Symposium Information

Kodiak Area Marine Science Symposium (KAMSS) will present selected results of decades of marine research conducted near Kodiak, Alaska, to fishermen, students, and residents of Kodiak Island. Researchers will have an opportunity to talk about their research and local people will learn how Kodiak's marine environment and resources function, change, and affect their lives and livelihoods. KAMSS talks will span all dimensions of marine science in the Kodiak area, from physical oceanography to zooplankton, crabs to salmon, puffins to killer whales, and historic to current human dimensions.

With a philosophy that good management of Kodiak's productive commercial fisheries depends on good science, the community has supported scientific research for many years. Transient researchers, from Anchorage, Seattle, and beyond, embarking on studies of Gulf of Alaska marine species from Kodiak have benefited from the extensive logistic help and charter services available. Kodiak has developed into a center of marine research with community support for infrastructure needed for resident state, federal, and academic researchers with offices, labs, and vessels. KAMSS will provide an opportunity to inform local fishermen and residents about the broad topics of marine research conducted in Kodiak waters, so they can learn more about the science of the region and make good use of it.

Background

Kodiak is unique. With a philosophy that good management of Kodiak's productive commercial fisheries depends on good science, the community has supported decades of scientific research. Transient researchers, from Anchorage, Seattle, and beyond, embarking on studies of Gulf of Alaska marine species near Kodiak have benefited from the extensive logistic support and charter services available. More recently, Kodiak has developed into a center of marine research with community support for infrastructure needed to support resident state, federal, and academic researchers with offices, labs, and vessels including the NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson.

The amount of marine research that has been conducted in the Kodiak area is staggering—from annual management of local fish and shellfish stocks to multimillion dollar responses to outer continental shelf oil exploration (via OCSEAP), the Exxon Valdez oil spill (via EVOSTC), and Steller sea lion declines (via SSLRI)*. Despite the breadth and history of marine research conducted in Kodiak waters, very few results of these studies are presented broadly to local fishermen and residents of the community.

If you have conducted research in the Kodiak area, we invite you to bring your results back to Kodiak!

In April 2011, the first Kodiak Area Marine Science Symposium will be held to bring results of some of these studies back to the fishermen, students, and residents of Kodiak Island. Sponsored by the Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks, KAMSS will provide a forum for researchers to present findings of their studies to those interested in understanding how Kodiak's marine environment and resources function, change, and affect their lives and livelihoods. State, federal, and academic researchers will present summaries of their studies on the oceanography, biology, and ecosystem interactions of waters surrounding the Kodiak archipelago. Educators will have an opportunity to exchange ideas and results of their marine science programs. There will be public social events and ample opportunity for the public, researchers, and educators to mingle, exchange insights, and answer questions. The KAMSS schedule will overlap Kodiak Whale Fest 2011 and ComFish Alaska 2011 to bring marine science to a broad and diverse audience.

*OCSEAP = Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Program, EVOSTC = Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, SSLRI = Steller Sea Lion Research Initiative

Program

The symposium will begin with workshops and a reception on April 9. Over three days, April 10–12, KAMSS talks and posters will span all dimensions of Kodiak's marine science, including topics from physical oceanography to zooplankton, crabs to salmon, puffins to killer whales, and historic to current human dimensions. Talks and posters will be organized into the following sessions:


Workshops and events held in conjunction with KAMSS

The program will be updated as necessary until the time of the meeting.

Related Kodiak Events

Invited Speakers

Symposium keynote speakers
Tom Weingartner

Dr. Tom Weingartner
Professor of Physical Oceanography
University of Alaska, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Fairbanks, Alaska

Tom Weingartner earned his Ph.D. from North Carolina State University, and joined the UAF faculty as an assistant professor in 1993. His research focuses on understanding the processes that control ocean circulation and temperature and salinity changes in Alaska's continental shelves. Weingartner received the 2010 Usibelli Distinguished Research Award for his important contributions to understanding physical oceanography in four large marine ecosystems: Gulf of Alaska, eastern Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea, and Beaufort Sea.

John Piatt

Dr. John Piatt
Research Wildlife Biologist
U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska

John Piatt has worked as a USGS research wildlife biologist since 1987 when he earned his Ph.D. in marine biology from Memorial University of Newfoundland. He has conducted research on seabirds in the Aleutians, Gulf of Alaska, and the Bering and Chukchi seas, focusing on studies of feeding ecology and marine food webs, the distribution of seabirds in relation to oceanography, and effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill on seabird populations. During the past few years, he has assisted the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge with studies on breeding biology of the rare Kittlitz's murrelet in western Kodiak, and has conducted surveys at sea around Kodiak for murrelets and other marine birds.

Location and Facilities

Meeting sessions will be held at the Kodiak Harbor Convention Center in downtown Kodiak, Alaska. Free wireless Internet is available in the meeting rooms.

The convention center is located one-half block from the Best Western Kodiak Inn. Guest rooms will be available at the special meeting rate of $89.99–95.99 a night plus 11% bed tax. Guest amenities at the hotel includes a restaurant, complimentary continental breakfast, business center, hot tub, and free airport and ferry terminal shuttle. Make your reservations directly with the hotel by calling 888-563-4254 and book using the code "Kodiak Area Marine".

Best Western Kodiak Inn
236 Rezanof Dr.
Kodiak, AK 99615
1-800-563-4254 toll free or 907-486-3430
http://www.kodiakinn.com/index.htm

Visitor Information

For information on sightseeing opportunities and attractions, please see the following:

Steering Committee

Symposium Contact Information

Kate Wynne, Marine Mammal Specialist
Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Phone: 907-486-1517
Email: kate.wynne@alaska.edu