonstration of both healthy and damaging human interactions with river habitats and riparian zones. Each student walked away with multiple real world examples of how they can practice stewardship and conservation.<br />
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It has been very fulfilling to help inspire the next generation of conservation advocates and professionals. Both of these outreach experiences not only benefitted our local schools and communities but they also benefitted myself as well. My public speaking abilities are being significantly strengthened and my retention and understanding of fisheries conservation and stewardship science increases with each lesson I teach. <br />
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--Travis Hedrick, USFWS Intern/Fisheries Technician<br />
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USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-30308362326279849082013-05-15T12:49:00.000-07:002013-05-15T12:49:09.788-07:00USFWS Internship & Mentoring Programs - 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-91sw9Jp30WI/UZPmKfOUEwI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/zOi9FCoF-9E/s1600/Travis+intro+pic+frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-91sw9Jp30WI/UZPmKfOUEwI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/zOi9FCoF-9E/s200/Travis+intro+pic+frame.jpg" width="170" /></a>Hello, my name is Travis Hedrick. I am a senior at The Evergreen State College (TESC) in Olympia, Washington, and an intern for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). I just started this full-time internship and I’ve already taken part in a few adventures including salmon snorkel surveys on the Big Quilcene River! Other future learning opportunities will include fish hatchery support, estuary sampling and stream electrofishing. All of these experiences will prove to be beneficial as I move toward completing my bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences from TESC. I have learned much from the college in the fields of environmental studies and biology but nothing rivals the real-world experience I will gain from this internship. </div>
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My internship with the USFWS also includes a youth education component. I am looking forward to applying the knowledge I have obtained from both my classroom and field experiences as I lead learning activities covering fish anatomy (fish dissections), river morphology, and salmon life history. As I lead these activities I will strengthen my ability to articulate biological concepts to the public as well as reinforce my existing understanding of them. This program is also a great way to connect youth with nature and to promote interest in the conservation process. I am excited to have the opportunity to give back to my community as well as inspire future advocates and enthusiasts. <br />
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I am confident this internship will help me gain a better understanding of the inner workings of fisheries biology and ecology work. This internship will also help me forward my education goals, strengthen my interpersonal skills, and diversify my as work place experience. All of which will prove to be essential as I begin my transition from student to professional. <br />
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I never would have guessed that I would be earning college credits while swimming with local trout and salmon populations!<br />
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USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-1885623043743671222013-05-09T10:14:00.000-07:002013-05-09T10:14:01.106-07:00Strengthening Partnerships and Coordination of Elwha Restoration and Monitoring ActivitiesProjects as large and complex as the Elwha Restoration Project are best accomplished when numerous individuals and agencies work together. These collaborative partnerships don’t occur by chance---they take significant effort by all those involved in the project. Recent staff changes at Puget Sound Partnership (PSP), the Washington State agency tasked with coordinating restoration and protective activities in Puget Sound, provided an opportunity for agency staff to further strengthen interagency partnerships and collaboration. Duane Fagergren recently became the new PSP lead for the Strait of Juan de Fuca region. In an effort to learn about the Elwha Restoration Project and begin to forge relationships, Duane contacted several individuals from the agencies involved with Elwha River restoration and monitoring, including Roger Peters (U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service biologist) and Jeff Duda (U.S. Geological Survey ecologist).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9VXfXSlu6g/UYvS6byAmHI/AAAAAAAAAkg/sVOAyLyrU-o/s1600/RogerandJeff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" mwa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9VXfXSlu6g/UYvS6byAmHI/AAAAAAAAAkg/sVOAyLyrU-o/s320/RogerandJeff.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roger Peters (left) and Jeff Duda on Altaire Bridge</td></tr>
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Roger and Jeff took Duane on a field trip to multiple monitoring sites on the Elwha River to provide an on-the-ground perspective of the Elwha restoration progress focusing on science, monitoring, and related issues. They visited sediment monitoring sites at Altaire Bridge (where suspended sediment below the Glines Canyon Dam project is being monitored by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), National Park Service, and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation) and the water diversion where USGS is monitoring turbidity in the mainstem of the Elwha River (see <a href="http://wa.water.usgs.gov/projects/elwhasediment/webcams.htm" target="_blank">webcams</a>). They also visited multiple sites designed to monitor the movements of juvenile fish that are among the first group of recolonizers to portions of the watershed that haven’t seen anadromous salmonids in nearly a century. These sites included a screw trap operated by the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe that is used for monitoring outmigrating juvenile salmon on Little River and a PIT tag recording station operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Indian Creek that also monitors recolonizing juveniles. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yJI2QFzYy5k/UYvS3OZf3PI/AAAAAAAAAkY/iT740LDe1QE/s1600/LakeAldwellframe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" mwa="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yJI2QFzYy5k/UYvS3OZf3PI/AAAAAAAAAkY/iT740LDe1QE/s320/LakeAldwellframe.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stumps cut during construction of the Elwha Dam are being <br />
uncovered as sediment from Lake Aldwell erodes and is <br />
transported downstream. Based on this picture, the current <br />
floodplain level is likely close to the original floodplain level.</td></tr>
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They then visited the former reservoir bottom and delta area of Lake Aldwell where the former lake bed is being transformed into a functioning floodplain river, a salmon-rearing channel created by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), and a site where the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe has installed a series of engineered large woody debris jams to create fish spawning and rearing habitat. Finally, the group visited the Elwha estuary and beaches east of the river mouth. There numerous groups are studying the physical and biological changes to the ecosystem caused by the removal of the dams. At low tide, the physical changes to the beaches and submarine delta were apparent since sediment released from the former reservoirs has already moved to the coastal areas. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WmfXvJhJnU8/UYvW0sz04HI/AAAAAAAAAk4/v5VPxiwMlbs/s1600/ElwhaNearshore2frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="196" mwa="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WmfXvJhJnU8/UYvW0sz04HI/AAAAAAAAAk4/v5VPxiwMlbs/s320/ElwhaNearshore2frame.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Accumulated small wood that has been deposited<br />
along the Elwha nearshore after being released from<br />
Lake Mills and Lake Aldwell after dam removal</td></tr>
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Throughout the day, the three discussed the issues relevant to research and monitoring, particularly those projects that will contribute to a better understanding of how the restoration of the Elwha River and its salmon populations unfolds. “A strong working relationship between the Puget Sound Partnership and those of us on the ground can only help, as we both are striving to learn as much as we can about the possibilities to recover ecosystem structure and functions that are relevant to Puget Sound,” said Jeff. <br />
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According to Duane, “This was one of the most informative and enjoyable days I’ve spent in my career working at the Puget Sound Partnership and its predecessor agencies. Roger and Jeff helped me understand the enormity of the system and the dynamic forces at work in the Elwha. The important work we all do benefits by forging personal relationships like this, and important resources like Chinook salmon in the Elwha will hopefully benefit from our cooperative, collaborative effort". Duane plans to meet with others working on the Elwha restoration effort, including individuals from NOAA, WDFW, Olympic National Park, and the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe in the near future.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lyjmLtD9kfE/UYvS0l2jEbI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/QnI_7zwl7kU/s1600/ElwhaNearshoreframe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" mwa="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lyjmLtD9kfE/UYvS0l2jEbI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/QnI_7zwl7kU/s320/ElwhaNearshoreframe.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duane Fagergren (left) and Jeff Duda discuss changes in the <br />
Elwha nearshore. This picture was taken at low tide from the <br />
Lower Elwha Klallam Reservation, east of the Elwha River <br />
mouth and facing Freshwater Bay and Observatory Point.</td></tr>
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USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-18526747501929083232013-04-22T11:20:00.002-07:002013-04-22T11:20:57.414-07:00Elwha River Fine Sediment SamplingLate last summer, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), NOAA Fisheries, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, U.S. Geological Survey, and National Park Service participated in a multi-agency effort to measure fine sediment concentrations in salmon spawning areas of the Elwha River. This sampling was the first to occur following the initiation of dam removal on the Elwha River; baseline data had previously been collected for 2 years prior to dam removal. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wJUfzO6SgYg/UXV8jfvM3eI/AAAAAAAAAjo/bdZZisQzTnw/s1600/PriorSedimentFrame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dua="true" height="241" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wJUfzO6SgYg/UXV8jfvM3eI/AAAAAAAAAjo/bdZZisQzTnw/s320/PriorSedimentFrame.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sampling area within the 'shield' showing <br />
sediment conditions prior to dam removal (2010)</td></tr>
