Volume 1 Issue 4

The Newsletter For FOA Employees on the Sea and In the Lab

Each month we have been exploring the different areas of FOA, and the many different tasks that FOA employees perform.  This month we focus on our fisheries biologist.   The basic responsibility of the Fisheries Biologist is as the name implies, is to study the fish and their habitats.  FOA has several fine fisheries biologist.  We would like for you to meet two of them, Jason Miller and Julia Clemmons.

Jason works at the NMFS Center in Seattle as a Fisheries Biologist III.  This is Jason's second tour with FOA.  He has worked previously for FOA as an observer in the California Drift Gillnet Program.

Jason's time is split between the field and the computer.   With fieldwork corresponding to the  life cycles of the salmon that his team is studying. His team collects samples of salmonid to be studied.  Once the samples are collected they return to the lab to organize, identify, and analyze the data collected in the field.  This is done through  morphometric analysis, a process that uses digitized salmonid images.  The results of the analysis is then collected and entered into a database for studies in other projects.

While Jason does a lot of his works in the streams of Washington Julia Clemmons does a lot of her work on the ocean, off the coast of  

Oregon.   Julia is a Fisheries Biologist IV at the Hatchfield Marine Center in Newport, Oregon.  Julia often goes to sea on research vessels where her team will make scuba dives to take pictures of underwater reefs.  She is one of the camera operators.  These pictures are used to analyze the reefs, with emphasis on how scientists can help preserve the reefs.

When not at sea, Julia can be found at her computer.  She could either be doing Gif data base management, or making posters to be presented at different conferences.  Whether on the sea or in the office, Julia enjoys her work.   Julia has been working in this field since 1993, starting out in geology, with her interest soon shifting to oceanography.

Julia, Jason, and all other Fisheries Biologist, we thank you for your dedication and service.  Your performance allows FOA to remain a participant in the Fisheries research industry.

To read more about Fisheries Biologist visit our web page.

New FOA Web Page

After months of work we finally have the new FOA web page up running.   Please visit our page.  All suggestions and comments are welcome.  Click here to be taken to the new FOA web page.