A year of adaptation

2020 ANNUAL REPORT



A Year of Adaptation

Welcome to our annual report, delivered amidst our ongoing, shared COVID-19 reality. We continue to think of all who are impacted by the pandemic. For years, the concept of “resilience” has been at the heart of our mission; we think of it as the ability to predict shocks to systems (when possible), avoid them or adapt when they happen, and continue to thrive. With no way to avoid COVID-19’s shock to our global system, it seems the theme of the past year -- here and everywhere -- has been adaptation. We were all forced to adapt nearly every aspect of our lives to COVID-19, which once again reminds of an old truth: nature always has the final say, and our role as humans is to adapt accordingly. Despite the unexpected events of the past year, history has shown it to be possible to emerge stronger from extreme challenges. To get there, we must all do our part to keep our communities and cultures intact, and then pass the lessons to the next generation. These practices are at the heart of our work. It’s why we consider science, the economy, climate, education, local knowledge, and people with nearly everything we do. As more shocks will surely come our way, we are reminded that our mission remains more relevant than ever. We invite you to read about what we accomplished over the past year, and we are grateful for your support of our mission to advance community resilience and the understanding and sustainable use of ecosystems.

Sincerely,

Katrina Sig

Katrina Hoffman
President & CEO

Meet our staff

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Our Staff

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Our Partners

$120M+ GENERATED IN REVENUE BY THE SCIENCE CENTER FOR ALASKA AND BEYOND SINCE OUR INCEPTION IN EARLY 1989.


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RESEARCH

World’s Richest Laboratory

Satellite Photo Credit: NASA

Our region is one of the world’s most remote and wonderful living laboratories; a stronghold that’s critical to a thriving planet. Our location is unique, thanks in part to the 1,000-year journey taken by a conveyor belt of ocean water that has traveled from the Arctic to Antarctica, finally daylighting in the North Pacific Ocean – our backyard. The cold, nutrient-rich current produces the world’s richest waters, and we have a unique vantage point to understand the globe’s changing climate. Studies by our researchers reveal insight into many challenges, including: climate change, resource use and sustainability, food webs, ecosystem management, and more. Ultimately, our work seeks to understand how places everywhere can maintain both a healthy environment and economy for generations to come. Resilience gives us an opportunity to benefit from what we value – and to support what we value we must first understand it. Here’s a look into just some of our work in 2020; these projects were the core focus of our researchers in addition to many of their other long-term projects.

Oceanography & Climate Change


Fisheries






Seabirds & Shorebirds


Oil Spill Recovery

Education

World’s Richest Classroom

We use a combination of formal and information educational programs to inspire a life-long passion for science through hands-on activities. Our education programs are designed to increase an understanding of place by giving participants access to local ecosystems and the tools to understand and appreciate their home. In the Science Center’s vision, our region maintains resilience by fostering strong connections between self, surroundings, science, and society. Education is a cornerstone of this vision. Here's a summary of our 2020 impact.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we only ran one, highly modified summer camp in 2020. We continue to make programming choices with the safety of our community in mind.

School Year Programs


Summer Programs

Engagement

CONNECTING NEAR & FAR

Our outreach and community engagement efforts benefit scientists and non-scientists alike, with the goal of building a resilient planet, people, and communities.


FINANCIALS

BY THE NUMBERS

FY’20 Donors & Funders

OUR SUPPORTERS

Without you, there is no us. We're deeply thankful to you, our donors and funders. Thank you for all you do to support our work.

GENERAL DONORS

(*Calendar year 2020)


$11,000
ConocoPhillips Alaska

$7,500+
Cascadia Cross-Border Law Group

$5,000+
Anonymous
CoBank
ExxonMobil Alaska
The Eyak Corporation

$4,500+
Dawn Dinwoodie & Rod Worl
John Garner

$3,000+
Sheila and Tom Barrett
Anne Kroeker & Richard Leeds
Curate.org
Cynthia Lahti & Tim Cuchna
The Telesz Family
Trident Seafoods

$2,500+
Alyeska Pipeline Service Company
Jean and Howard Baumann
Chugach Alaska Corporation
First National Bank Alaska
GCI
Heather McCarty & Jim Balsiger
Chuck Meacham
OBI Seafoods

$2,000+
Dan Hull
Meera Kohler
Maureen McCrea & Clarence Pautzke
Network for Good
Rich Rogers
Mead Treadwell

$1000+
AT&T
Barbara and Larry Cash
Birch Horton Bittner & Cherot
Cordova Telecom Cooperative
Cordova Wireless Communications
Dawson Construction
Catherine Ertz
Fairweather Science
Cyndie and Rick Fox
Nancy and Jack Grieco
Phyllis Johnson & Craig Tillery
Brad Keithley
Tim Kennedy
Lynden
Matson
MCG Architects
Laura and Mike Meadors
Andres Morales
NorthForm Architecture
Kathleen O'Neal & Craig Blau
Peter Pan Seafoods
Valdez Fisheries Development Association
Caryn Rea & Steve Aberle
Andrew Smallwood

$750+
Dorothy Childers
Gloria Cunningham
David Fleming
Mike McCallum
Paula Mountjoy & Scott Hicks
Mt. McKinley Moose Legion 51
Roy Robertson
Bill Rome
Darcy and David Saiget
Margaret Stock & Neil O'Donnell

$600+
Anonymous
Kristin and Danny Carpenter
Judy Farrar & Eric Knudsen
Katrina Hoffman & Mike Webber
Carol Kreader & Brian Wrenn
Mark Osgood
Ann Rappoport & David Irons
Cathy and Dixon Sherman