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The removal of Elwha and Glines Canyon Dams is expected to release 7-8 million cubic meters of sediment. About half of this is fine sediment (silt and clay), which should be transported quickly by the Elwha River into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. However, this material could alter spawning habitat downstream of the dams. Monitoring fine sediments in locations where salmon are likely to spawn will help determine whether any impacts occur and, if so, how long they persist.<br />
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We sampled both mainstem and floodplain channel habitat, collecting 30 samples from just below Glines Canyon Dam to near the mouth of the river. A plywood shield blocked water flow during sampling, providing a calm water area where the sample of the river bed material could be collected. We removed the surface layer of the sediment and placed it into a sample bag for later processing to determine sediment size distribution. We also collected a 'before-and-after' water sample to determine the amount of fine sediment that was suspended in the water column during sampling. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HioHrwUATxQ/UXV8mSw7TPI/AAAAAAAAAj0/3PqI3CU3prM/s1600/PriorDepthFrame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" dua="true" height="242" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HioHrwUATxQ/UXV8mSw7TPI/AAAAAAAAAj0/3PqI3CU3prM/s320/PriorDepthFrame.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Measuring pre-sampling water depths within the shield. <br />
This is done to determine the depth of the sediment sample and<br />
the water volume behind the shield. This volume is used to<br />
calculate the overall weight of fine sediment suspended<br />
in the water column during sampling.</td></tr>
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Preliminary results suggest that there is more fine sediment in the spawning areas today than before dam removal began; however, the level was lower than expected. There was also a change from large cobble to gravel substrate in some areas, which will greatly improve salmon spawning habitat. We expect larger changes this year following the complete removal of Glines Canyon Dam, which holds back the majority of the sediment in this river system.<br />
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USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-59297427840796318252013-04-11T13:52:00.001-07:002013-04-11T13:54:58.042-07:00Transporting Coho - The Journey from Quilcene NFH to Quilcene Bay Net PenU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Pathways student technician Michael Farnum and I had the opportunity to participate in transferring young coho salmon to a net pen in Hood Canal last month. During this once-a-year event, approximately 200,000 coho smolts from Quilcene National Fish Hatchery (NFH) are moved to a net pen in Quilcene Bay. This partnership between USFWS, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, and the Skokomish Tribe is helping to rebuild Hood Canal’s salmon population for tribal and sport fisheries.<br />
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The transfer of coho from Quilcene NFH to the net pen is a multiple-step process. The first step happened at the hatchery, where the coho smolts are moved from the raceways into the WDFW fish transport truck using a pump and tubing. During this process, I helped crowd the fish to one end of each raceway; this makes the transfer to the fish transport truck a lot easier. Once loaded, the WDFW fish transport truck headed to the harbor to meet the boat. At the harbor, we transferred the coho from the truck into a 1,000-gallon tank on the boat. Once the fish and technicians were safely aboard the boat, we set out on the final leg of our journey to Quilcene Bay. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-701KzhLug_M/UWceg3LIDQI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/E5FxZoTmmxI/s1600/WaytoNetPenFrame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" bua="true" height="234" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-701KzhLug_M/UWceg3LIDQI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/E5FxZoTmmxI/s320/WaytoNetPenFrame.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way to Quilcene Bay net pen</td></tr>
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These coho salmon will spend the next couple of months in the net pen acclimating to saltwater and growing a lot. The net pens will also protect the fish from predators that are looking to dine on a tasty and naive young fish just entering the marine food web.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hFgIGVdVPPY/UWcekSWltuI/AAAAAAAAAjc/lZ1cn-NI-xo/s1600/QuilBayNetPenFrame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" bua="true" height="245" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hFgIGVdVPPY/UWcekSWltuI/AAAAAAAAAjc/lZ1cn-NI-xo/s320/QuilBayNetPenFrame.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Transferring coho from the boat to the net pen</td></tr>
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My experience participating in this event was a positive one. I was able to gain valuable experience and, as usual, working at Quilcene NFH was an interesting and educational experience. <br />
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--Tim Grun, Biological Science Technician <br />
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USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-21162855038286815232013-03-15T13:42:00.000-07:002013-04-11T13:52:50.312-07:00Observations on the 2013 Seattle Boat ShowCenturyLink Field in Seattle is known as the home of the 12th Man and 72,000 screaming Seattle Seahawks fans that regularly set the Richter scale twitching during every home football game. A typical trip to CenturyLink Field leaves you excited after watching the home team cruise to victory. <br />
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But CenturyLink Field also plays host to many other events. From January 25 through February 3 this year, I represented the USFWS at the 66th Annual Seattle Boat Show. This being my first boat show, I didn’t know what to expect. Coworkers shared stories of their experiences from last year, but each experience was unique. With attendance expected to be around 50,000, along with 600 exhibitors and more than 200 free seminars, I knew there was going to be lots of action. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5RxmduNLjQg/UUOFtZ8UGAI/AAAAAAAAAi4/nNgWtrbmPH4/s1600/fish+casting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" psa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5RxmduNLjQg/UUOFtZ8UGAI/AAAAAAAAAi4/nNgWtrbmPH4/s320/fish+casting.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two young visitors testing their casting skills</td></tr>
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My first day on the job was exciting and busy from the start. Wide-eyed kids were rushing to our casting booth with high hopes of catching some of our laminated fish (with magnets instead of hooks). After they reeled in a fish, I helped them identify what species of fish they had "caught" (they ranged from bull trout to largemouth bass). Not only were these kids having fun fishing, but they were also learning about sportsmanship, fishing skills, and fisheries conservation. <br />
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There were plenty of "older" sportsmen eager to share fishing tales and boaters who were amazed looking at our maps that show the rapid spread of zebra and quagga mussels west from the Great Lakes. Travelers from all over the state of Washington visited our booth, along with some folks from Alaska and Maine. I even ran into people I know from my prior residence in Sitka, Alaska (the king salmon fishing capitol of the world). I would like to think they all walked away with more information about what USFWS does and how they can enjoy and conserve America’s great aquatic resources.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eukJV8C5Fuw/UUOFv5MlJQI/AAAAAAAAAjE/MrEs8gJvuzg/s1600/Zach+at+IS+booth+frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" psa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eukJV8C5Fuw/UUOFv5MlJQI/AAAAAAAAAjE/MrEs8gJvuzg/s320/Zach+at+IS+booth+frame.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Educating the public on invasive species</td></tr>
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By the end of the boat show, we had shared time with nearly 1,000 young fishermen and fisherwomen in our casting activity and had close to 3,000 conversations with interested and amazed individuals about invasive species. With informational brochures and invasive species literature running low, the Seattle Boat Show came to a close.<br />
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Reflecting on my experience at the show, I found the atmosphere of the Seattle Boat Show to be fun, exciting, energetic, and even crazy at times. The USFWS presence, thanks in large part to Biologist and Outreach Coordinator Dan Spencer, was a great success. The experiences I had during the Seattle Boat Show were priceless! My only regret is not signing up for more shifts so that I could educate more people on the potential threat of invasive species to our pristine Pacific Northwest waters and teach another young boy or girl how to cast a fishing pole for the first time. <br />
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--Timothy Grun, Biological Science Technician<br />
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<br />USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-82669595992238120852013-03-05T16:12:00.002-08:002013-03-05T16:12:34.658-08:00USFWS Internship - Working on the Elwha River Restoration Project<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sBOnKAdIIa4/USVVopsQNII/AAAAAAAAAig/09t6ZNZR-70/s1600/Sarah+Gabel_head+shot_frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" mea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sBOnKAdIIa4/USVVopsQNII/AAAAAAAAAig/09t6ZNZR-70/s200/Sarah+Gabel_head+shot_frame.jpg" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sarah Gabel</td></tr>
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Greetings! My name is Sarah Gabel and I’m a biology major at Saint Martin’s University and an intern for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). I began pursuing internship opportunities last fall in order to gain field and lab experience and exposure to the application of scientific research and methods in a professional setting, as well as to bolster my resume. The USFWS offered an opportunity associated with the Elwha River restoration project which appealed to me because of the lab experience and focus on the environment, a branch of biology I’ve had an interest in. I have often enjoyed going fishing, camping, hiking, kayaking, biking, and partaking in various other outdoor activities which have given me a strong interest in nature and a desire to learn more about it. <br />
