Symposium Information
- Background
- Program
- Related Kodiak Events
- Invited Speakers
- Location & Facilities
- Visitor Information
- Steering Committee
- Symposium Contact 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:
- Session 1: Physical and biological oceanography (including algae)
- Session 2: Invertebrates (crabs, shrimp, zooplankton, etc.)
- Session 3: Fishes
- Session 4: Marine birds
- Session 5: Marine mammals
- Session 6: Utilization
- Session 7: Human dimensions (citizen science, archaeology, K–12, traditional ecological knowledge)
Workshops and events held in conjunction with KAMSS
- Alaska Seas and Rivers: (http://seagrant.uaf.edu/marine-ed/curriculum) A training for K–8 teachers wanting to use this Alaska Sea Grant curriculum in their classroom. Kodiak Island Borough School District (KIBSD) will offer this to their teachers for Professional Development credit and will pay for travel of village teachers into town to participate. The training sessions will be taught by Beth Trowbridge, winner of the 2011 Ocean Literacy Award for significant contributions to awareness and sustainability of Alaska marine resources, awarded by the Alaska Center for Ocean Science Education Excellence. More details can be found on the workshop flier [PDF, 549 KB].
Schedule:
- Saturday April 9, 8–5, Kodiak Island Borough School District Conference Room, 710 Mill Bay Road, Kodiak.
- Sunday April 10, 8–5, field experience in morning, symposium attendance in afternoon.
- COASST: (http://depts.washington.edu/coasst/) Can you tell a grebe from a loon? Perhaps, but can you identify seabirds by the foot alone, or a single wing? The Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST), a citizen science project based at the University of Washington, believes citizens of coastal communities are essential scientific partners in monitoring marine ecosystem health. Volunteers in the program comb local beaches in search of beach-cast carcasses of marine birds. Cumulatively, they establish the baseline pattern of bird mortality on North Pacific beaches (Alaska to northern California). Come investigate seabirds CSI-style using the specialized Beached Birds field guide and hear how COASST volunteers contribute to seabird research and marine conservation.
One of the COASST Program coordinators from Washington will present findings of their long-term program that has successfully monitored seabird mortality using coastal volunteers. They will follow this with a hands-on training session for Kodiak Island residents interested in joining the program, monitoring local beaches, and documenting seabird mortality. Scheduled for Saturday, April 9, from 12:00–5:00 p.m., Fishery Industrial Technology Center (FITC) Conference Room. The number of participants for this workshop is limited to 25. More details can be found on the workshop flyer [PDF, 160.8 KB]. - Community Monitoring of Marine Invasive Species: Gary Freitag (Ketchikan MAP Agent) will join local researchers to discuss and demonstrate how Kodiak Island residents can join a growing effort to monitor local waters for invasive marine invertebrates using "plate-sampling." Scheduled for Tuesday, April 12, from 2:00–5:00 p.m, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. More details can be found on the workshop flyer [PDF, 145.8 KB].
- Communicating Ocean Science: Sponsored by COSEE (Center for Ocean Sciences Educational Excellence, www.cosee.net), Marilyn Sigman (Anchorage MAP Marine Education Specialist) will offer a class for scientists interested in learning how to communicate their findings to general audiences more effectively. Scheduled for Saturday April 9, from 2–5, Fishermen's Hall in the Harbormaster Building. More details can be found on the workshop flyer [PDF, 180 KB].
- Cooperative Marine Research Discussion: Kate Wynne will lead an open discussion between Kodiak residents and interested researchers on current marine research gaps and future cooperative research opportunities. Scheduled for Tuesday, April 12, 2:00–5:00 p.m., Fishermen's Hall. More details can be found on the roundtable's flyer [PDF, 398.7 KB].
- FITC Seafood Snacks and Science: KAMSS participants and the community of Kodiak are cordially invited to an open house at the Fishery Industrial Technology Center (FITC) on Near Island. Please join us to tour the facility, participate in demonstration projects, and enjoy a suite of seafood appetizers. This event is sponsored by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program and Fishery Industrial Technology Center. Scheduled for Monday, April 11, 6:30–8:30 p.m., FITC.
- Tour of Alutiiq Museum: Come visit the Alutiiq Museum and tour their archaeological collections with Patrick Saltonstall and Mike Etnier. Dozens of well-preserved archaeofaunal collections from the Kodiak Archipelago are curated at the Alutiiq Museum, and these collections are being tapped for the distributional, chemical and molecular data archived within them. Some species, like sperm whales and killer whales, are represented by only a few specimens in the archaeofaunal collections, while others, such as cod, salmon, sea lions, and harbor seals are nearly ubiquitous. Come see what the museum collections have to offer! Tour the museum on Saturday, April 9, from 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. More details can be found on the tour flyer [PDF, 1.21 MB].
The program will be updated as necessary until the time of the meeting.
Related Kodiak Events
- Island Trail Network Film Festival, April 8, 6–9 p.m.
- PSP in Kodiak: What'sThat Tingling Feeling? Fishery Industrial Technology Center (FITC) Brown Bag Seminar, April 12, 12–1 p.m. PSP review by Brian Himelbloom
- Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Bear Rededication, April 9, 3–5 p.m.
The dedication of Madsen Bear with Roy Madsen will occur outside of the refuge center. It will be followed by a Kodiak Bear Trust presentation and book reading by author Harry Dodge. These events are free and open to the public. For more information call the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center at 907-487-2626. - Kodiak WhaleFest, April 10–24
- Tour explorer vessel le Manguier, April 9, tours are available at 1 and 4 p.m. and are limited to 20 people
More details can be found on the tour's flyer [PDF, 145.1 KB]
Invited Speakers
Symposium keynote speakers
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.
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
- Kate Wynne (chair)
University of Alaska Fairbanks, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, Kodiak - Loren Buck
University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage - Liz Chilton
Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council, Kodiak - Doug DeMaster
NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Seattle - Bob Foy
NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Kodiak - Verena Gill
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/U.S. Geological Survey, Anchorage - Pat Jacobson
University of Alaska Board of Regents, Kodiak - Dave Kubiak
Alaska Marine Conservation Council, Kodiak - Matt Moir
Alaska Pacific Seafoods, Kodiak - Matt Nemeth
Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Kodiak - Jay Stinson
Pelagic Resources, Inc., Kodiak - Jeff Stephan
United Fishermen's Marketing Association, Kodiak - Tom Weingartner
University of Alaska Fairbanks, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Institute of Marine Science, Fairbanks
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