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The Elwha River restoration project is a study of how the deconstruction of the Elwha Dam is affecting the fine sediment concentrations in salmon spawning habitat. Data will be used to monitor changes in the quality of salmon spawning habitat during and following dam removal. This data will be important for understanding factors limiting salmon recovery in this system. My lab work includes filtering water samples, burning off the organic material, and measuring the difference in order to determine how much fine sediment is being added to the spawning gravels in the river. It’s an interesting process observing the differences between the samples taken before and after deconstruction of the dam. It has been a great learning experience for me and has given me the chance to practice lab techniques in a professional environment while earning college credits toward my degree.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yxhcXhDFAiM/USVVlmAz74I/AAAAAAAAAiY/6w0SVclIihk/s1600/Sarah+Gabel_filtering+water._frameJPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" mea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yxhcXhDFAiM/USVVlmAz74I/AAAAAAAAAiY/6w0SVclIihk/s200/Sarah+Gabel_filtering+water._frameJPG.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Filtering a water sample</td></tr>
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In addition to developing my lab skills and understanding of the Elwha River restoration project, I find it exciting to have the opportunity to provide needed support for this important research project studying the effect of human activities on the environment. It is our responsibility to make sure that our actions do not disturb the ecosystem; projects such as this help to sustain the environment for the use and enjoyment of generations to come. This internship opportunity has piqued my interest in this field of work and I am now considering pursuing a career in biological research.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P-f2Kvs5n_s/USVVjKrzDII/AAAAAAAAAiQ/jXa-D3rARA0/s1600/Sarah+Gabel_filter+samples_frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" mea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P-f2Kvs5n_s/USVVjKrzDII/AAAAAAAAAiQ/jXa-D3rARA0/s320/Sarah+Gabel_filter+samples_frame.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Placing samples in drying oven</td></tr>
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USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-8193396271785756042013-02-20T09:56:00.000-08:002013-02-20T09:56:58.037-08:00To the Service With Love: Why One Biological Science Tech Loves Her Job<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LLNiH569pHI/USUMiy8OqCI/AAAAAAAAAh4/s0CeIvOwDpM/s1600/kmazziLSkokaneeframe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" mea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LLNiH569pHI/USUMiy8OqCI/AAAAAAAAAh4/s0CeIvOwDpM/s320/kmazziLSkokaneeframe.jpg" width="243" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kira collecting genetic samples from<br />
Lake Sammamish kokanee salmon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I have a confession. I love playing in the dirt and mud; I love coming home exhausted and dirty from a hard day working in a river; I love going out and collecting information; and I love getting paid to work outside. I currently work as a Biological Science Technician for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in Lacey, WA, and I have also worked for the National Park Service (Crater Lake National Park and Biscayne National Park), several state agencies, and the private sector. My job makes me work my mind and body in ways that test my mental and physical endurance, and at the end of the day I always have something to show for it, be it information gathered, a new tracking or monitoring device placed, an invasive species removed and a native replaced, and/or a sore muscle to remind me that I worked hard today!<br />
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The field of science has allowed me to travel many places already and it could take me anywhere in the world in the future. At Biscayne, I was privileged to scuba dive on some of the most pristine coral reefs in the U.S., removing invasive lionfish (<i>Pterois volitans</i> and <i>Pterois miles</i>), monitoring algae growth on coral heads, and documenting the population dynamics of the Caribbean Spiny Lobster (<i>Panulirus argus)</i>. At Crater Lake, I worked to assess the chemical and biological health of the lake by netting and trapping invasive fish and crayfish, collecting water samples for lab analysis, and installing equipment that will allow scientists to monitor the lake year-round.<br />
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Currently my job is to go out into the field and gather information for new and ongoing projects. The best part of my job is that I don’t have one set thing I do. Here is a short list of things I could be asked to do on any given day:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Work on the urban stream WRIA-8 project (collecting fish and habitat information)</li>
<li>Organize/fix/maintain field equipment</li>
<li>Strap on my waders for a river survey </li>
<li>Don my dry suit to snorkel for freshwater mussels or for a night fish survey in the lake</li>
<li>Collect fish for brood stock at a hatchery </li>
<li>Collect genetic samples,</li>
<li>Bio-sample and retrieve coded wire tags (CWT’s) from adult fish and enter information into an international database</li>
<li>Remove and relocate endangered fish</li>
<li>Work in the lab</li>
<li>Assist other departments on projects they have going on</li>
</ul>
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In short, my job is to be versatile. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k-czRFuSVH4/USUMfXCGmbI/AAAAAAAAAhw/h0nW8PFRvMk/s1600/kmazzi2frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" mea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k-czRFuSVH4/USUMfXCGmbI/AAAAAAAAAhw/h0nW8PFRvMk/s320/kmazzi2frame.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kira assisting with an elk capture with state<br />
and tribal employees </td></tr>
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I have a great feeling of accomplishment when I consider all the information I have gathered and all the organisms I have helped. You always hear "one person can make a difference" and sometimes that is hard to believe when you think of how big the whole picture is. My job has allowed me to experience that one person CAN make a BIG difference! I see positive changes in the world because of things I have done. <br />
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I tell everyone to follow their dreams. I am living my dream. <br />
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--Kira Mazzi, Biological Science Technician<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span></span>USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-12424022820205647052013-02-14T11:10:00.000-08:002013-04-11T13:53:28.758-07:00Determining the Age of Sculpin Using the Otolith Burnt Cross-Section Technique<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HKb-1Yi1elc/UR0pAIK-yhI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/UD26f2L4Zig/s1600/pricklysculpinframe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HKb-1Yi1elc/UR0pAIK-yhI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/UD26f2L4Zig/s320/pricklysculpinframe.jpg" uea="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prickly sculpin</td></tr>
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The prickly sculpin (<i>Cottus asper</i>) is a native and little-studied freshwater fish found throughout western Washington. Over the past few weeks, Roger Tabor, Kira Mazzi, Mike Elam, and I have been trying to unlock the information found in a small ear bone (otolith) hiding inside these fishes' heads. The otolith contains a record of a sculpin's growth, much like rings in a tree--the growth of the fish influences both the size and density of the otolith. Through our analysis of these otoliths, we hope to discover if different populations of prickly sculpin are growing faster and living with or without competition from other fish, at different elevations, and consuming different diets. To do this, we removed otoliths from roughly 200 preserved specimens of prickly sculpin and prepared them using a common aging method called the "otolith burnt cross-section technique." <br />
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The first step in preparing the otolith is breaking it as closely through the center as possible. I used my fingers to break them in half, but many people use forceps or a hard surface to crack them open. A good break will allow you to view each annulus (yearly growth ring). Next, and most importantly, is the burning procedure. Using lighters, we burned the otolith until we achieved a uniform dark brown. This turns the annuli dark brown and keeps the remainder of the otolith light, giving you distinction between years. Then we added a dab of mineral oil for clarity and had a perfectly prepared otolith to read.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wMB3-Dknkm8/UR0pDEuGL-I/AAAAAAAAAhY/9wgap1KuZ2g/s1600/otolith+frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wMB3-Dknkm8/UR0pDEuGL-I/AAAAAAAAAhY/9wgap1KuZ2g/s320/otolith+frame.jpg" uea="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sculpin otolith</td></tr>
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In the photo above, you can see the distinction between the dark brown annuli and the light summer growth. This otolith is from a mature 13-year-old prickly sculpin. As fish mature, they experience a change in growth rate. You can see this by the small separation of annuli in this adult. In juvenile fish, the translucent growth zones are much larger than those later in life (see center of the image). <br />
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We have finished all the aging for this study and will now move on to analyzing our data with the environmental and biological information we collected about the fish and their habitats early this year.<br />
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--Timothy Grun, Biological Science Technician<br />
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USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-88502157338111991192013-02-07T11:26:00.001-08:002013-02-14T11:11:08.852-08:00What is an Otolith and Why Do I Care About It? <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uH6maHix7G0/URQERG0aZ2I/AAAAAAAAAg4/xoMWN6e-uYQ/s1600/0642_BridgeCamp1otolithframe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" jea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uH6maHix7G0/URQERG0aZ2I/AAAAAAAAAg4/xoMWN6e-uYQ/s200/0642_BridgeCamp1otolithframe.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish otolith</td></tr>
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An otolith (inner ear bone) can be found in any animal with a vertebra---mammals, birds, amphibians, fish, etc. Otoliths are sensitive to acceleration and gravity; these organ and bone structures tell the brain how the body is moving in relation to the surrounding environment. We are currently looking at kokanee salmon otoliths to evaluate whether hatchery-reared kokanee are helping us recover the native kokanee population in Lake Sammamish. <br />
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Fisheries scientists have figured out that fish otoliths grow much like the rings of a tree trunk. In the summer, when growth is high, the fish lays down a lot of otolith material. In contrast, during the winter when growth is minimal, the fish lays down very little growth material, resulting in the “ring” pattern. Much like a tree, if you count the “rings” you can determine the age of the fish.<br />
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Now, bear with me on this one because what I am about to tell you is kind of hard to believe but it's true . . . . <br />
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In the hatchery, the temperature of the water the fish are reared in can be controlled. By controlling the water temperature over a short time period (usually a few weeks), a barcode-type pattern is created in the rings of the otolith. This technique is called marking and is permanent. After the fish’s death, the otolith can be extracted, shaved down, put under a microscope and read. By collecting the fish and reading the otoliths, we can tell how old the fish is, what stream its parents came from, whether the fish strayed from its natal stream. That is really, really cool! And all of this from an inner ear bone about 1-4 millimeters in length!<br />
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This is what I and other federal, state, and county biologists are doing in the field and in the lab. We are collecting kokanee from Lake Sammamish streams, spawning them, extracting the otolith, collecting biological information on the fish, and then reading the otoliths to see if marking is present. The marking will assist with the research and progression of the Lake Sammamish kokanee supplementation program. This year we saw a larger kokanee run; this is also the first year that the hatchery-reared supplementation fish were old enough to return to spawn. The information we gather from these otoliths will shed new light on the future of kokanee in Lake Sammamish and the human efforts to save this unique population.<br />
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--Kira Mazzi, Biological Science Technician<br />
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<em>Photo credit: WDFW Otolith Thermal Marking Lab</em><br />
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<br />USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-60598595504523540472013-02-01T10:52:00.000-08:002013-02-01T11:05:40.271-08:00Lake Sammamish Kokanee Salmon Observed in 13 Streams<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4Lp_4-JdZso/UQwLkf1dzyI/AAAAAAAAAf8/IFu6AwYPcQk/s1600/LStribmap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ea="true" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4Lp_4-JdZso/UQwLkf1dzyI/AAAAAAAAAf8/IFu6AwYPcQk/s320/LStribmap.jpg" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"> Map of Lake Sammamish tributaries. Those <br />
in red are tributaries where kokanee have <br />
rarely been observed in recent years until <br />
2012. Those in black are the four main <br />
spawning tributaries.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This past year’s return of kokanee to Lake Sammamish tributaries saw several thousand spawners in the four main tributaries (Lewis, Ebright, Laughing Jacobs, and Pine Lake Creeks). In addition, kokanee spawners were unexpectedly observed in other tributaries--George Davis and Zaccuse Creeks on the east side; Issaquah, East Fork Issaquah, Tibbetts, Pickering, and Schneider Creeks in the south end; and Vasa and Idylwood Creeks on the west side of Lake Sammamish. For most of these additional creeks, spawning kokanee have been recorded in the past but have not been observed in recent years. In two of the creeks (Pickering and Schneider) kokanee do not appear to have ever been observed before 2012. <br />
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Agency staff members from King County, WDFW, and USFWS, as well as private landowners, conducted periodic surveys of these creeks in 2012. In addition to counting the live spawning fish, surveyors also collected kokanee carcasses in order to remove their otoliths (ear bones). The otoliths will be analyzed in the lab to determine if fish originated from Issaquah Creek State Hatchery or were naturally produced. Tissue samples were also taken from some of the fish to determine their genetic make-up. <br />
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This past year’s results indicate that Lake Sammamish kokanee are spawning in tributaries on all sides of the lake, underscoring the need to protect and restore as many tributaries as possible in order to sustain this native population. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wNXowbYtEI0/UQwRHP9MBvI/AAAAAAAAAgM/9ga_8a-DRr8/s1600/SchneiderCreek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ea="true" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wNXowbYtEI0/UQwRHP9MBvI/AAAAAAAAAgM/9ga_8a-DRr8/s320/SchneiderCreek.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"> Kokanee spawning area in Schneider <br />
Creek. Prior to 2012, kokanee were <br />
not known to use this tributary.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-90245843404985967262012-11-20T07:17:00.000-08:002012-11-20T07:17:00.591-08:00Lake Sammamish Kokanee Bursting Back into the Streams<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XQMLDcZpn-4/UKrNEp-CqoI/AAAAAAAAAdg/8xKB0pua4p0/s1600/LSKokanee3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XQMLDcZpn-4/UKrNEp-CqoI/AAAAAAAAAdg/8xKB0pua4p0/s320/LSKokanee3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kokanee salmon in Ebright Creek</td></tr>
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This season’s kokanee salmon are off to an early and exciting start at Lake Sammamish. After a late and very dry summer in western Washington, the spawning streams were down to a trickle and rain seemed like a distant memory. But when the rain finally returned in late October, the kokanee in the lake began their short journey upstream to spawn. Right now you can see hundreds of these bright red and green fish in Ebright Creek, Laughing Jacobs Creek, Tibbetts Creek, Lewis Creek, Pine Lake Creek, and perhaps other creeks surrounding Lake Sammamish. These land-locked salmon are swimming under roads, through yards, and into neighborhoods and parks to find the perfect spot to deposit their eggs. These fish are living in urban landscapes unfamiliar to their ancestors and the number of fish today is drastically reduced from historic levels. This decline prompted biologists, local governments, and individuals working and living in the area to combine forces to bring back the kokanee and provide evidence of a future where people and wild fish thrive together.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bULIwnGiN-Q/UKrNA1dzRKI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/GDdcfvA5Bjo/s1600/LSKokanee1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="153" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bULIwnGiN-Q/UKrNA1dzRKI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/GDdcfvA5Bjo/s200/LSKokanee1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kokanee salmon swimming up Ebright Creek</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This year’s return is highly anticipated because it marks the first time both fish from the hatchery supplementation program and the natural lake population will return to spawn in tandem. The hatchery supplementation program, based at <a href="http://www.issaquahfish.org/">WDFW's Issaquah Creek Hatchery</a>, boosts the numbers of kokanee in the lake by "head-starting" baby kokanee in the safety of the hatchery. This year we hope to see an increase in kokanee returning to and spawning in streams as a result of the supplementation program. <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y71KnutQCbU/UKrNC8zgyoI/AAAAAAAAAdY/JwlTyrETSL0/s1600/LSKokanee2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="153" rea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y71KnutQCbU/UKrNC8zgyoI/AAAAAAAAAdY/JwlTyrETSL0/s200/LSKokanee2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Female and male kokanee salmon looking <br />
for the perfect place to spawn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Through all of this excitement, we and our partners in the Lake Sammamish Kokanee Work Group continue to monitor kokanee numbers, collect a small number of wild fish for the supplementation program, and sample for genetics and health of kokanee in several Lake Sammamish streams. Careful planning and scientific methods are crucial to habitat conservation efforts--the ultimate tool for ensuring a bright future for Lake Sammamish kokanee.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VgyUdVh01zQ/UKrM-5mUHsI/AAAAAAAAAdI/tO1dfD6Rl0A/s1600/InTheStream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VgyUdVh01zQ/UKrM-5mUHsI/AAAAAAAAAdI/tO1dfD6Rl0A/s320/InTheStream.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">USFWS biologists work their way up <br />
Laughing Jacobs Creek looking for kokanee salmon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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To learn more about the Lake Sammamish kokanee, watch these USFWS videos: <br />
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<a href="http://bit.ly/PprFHs">http://bit.ly/PprFHs</a><br />
<a href="http://bit.ly/RuOj12">http://bit.ly/RuOj12</a><br />
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Check out our <a href="http://bit.ly/THqYI0" target="_blank">Flickr page</a> for some great photos of Lake Sammamish kokanee. And take a peek into your local creeks and see what fish are calling it home. You might just find a kokanee.<br />
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To report kokanee sightings, give us a call at (360) 753-9440 or click on "Contact Us" on our <a href="http://www.fws.gov/wafwo/">web page</a> to send an email.<br />
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USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-88232517520490510272012-10-25T15:25:00.000-07:002012-10-26T11:18:40.555-07:00Juvenile Pacific Lamprey in Puget Sound Streams <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fb03n8_7TJ0/UIm2x38R8KI/AAAAAAAAAcg/MQci9GtS0lI/s1600/LampreyRTaborFrame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pacific lamprey (Photo: R. Tabor)" border="0" height="175" oea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fb03n8_7TJ0/UIm2x38R8KI/AAAAAAAAAcg/MQci9GtS0lI/s200/LampreyRTaborFrame.jpg" title="Pacific lamprey (Photo: R. Tabor)" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pacific lamprey</td></tr>
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Pacific lamprey <i>(Lampetra tridentata)</i> are native to the Pacific Ocean and are a vital component of native fish communities. They are also used for food, medicine, and ceremonial purposes by some Pacific Northwest tribes. <br />
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Pacific lamprey are anadromous--they live in both fresh and salt water. Adults live in the ocean where they feed on the blood and bodily fluids of marine mammals and fish. After about 2 years in the ocean, they return to freshwater streams to spawn, constructing nests in small gravel where they lay their eggs. Eggs hatch after several weeks. The blind larvae--called ammocoetes--live in fine sediment on the bottom of the stream and filter-feed on algae and detritus. After 4 to 6 years as an ammocoete, Pacific lamprey metamorphose to a second juvenile life stage called macropthalmia. During this stage, the juvenile lamprey migrates out to the ocean and begins a parasitic lifestyle as an adult, growing to about 2 feet in length.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span></span>Like salmon, the abundance and range of Pacific lamprey have been reduced. To improve their distribution and abundance, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and its partners are working to address threats to Pacific lamprey, restore habitat, and fill in large data gaps. Here in the Puget Sound area, we lack basic information on lamprey, including presence and absence of these fish in our local rivers. To remedy this, the U.S. Geological Survey partnered with the FWS in 2011 to look at lamprey caught in traps designed to capture juvenile salmon.<br />
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During the spring of 2011, juvenile lamprey were captured at 18 trap sites located throughout the Puget Sound area, including Hood Canal. Pacific lamprey were identified in 13 of these 18 watersheds. Color patterns and pigmentation on their tails were used to identify ammocoetes to species. No eyed juvenile (macrophthalmia) Pacific lamprey were captured in the traps. We suspect these ocean-bound juveniles move downstream at times outside of our trapping period.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-03CPes_m5s0/UIm22xbWDoI/AAAAAAAAAcw/5r5s4zz7Al8/s1600/PSTrapLocations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Trap locations within Puget Sound (Mike Hayes, USGS)" border="0" height="400" oea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-03CPes_m5s0/UIm22xbWDoI/AAAAAAAAAcw/5r5s4zz7Al8/s400/PSTrapLocations.jpg" title="Trap locations within Puget Sound (Mike Hayes, USGS)" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-no-proof: yes;">Trap locations within Puget Sound </span></td></tr>
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One interesting find was that of "dwarf" adult lamprey. These fish measured less than 300mm in length--an adult fish is typically over 500mm long. Why so short? Do they spend less time in salt water? Or do they remain and mature entirely in fresh water? We hope to find the answers next field season! <br />
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For more information on FWS Pacific lamprey activities:<br />
<a href="http://www.fws.gov/pacific/Fisheries/sphabcon/Lamprey/index.html">http://www.fws.gov/pacific/Fisheries/sphabcon/Lamprey/index.html</a><br />
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Lamprey coloring book: <a href="http://www.fws.gov/columbiariver/publications/Pacific_lamprey_experience.pdf">http://www.fws.gov/columbiariver/publications/Pacific_lamprey_experience.pdf</a><br />
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Pacific lamprey fact sheet:<br />
<a href="http://www.fws.gov/pacific/Fisheries/sphabcon/Lamprey/pdf/111407%20PL%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf">http://www.fws.gov/pacific/Fisheries/sphabcon/Lamprey/pdf/111407%20PL%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf</a><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rJd3GQZp6sM/UIm20ZErx6I/AAAAAAAAAco/LwY5-bhfWro/s1600/LampreyGraphic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" oea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rJd3GQZp6sM/UIm20ZErx6I/AAAAAAAAAco/LwY5-bhfWro/s1600/LampreyGraphic.jpg" /></a></div>
Follow Luna the Lamprey's return voyage from the ocean: <br />
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Visit Luna's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PacificLamprey" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> <br />
Follow Luna's tweets (@LunaLamprey) on <a href="https://twitter.com/lunathelamprey" target="_blank">Twitter</a> <br />
Where's Luna now? Find her on a <a href="http://goo.gl/maps/K5D9" target="_blank">map</a><br />
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USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-22672758726027132232012-10-02T10:19:00.001-07:002012-10-02T10:25:22.588-07:00Coho Salmon Passage - Feeding the Quilcene River Ecosystem<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2pcYIV3eNqw/UGseoqpY14I/AAAAAAAAAcE/7qvuvwXQB3g/s1600/QuilCOSmove1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" mea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2pcYIV3eNqw/UGseoqpY14I/AAAAAAAAAcE/7qvuvwXQB3g/s320/QuilCOSmove1.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Releasing adult coho salmon </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">above </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">the hatchery weir</span></span></td></tr>
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Like many hatcheries, Quilcene National Fish Hatchery (located on the Olympic Peninsula) is equipped with a weir. A weir is similar to a dam, except that a weir controls the upstream flow of fish instead of controlling the downstream flow of water. At Quilcene NFH, the weir blocks returning adult coho salmon so that the hatchery can collect the number of fish it needs to breed future salmon generations and provide fish to its affiliated tribes for subsistence. In addition to these human needs, the ecosystem upstream of the hatchery needs fish, too. </div>
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Over the last 10 to 20 years, scientists have found that naturally-spawning salmon provide a myriad of ecological benefits to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, including delivering nutrients as natural fertilizers and serving as "ecosystem engineers" while digging their nests in the bottom of the stream. To help meet these ecosystem needs, our office is working with Quilcene NFH to intentionally pass adult coho salmon upstream of the weir. <br />
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This year, our target is to pass a total of 800 coho salmon over the weir. September 19 marked our first passage day when we released 170 fish into the Big Quilcene River above the weir.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GmwHeOR5aKU/UGseq12E27I/AAAAAAAAAcM/vCanVW7DQgo/s1600/QuilCOStag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" mea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GmwHeOR5aKU/UGseq12E27I/AAAAAAAAAcM/vCanVW7DQgo/s320/QuilCOStag.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;">A tagged coho salmon to be released above the hatchery weir.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">(</span>Note the yellow tag near the rear of the dorsal fin.)</span></span></td></tr>
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In addition to passing fish, we are also evaluating what these fish do and where they go afterward. To accomplish this, we tag the fish prior to release and later survey the river and streams to identify where the fish spawn and how many stay upstream versus return to the hatchery. We’ll write more about these evaluations later, but for now we are happy to see salmon spawning in the Big Quilcene River and delivering much-needed nutrients to support the ecosystem that also includes federally-listed Puget Sound steelhead.</div>
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USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-42897920305760850912012-09-25T11:11:00.000-07:002012-09-25T11:11:27.036-07:00Olympic Mudminnow Workshop - October 17, 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0nNAIau5J1Q/UGHzLkyD6hI/AAAAAAAAAbw/6wpfsGRQNSc/s1600/collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0nNAIau5J1Q/UGHzLkyD6hI/AAAAAAAAAbw/6wpfsGRQNSc/s400/collage.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We are pleased to announce an upcoming workshop on Olympic mudminnow, Washington State's only endemic fish. <br />
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The workshop is a 1-day event designed to provide background information and research findings on Olympic mudminnow and establish a partnership coalition capable of developing and implementing a conservation strategy for Olympic mudminnow and their habitat. It is being sponsored by the Washington-British Columbia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society and will be held on October 17th at the Lacey Community Center in Lacey, Washington. <br />
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More information (including a registration link) can be found at <a href="http://www.fws.gov/wafwo/Olymudminnow_wkshp.html">http://www.fws.gov/wafwo/Olymudminnow_wkshp.html</a>.<br />
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USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-46206153057149574632012-09-11T14:33:00.000-07:002012-09-11T14:33:28.699-07:00Youth Fisheries Academy with the Skokomish TribeHey there! <br />
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One of the Youth Fisheries Academies that we conducted this summer was with the Skokomish Tribe. I worked with two large groups of kids from 1st through 12th grade. I first worked with the high school students at George Adams State Fish hatchery. I started the day leading an invertebrate sampling station where students got a chance to step into the creek and see what they could catch. I had never led any stations on benthic macroinvertebrates before, but growing up fly fishing gave me the knowledge I needed to successfully lead the group. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BeSzzAg2w_o/UE-pQHaPemI/AAAAAAAAAbc/TbUj-tCUqMc/s1600/zach+nettin+bugs+frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="170" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BeSzzAg2w_o/UE-pQHaPemI/AAAAAAAAAbc/TbUj-tCUqMc/s320/zach+nettin+bugs+frame.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zach netting invertebrates</td></tr>
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First, I explained just exactly what we were looking for-- animals that live on the bottom of a stream, are large enough to be seen without a microscope or magnifying glass, and have no backbone. Then we tromped around the creek to stir some of these animals out of the gravel and into the net. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tYPmhW8XyK4/UE-o0pYP9bI/AAAAAAAAAbU/cLbEOq3lKA8/s1600/zach+with+bugs+and+campers+frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="153" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tYPmhW8XyK4/UE-o0pYP9bI/AAAAAAAAAbU/cLbEOq3lKA8/s320/zach+with+bugs+and+campers+frame.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Identifying the "catch"</td></tr>
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Once the sample was collected, the group and I went onshore to pick through the sample container and start identifying our "catch". The students seemed blown away at the amount of living invertebrates we were able to pull out of 1 square foot of gravel; many had no idea that these animals were even around. <br />
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Later that day I switched from invertebrate sampling to fish dissections. I helped the students dissect their own trout as I demonstrated proper dissection technique on a large coho salmon. This is one of the most popular stations at all of the Youth Fisheries Academies so I really enjoyed leading the dissections (even though it got blistering hot in the dissection tent and I smelled like hot, old, dead salmon for the rest of the day).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tKvn6jZG3zo/UE-ox12l07I/AAAAAAAAAbM/ioIxq5VZNrs/s1600/IMG_1449frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="216" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tKvn6jZG3zo/UE-ox12l07I/AAAAAAAAAbM/ioIxq5VZNrs/s320/IMG_1449frame.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish dissection</td></tr>
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The second group of kids I worked with were aged of 5 through 13. This is my favorite age group to work with because they usually are enthusiastic, extremely curious, and ask some hilarious questions during the lessons. I helped lead a fish health and ID station for the first half of the camp and then helped the campers identify the live trout and salmon smolts that we brought. Halfway through the camp, a Skokomish storyteller told an amazing story to the children about how the Skokomish Tribe and the chum salmon came to be. After the story was finished, we transitioned to salmon dissections for the remainder of the camp. The kids and I had a blast going through each salmon organ together and explaining the purpose of each one. <br />
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This camp was one of my favorites this summer with great campers, parents, stories, delicious barbeque, enthusiastic questions, and the smell of salmon dissections in the air! What more could you ask for from a summer job? <br />
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Cheers!<br />
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--Zach Moore, STEP Fisheries Technician<br />
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USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-77472429285696551162012-09-05T15:26:00.000-07:002012-09-11T14:34:18.358-07:00My Life Aquatic 2012 - Youth Fisheries Academy Camp at Makah NFHDuring the Youth Fisheries Academy day camps, I help run the technology station. Here we teach kids about the various techniques and equipment that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). I start by introducing the campers to fish tagging and methods used to track salmon released from hatcheries, which includes a hands-on activity using tag scanners and a discussion about the importance of tracking fish for conservation. Each year, millions of fish are released from hatcheries around the state of Washington. By tagging many of them, using the same kind of chip you might have in your pets, and placing automated tag readers at strategic locations such as fish ladders, we can learn where the fish are going, when they are returning, and estimate the size of the fish populations.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hqL_g1PjhA4/UEfOhLMn75I/AAAAAAAAAaw/CtNZybVEdsk/s1600/Clay_telemetry.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="193" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hqL_g1PjhA4/UEfOhLMn75I/AAAAAAAAAaw/CtNZybVEdsk/s320/Clay_telemetry.JPG" width="290" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Explaining radio telemetry equipment</td></tr>
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Working in the fisheries area of USFWS means that I am primarily focused on fish and aquatic invertebrates, but the agency deals with much more. The next part of the technologies station shifts the focus to tracking animals using radio telemetry. This involves placing a radio transmitter on an animal and using radio receivers to determine its location. After introducing the radio telemetry equipment at a camp at Makah National Fish Hatchery, one of the campers asked, "So, theoretically, I could put on this collar and hide somewhere and you would be able to find me?" He was thrilled when I told him that our very next activity was radio telemetry hide-and-seek. He put on the transmitter collar with enthusiasm and said he was going to be a bear. While he was scampered off to hide, I talked to the rest of the group about the importance of tracking individual animals to determine what habitats they are using as well as tracking populations in order to set hunting limits and determine population health. The other campers then set off with antennas and radio receivers in hand to locate their "bear" friend hiding somewhere at the hatchery. It is fun to watch campers get so excited.<br />
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More than just being fun, the Youth Fisheries Academy curriculum is designed to give kids experience with fishery science as well as teaching the purpose and importance of the work we are doing. This dual emphasis ensures that a new generation is raised with an awareness of the conservation challenges we are facing and hopefully plants some seeds for future field biologists who will continue this important work.<br />
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--Clay, STEP Fisheries Technician<br />
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USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-13179119067730962832012-08-28T10:51:00.000-07:002012-08-28T10:51:30.766-07:00Bull Trout Redd Surveys in Northern Puget Sound<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uwuT6JtYVNc/UD0CVDqnRpI/AAAAAAAAAac/S-PfRmbIi_0/s1600/bulltrout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" fea="true" height="182" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uwuT6JtYVNc/UD0CVDqnRpI/AAAAAAAAAac/S-PfRmbIi_0/s320/bulltrout.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bull trout</td></tr>
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Bull trout (<i>Salvelinus confluentus</i>) are a member of the salmonid family, which includes salmon, trout, whitefish, char, and grayling. Bull trout love cold, clean, complex, and connected streams and other aquatic habitat. Habitat degradation and fragmentation, blockage of migratory corridors, poor water quality, the effects of climate change and past fisheries management practices, including the introduction of non-native species such as brown, lake, and brook trout, have resulted in local extinctions and population declines of bull trout. This has led to the listing of bull trout as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1999. Within the Puget Sound Bull Trout Management Unit, there are eight core areas with a total of 57 identified local populations. Bull trout are found in the Chilliwack, Nooksack, lower and upper Skagit, Snohomish-Skykomish, Stillaguamish, upper Cedar (Chester Morse Lake system), and Puyallup River basins. With the exception of the Chilliwack and upper Cedar River systems, these basins all support anadromous bull trout that use Puget Sound marine waters for foraging and migration.<br />
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A high priority goal of our agency is to acquire more complete information on the current distribution and abundance of bull trout within each core area of the Puget Sound Management Unit. Annual spawning nest (redd) counts provide a non-invasive way to monitor relative population strength of bull trout. Each fall, experienced fisheries personnel count the number of redds in predetermined stream sections. Not all known bull trout spawning areas are monitored, since weather and remoteness limit the ability to conduct the fall surveys in some areas. Comparison of the count numbers over time can provide insight into long- and short-term population trends and alert fishery and land managers to potential problems within aquatic systems.<br />
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Since State funds for surveying bull trout redds was no longer available, we provided money to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to continue collecting this valuable data through return year 2011 and to expand the number of survey sites. Staff from WDFW surveyed for bull trout redds within the Skagit, Snohomish, and Stillaguamish River basins from 2009 to 2011. Their findings include:<br />
<ul>
<li>Fewer bull trout redds were observed in the past 3 years than were observed from 2006 to 2008.</li>
<li>The total bull trout redd count was very similar in 2011 to what was observed in 2010. However, some areas had more redds than in 2010 and some had less.</li>
<li>The total redd count of all sites (637) was 25% below the average count from the years 2006 through 2010 (850).</li>
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You can learn more about bull trout biology, critical habitat, and conservation measures at <a href="http://www.fws.gov/pacific/bulltrout/">http://www.fws.gov/pacific/bulltrout/</a><br />
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USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-20708817160818294802012-08-20T14:13:00.000-07:002012-10-26T11:01:44.068-07:00Documenting the Olympic Mudminnow Family Tree <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qgvwt5G5uDo/UDKin51R_QI/AAAAAAAAAaA/QJpS6Fik2cI/s1600/ConnorCreek_GRYHRBR_Co_OMMframe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" mda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qgvwt5G5uDo/UDKin51R_QI/AAAAAAAAAaA/QJpS6Fik2cI/s320/ConnorCreek_GRYHRBR_Co_OMMframe.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mudminnow habitat - Connor Creek, Grays Harbor County</td></tr>
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This June and July, Fish Biologist Roger Tabor and I hit the highways and dirt roads of western Washington in search of undiscovered and established Olympic mudminnow (<i>Novumbra hubbsi</i>) sites to complete the story of Olympic mudminnow population genetics. That just means we are documenting the Olympic mudminnow family tree to see who is most closely related and where the founding fish for each population may have come from. This type of information will help us down the road as we initiate discussions with our partner agencies and the public about developing a strategic habitat conservation approach for Olympic mudminnow. <br />
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Even before we hit the road with our boots and nets, there was a lot of planning and collaborating for Roger to do. He and fellow biologists here at USFWS and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) are working together to research documents and historic data to uncover places where Washington’s only endemic fish were found in the past. This saves us time and money, keeps us from driving to every pond and ditch that looks promising, and allows us to identify land owners so we can ask for permission to access and sample on their property. Once the ground work was done, Roger and I hit the road in search of the mudminnows. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G5ZiHUz23M8/UDKijoLr0bI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/pw-Hi3tvlVQ/s1600/SteamBoat_Bog_Jefferson_co_OMM1frame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" mda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G5ZiHUz23M8/UDKijoLr0bI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/pw-Hi3tvlVQ/s200/SteamBoat_Bog_Jefferson_co_OMM1frame.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roger Tabor looking for Olympic mudminnows<br />
in Steamboat bog</td></tr>
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Over the course of 5 days, we visited 12 sites and were able to capture hundreds of mudminnows from six targeted localities from Chehalis and along the Olympic Peninsula to Quillayute. We averaged less than a minute per mudminnow (that’s faster than 60 mudminnows per hour!) as we measured, weighed, sexed, and clipped each one. We only took a small bit of tissue from the caudal fin for the genetic clip sample, so we were able to release the mudminnows back to their respective home after a short rest in the "recovery bucket".<br />
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Even though our target is genetic samples, I cannot help becoming interested in the many differences and similarities between locations that mudminnows call home. All the sites were in very flat, barely flowing water with vegetation growing in the water and on the edges. We visited shady coastal creeks less than a mile from the ocean, sunny sphagnum bogs, lily-pad ponds, and wetlands at the corner of two busy roads. In some locations, our nets and traps caught up to four other fish species, giant water bugs (which still lurk in my nightmares), dragonfly nymphs, salamanders, frogs, freshwater mollusks (clams and snails), crayfish and more, while in other locations it seemed to be just the mudminnows and us. <br />
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For our samples, it’s a quick trip from biologist to geneticist and on to improving our understanding of the history and biology of mudminnow populations, painting a broad picture of how the mudminnows got to be where they are today, and possibly where they might be heading in the future. I, for one, cannot wait to see the results.<br />
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---Teal Waterstrat, STEP Student<br />
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USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-87519821909227671912012-07-31T14:36:00.001-07:002012-09-05T15:24:36.166-07:00My Life Aquatic 2012 - Introducing Clay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 11.5pt;">A Look at <place w:st="on"><country -region="-region" w:st="on">U.S.</country></place> Fish & Wildlife Service </span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 11.5pt;">Seasonal STEP Employee Experiences through A Fish-Eye Lens</span></i></b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oSmKrFtPp_M/UBhOcf9YRbI/AAAAAAAAAZk/HTMCm2iA01Y/s1600/Clay+S.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="160" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oSmKrFtPp_M/UBhOcf9YRbI/AAAAAAAAAZk/HTMCm2iA01Y/s200/Clay+S.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
Greetings! I’m Clay Showalter, a Student Temporary Employee Program (STEP) fisheries technician with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in Lacey, Washington. I’ve been studying computer science and field ecology at The Evergreen State College (TESC) for 3 years.<br />
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I grew up in the woods of Kansas where rip-roarin’ bass fishing and beautiful landscapes inspired me to learn more about the ecology of the area. I began to discover that the more I learned, the deeper I could appreciate the beauty and complexity of the natural world. I also learned that many ecosystems are being threatened by habitat loss and toxification.<br />
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I enrolled at TESC after high school and initially focused on computer science, math and physics. However, the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest was a constant reminder that I didn’t want to be stuck in an office my entire career. I then discovered the field of eco-informatics, which applies computer science techniques to field ecology. Field sampling by day and analyzing data by night convinced me that my future career should involve being outside and working to protect our natural resources.<br />
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This summer’s work experience with the FWS will include collecting field data and focusing on education and outreach through the Youth Fisheries Academy program. My work with the FWS offers an incredible opportunity to apply what I have learned, build on previous experience and pass on my knowledge and love of the outdoors to local youth. I have always been interested in teaching because education and outreach are essential for ensuring that future generations are conscious of the challenges that we are facing. While travelling and working on field projects in Ecuador last year, I was thrilled to gain experience teaching children about ecological issues relevant to their communities.<br />
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The Youth Fisheries Academy program here in Washington offers similar opportunities to plant seeds in the minds of youth that we all share some responsibility for the environment around us and that a career in field biology is one of many ways to make a difference in the ecosystems we rely on. <br />
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I am excited for this great opportunity and look forward to seeing what the summer will bring!<br />
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USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-50034710132493571852012-07-17T15:09:00.000-07:002012-07-23T14:59:06.119-07:00USFWS Internship - Spring 2012 Outreach & Education - Part 2<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QCWjx6ueynI/T2Jkd2Wd9FI/AAAAAAAAAVA/2wmDpa2lt9E/s1600/Zach+in+USFWS+shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img $ca="true" border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QCWjx6ueynI/T2Jkd2Wd9FI/AAAAAAAAAVA/2wmDpa2lt9E/s200/Zach+in+USFWS+shirt.jpg" width="161" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zach Moore</td></tr>
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More about my outreach and education experiences . . . .<br />
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The final assignment for spring quarter involved teaching Komachin Middle School students about the use of technology in biological field work during their field trips at Tolmie State Park. I hosted a radio-telemetry activity with the students in the forest section of the park, starting off by introducing the equipment, explaining how it works, and discussing how the data gathered with the equipment is used for conservation work. After that brief introduction, it was all hands-on fun as the students played a game of radio telemetry “hide-and-seek”. For this game, one or two students put on radio collars (representing “wild" animals), while the rest of the group searched for them using antennas and receivers. This was the most fun outreach project of my internship and each group of students really enjoyed the activity. By the end of the lesson, I could swear that some of the students could use the equipment as well as I could. This was a great way to take today’s tech-savvy students and connect those skills to nature and conservation.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6yUq7TZi6GU/UA3Ip0ssgVI/AAAAAAAAAZY/Y07t2s4NMYo/s1600/ZachTelemetry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" sda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6yUq7TZi6GU/UA3Ip0ssgVI/AAAAAAAAAZY/Y07t2s4NMYo/s320/ZachTelemetry.jpg" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zach describing radio-telemetry equipment</td></tr>
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Because the environmental education-based classes that I had taken at The Evergreen State College (TESC) never really gave me a chance to do any real teaching with students, these outreach experiences were extremely beneficial for me. After getting a few lessons under my belt, I began to feel more comfortable in front of students and teaching began to get easier. I soon developed techniques to make each lesson work effectively and my confidence in front of a student audience grew. I ended up providing a diverse curriculum to over 600 elementary and middle school students during this spring quarter! The feedback I received from my supervisor, other educators, and students was all very positive. <br />
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I feel very fortunate to have had this opportunity with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It was fun, rewarding, and only strengthened my desire to pursue this field of work. I plan on taking more education-type classes during my next 2 years at TESC and seeking out similar experience-building opportunities in the future! <br />
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--Zach Moore, USFWS Intern/Fisheries Technician<br />
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<br />USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-82645662026430847712012-07-12T15:47:00.000-07:002012-07-12T15:47:16.259-07:00USFWS Internship - Spring 2012 Education and Outreach - Part 1<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QCWjx6ueynI/T2Jkd2Wd9FI/AAAAAAAAAVA/2wmDpa2lt9E/s1600/Zach+in+USFWS+shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img $ca="true" border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QCWjx6ueynI/T2Jkd2Wd9FI/AAAAAAAAAVA/2wmDpa2lt9E/s200/Zach+in+USFWS+shirt.jpg" width="161" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zach Moore</td></tr>
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One of the great aspects about my internship with the Washington Fish and Wildlife Office (USFWS) Fisheries Division has been the diversity of experiences I have had working with multiple USFWS biologists and technicians. While my last two blog posts focused on biological field work, I also participated in a variety of education and outreach work. It would be difficult to understate the importance of this line of work. From an academic standpoint, it aligns perfectly with my environmental education major. From a professional standpoint, I am aware of the emphasis the USFWS places on <a href="http://www.fws.gov/letsgooutside/" target="_blank">connecting people with nature</a>. Having these skills will strengthen my resume and, from a personal standpoint, it has been a great experience sharing my love for and knowledge of the outdoors with the next generation. <br />
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My first outreach assignment involved teaching fish anatomy to several groups of students. The dissections were definitely one of my favorite activities--they generated a lot of excitement from everyone. Even students who were hesitant to participate at first ended up inspecting and passing around salmon organs before the lesson was over. Most of the kids left the lesson really excited about what they had learned about fish biology.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h3-ndksSm6U/T_9TVdFjatI/AAAAAAAAAZM/R-aYNFZ_Xjw/s1600/fishdissection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img $ca="true" border="0" height="195" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h3-ndksSm6U/T_9TVdFjatI/AAAAAAAAAZM/R-aYNFZ_Xjw/s320/fishdissection.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish dissection </td></tr>
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My next assignment involved leading students in several activities designed to teach them about salmon life history during their class field trip visits to <a href="http://www.fws.gov/quilcenenfh" target="_blank">Quilcene National Fish Hatchery</a>. For one activity, students constructed bracelets with beads that represented the various stages, migration, habitats, and hazards of the salmon life cycle. This was a great example of how you can teach biology through art. Another activity focused on how salmon rely on their sense of smell to navigate back to their natal (home) stream to spawn. For this activity, students were blindfolded and introduced to a scent that represented their natal stream. Participants then made a migration, attempting to find their home stream using their sense of smell. This activity really helped students understand a biological process that is very awe-inspiring. </div>
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To be continued . . . <br />
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--Zach Moore, USFWS Intern/Fisheries Technician<br />
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<br />USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-77849420476525998042012-06-22T11:18:00.000-07:002012-07-12T10:59:26.063-07:00USFWS Internship - Spring 2012 Field Work - Part 2<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QCWjx6ueynI/T2Jkd2Wd9FI/AAAAAAAAAVA/2wmDpa2lt9E/s1600/Zach+in+USFWS+shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" rca="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QCWjx6ueynI/T2Jkd2Wd9FI/AAAAAAAAAVA/2wmDpa2lt9E/s200/Zach+in+USFWS+shirt.jpg" width="161" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zach Moore</td></tr>
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More about my field work experiences . . . . <br />
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I also had a chance to help sample Olympic mudminnow around Olympia with Roger Tabor, USFWS biologist. This was a great way to get some new knowledge of, and experience with, a species of fish I previously knew nothing about. I went to several different wetlands to catch and sample these interesting little fish. The capture method involved swiping a frame net into murky ponds and pulling out handfuls of mudminnows. We sedated the fish so we could collect data such as length and weight, as well as stomach samples for diet analysis, and then returned them to the pond. <br />
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But my favorite field work opportunity was working on the Tsoo-Yess River on Washington's Olympic Peninsula near Makah National Fish Hatchery. I went up there with a crew for several days at a time. Our goal was to capture and collect outmigrating juvenile salmonids such as steelhead trout, coho salmon, and Chinook salmon. To do this, we installed a fish weir (river fence) that directed these small fish to the rotary screw trap. Installing a fish weir is a lot of work and it took us a couple of days to finish the entire thing, but when it was done it felt like a great accomplishment. I also assisted with the screw trap sampling where I gained experience utilizing a useful fish sampling device and improved my fish identification and data collection skills. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LJA6VWw2nIQ/T-I90_EhkYI/AAAAAAAAAY4/IKZxsn8W3_g/s1600/MKweirandtrap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" rca="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LJA6VWw2nIQ/T-I90_EhkYI/AAAAAAAAAY4/IKZxsn8W3_g/s320/MKweirandtrap.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sampling juvenile salmon at the screw trap on the Tsoo-Yess River<br />
(fish weir in background)</td></tr>
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I feel fortunate to have had this valuable opportunity with the USFWS. I was able to receive 16 college credits for my work and build and diversify my resume at thr same time. It was also a great way to get my foot in the door with the USFWS. My hard work paid off--I applied and successfully competed for a paid seasonal fisheries technician position with the USFWS Fisheries Division! <br />
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Working in the field was definitely my favorite part of my spring internship and I can’t wait to do more this summer! I am looking forward to new adventures and career-building experiences this coming summer. Stay tuned!<br />
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--Zach Moore, USFWS Intern/Fisheries Technician<br />
<br />USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-6570821726341736302012-06-20T14:22:00.001-07:002013-02-20T15:47:01.519-08:00USFWS Internship - Spring 2012 Field Work - Part 1<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QCWjx6ueynI/T2Jkd2Wd9FI/AAAAAAAAAVA/2wmDpa2lt9E/s1600/Zach+in+USFWS+shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" rca="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QCWjx6ueynI/T2Jkd2Wd9FI/AAAAAAAAAVA/2wmDpa2lt9E/s200/Zach+in+USFWS+shirt.jpg" width="161" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zach Moore</td></tr>
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Hello again! After finishing my volunteer work with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) this past winter, I applied for a quarter-long internship this spring. After my application was accepted by the USFWS, I found a sponsoring professor at The Evergreen State College and worked with both to formulate a learning contract that enabled me to receive college credits for my work. I found my spring internship to be the coolest college class I have taken yet! I was able to visit and work in some amazing places as well as gain a great deal of experience in fisheries field biology. <br />The field work gave me a chance to work alongside fisheries conservation professionals collecting valuable data--a nice contrast to sitting in a crowded classroom listening to lectures. This work sent me to a handful of amazing places like Neah Bay, the Elwha River, and deep into the forests around Olympia. I gained a wide range of experience, including electrofishing, fish weir installation, habitat measurement, handling live fish specimens, and recording all kinds of data. <br /><br />One field project involved updating Washignton Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) maps and habitat types through field data collection. This project is headed by the Wild Fish Conservancy and the USFWS made me available to provide assistance for this valuable conservation work. We would collect abiotic (non-living) habitat data such bankfull width, wetted width, and gradient. We also used GPS technology to verify stream locations. The biotic (living) sampling involved electrofishing to verify the presence or absence of fish. The data collected allowed us to update WDNR records that were previously inaccurate. For example, two tributaries of Swift Creek were previously listed as "nonfish-bearing"; however, we were able to verify the presence of fish in them through our field work. The reclassification of these two tributaries will now result in improved protection of critical fish habitat, including the bordering riparian zone.<br /><br /To be continued . . . . <br /><br /><br />
<br />USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-962958419290058264.post-58909883913278597942012-05-23T10:29:00.001-07:002013-06-26T13:48:22.465-07:00Musings on the Olympic Mudminnow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qu8cJTY7iVs/T70a1wE4sBI/AAAAAAAAAYs/NIhlHqDUuSQ/s1600/olymudminnows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="159" qba="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qu8cJTY7iVs/T70a1wE4sBI/AAAAAAAAAYs/NIhlHqDUuSQ/s320/olymudminnows.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olympic mudminnows in their habitat</td></tr>
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Last week, staff from our office and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife took a group of Olympia High School students out to the Green Cove Olympic mudminnow site. There the students learned mudminnow basics (including history, policy, and anatomy), entomology/invertebrates, and a little bit about mudminnow diet analysis. Then they pulled minnow traps and did some sampling in the wetland. At the end of the day, the students were asked by their teacher to take a few moments to write a poem or draw a piece of art that related to what they learned that day. Here’s what they wrote:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gtL-feGruGg/T70axRsQWHI/AAAAAAAAAYk/zIHuztdszEc/s1600/olymudminnowmale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="153" qba="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gtL-feGruGg/T70axRsQWHI/AAAAAAAAAYk/zIHuztdszEc/s200/olymudminnowmale.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olympic mudminnow - male</td></tr>
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<u>Majestic</u><br />
The majestic unturned land.<br />
It lies in the midst of a world of sand.<br />
The glass turns, but the minnows stay.<br />
They would fray.<br />
<em>~ Kevin Kalb</em><br />
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<u>What I Learned</u><br />
In the beginning I didn’t know much<br />
But then I began to touch.<br />
I touched the minnow in the bucket<br />
And slowly I began to check it.<br />
They only live on Washington’s coast<br />
If they don’t then they are toast.<br />
Thank you teachers for teaching me much<br />
So I can tell my friends and such.<br />
<em>~ Calla Chen</em><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xi_bsbno-nw/T70auMwJk1I/AAAAAAAAAYU/t29eW0SdEvs/s1600/olymudminnowfemale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="152" qba="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xi_bsbno-nw/T70auMwJk1I/AAAAAAAAAYU/t29eW0SdEvs/s200/olymudminnowfemale.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olympic mudminnow - female</td></tr>
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<u>Solitary Fish</u><br />
Although the water cradles the mosses and brush<br />
Many minnows lie.<br />
<em>~Cody Seales</em><br />
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In the water I love to go<br />
Just like this mudminnow.<br />
So fast so swift but always in danger<br />
I’ll protect this fish forever in the manger.<br />
<em>~ Mike Schulte</em><br />
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<u>Listen Listen</u><br />
Listen listen do you hear<br />
The free and wild minnows tear.<br />
Is there hope is there life for these free and wild minnows to fight?<br />
Listen again I say to you<br />
Help these minnows so it will free you too.<br />
<em>~ Benjamin Boggs</em><br />
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I saw a fish<br />
Smaller than a knife<br />
And now I see<br />
The meaning of life<br />
<em>~Andre Amaral</em><br />
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Minnow minnow in the pond.<br />
How I see a leafy frond.<br />
Over there across the water.<br />
My oh my it’s getting hotter<br />
Minnow minnow in the pond<br />
You kinda look like James Bond.<br />
<em>~Sean Frymire</em><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S3Ywd3GlkeA/T70avjG8-bI/AAAAAAAAAYc/luobq6sJB-8/s1600/olymudminnowhabitat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" qba="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S3Ywd3GlkeA/T70avjG8-bI/AAAAAAAAAYc/luobq6sJB-8/s320/olymudminnowhabitat.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wetland - Olympic mudminnow "home"</td></tr>
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<u>My Home</u><br />
Wetlands, the place I call my home<br />
If my home is destroyed where will I go?<br />
Is a home for you better than a home for me?<br />
The swampy, muddy marsh is my idea of a home<br />
Where I swim, eat, and play all day.<br />
My home the wetlands.<br />
<em>~Meghan Midkiff</em><br />
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The water isn’t clean<br />
and I’m all dressed up in neoprene<br />
Meghan, Lauryn, and Bryan is the team.<br />
I’m a minnow catching fiend.<br />
The ladies like to nag<br />
B-RY has got the fish in the bag<br />
With a little bit of mud and some frog ovary swag<br />
<em>~Bryan Villavicencio</em><br />
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I see a minnow over there<br />
That little guy has no hair.<br />
He is small not like a bear<br />
I walk slow so he won’t scare.<br />
<em>~Casey Vaughn</em><br />
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<u>Olympic Mudminnows</u><br />
Translucent bodies, flecks of gold, love to live in a quiet environment protected by tall red alder, hidden in grasses, swishing in mud, they survive the elements, deposited by a glacier only found in Washington; sensitive to changes in the wetlands.<br />
<em>~Nic Cereghino</em><br />
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To find out more about the Olympic mudminnow, please see our <a href="http://the-fish-files.blogspot.com/2010/09/olympic-mudminnow-western-washington.html">earlier post</a>.<br />
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<br />USFWS Washington FWO Fisheries Divisionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04456901758799483645noreply@blogger.com0