$500+
Anonymous Pick.Click.Give Donors
Peter Arneil
Bayside Storage
Ryan Binning
Doug Causey
Shannon and Ken Jones
Kym and Mike Mauseth
Lacey McKinstry (In Honor of Caitlin McKinstry and Rob Campbell)
Jessica Newton
Liz Senear & Bert Stammerjohan
Stephl Engineering
Hill Walker

$250+
Melissa Aber Fouse
Alaska Executive Search
Mary Anne Bishop
Deborah and John Bitney
Gabrielle Brown
Marsha Burns & Lynn Highland
Angela Butler
Kate Dugan
Jill Fredston & Doug Fesler
Jake Good
Sara and Bill Hoffman
Gordon and Jeffra Hull
Todd Lilleness
Renee and Bill Lindow
Molly McCammon
Roslyn and Mark Mitchell
Betsi Oliver
Owl Ridge Natural Resource Consultants
Wendy and Steve Ranney
Arlene and Danny Rosenkrans
Chris Rurik
Dennis Sacry
Ellen and Tommy Sheridan
Cece Stack & Britt Pedicord
Brooke Taylor
Clarissa Volpe
Sheyna Wisdom

$150+
Anonymous
Cindy Appleton
Anne Beier (In memory of the Hon. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Rep. John Lewis, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings)
Dan Bilderback
Toni and John Bocci
Ezekiel Brown
Lauren Floyd
Renee Fredericks
Signe and Jim Fritsch
Jim Heins
Laurel McFadden
Curtis Moore
Liz O'Rourke
Penny Oswalt
Peggy Parker
Susan Ramlo
Joy Rawlins
Katy Rexford
Evelyn Russo
Kathy Sandefur
Donna Schantz
Jim Thiele
Thea Thomas
Danielle Verna
Jordan Watson
John Williams
Elaine Zeine

$100+
Anonymous
Anonymous (In Memory of Stan Stephens)
Anonymous
Dave Beam
Mikal Berry
Melissa Borden & Stuart Deal
Jenny Brandt
Wade Buscher
Rob Campbell
Alexis Cooper
Randall Davis
Nancy Deschu
Susan and David Egloff
Erich Eiselt
Warren Elliot
Carole Fisher
Jay Fleisher
Alexandra Fletcher
Thomas Folsom
Joshua Gold
Gary Goodnow
Paul Hershberger
Sally Hinatsu
IBM Corporation
Jeff Landfield
Phillip Marshall
Robert McDonnell
Martha Menchinger
Mark Miller
Steve Moffitt
Tim Moore
Liz O'Rourke (In Memory of Betty Conley)
PWS Eco-Charters/AK Weather Consulting
Elaine Reale
Cathy and Micah Renfeldt
Daniel Ruthrauff
Helene Scalliet
Kit and Dean Schantz
Ann Schultz
Patricia and Stan Senner
Rich Sherrick
Mary Helen Stephens
Shawn Stimson
Karen and Paul Swartzbart
The Roadside Potatohead Too
Marsha and Dave Trudgen
Fran Ulmer

$50+
Deb Adams
Donna Aderhold
Amazon Smile
Patience Andersen Faulkner
Anonymous
Lauren Bien
Nancy Bird & Karl Becker
Heather Brandon
Mimi Briggs
Bristol Sound
Bruce and Karen Butters
Janet Clarke
Pamela Cunningham
Virginia Dale
Becca Dodge & Mark Heidbrink
Nathan Dunton
Crystal and Urban Enkvist
TJ and Jim Holley
Chris Iannazzone
Cynthia Jones & Philip Oman
Linda Kelly
Denis Keogh
Gerri and Rodger Koechling
Sylvia Lange & Greg Meyer
Arthur Lewis
Thomas Manos
Kate Morse
Olga Polyakov
Robin Reich
Julie and Brad Reynolds
Tara Riemer
Jeremy Robida
Anne Schaefer
Sue and Dick Shellhorn
William Smoker
Anita Smyke
Jessie Snyder
Brock Taylor
Peg Tileston
Norm Van Vactor
Christina and David Vancleve
Richard Wawrzonek
Amanda Wiese

$10+
Gary Albright
Anonymous
Bella Bigotti
Emily Colson
Rachel Ertz
Christopher Franklin
Amanda Goss
Adriana Kusnirova
Stanton Moll
Susan Negus
Natalie Oberman
Rob Oliver
Linda Powell
Faith Revell
PJ Roberts
Linnea Ronnegard
Wyatt Roy
Shane Shepherd
Gwendolyn Sovitski
Anna Tollenaar
Lisa Von Bargen

Capital Campaign

(*Calendar year 2020. Anchor funding of $17.5 million for the new campus was provided by the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council. Revenues are received on a cost-reimbursable basis after expenses are incurred. This is a multi-year project and the work is ongoing.)


$250,000
ConocoPhillips Alaska

$25,000
Copper River PWS Marketing Association

$20,000+
John Garner
Meera Kohler

$10,000
Liz Senear & Bert Stammerjohan

$7,000+
Anonymous (In Memory of Ole Mathisen)
Helen Howarth & Jeff Bailey

$3,000+
Katrina Hoffman & Mike Webber

$2,250
Cordova Community Foundation

$1,000+
Anonymous
Michelle Hahn
Barclay and RJ Kopchak
Laura and Mike Meadors
Rich Rogers
Karin Siebenmorgen
Andrew Smallwood

$500
Auklet Charter Services
Mary Anne Bishop
Andra and Nate Doll
Maureen McCrea & Clarence Pautzke
$250+
Betsy Baker
Gun Denhart
Kay and Jim Fritsch
Cathy and Scott Pegau
Evelyn Russo
Mary and Peter Schaefer

$100
Anonymous
Joe Banta
Nancy Barnes (In Memory of Exenia Barnes)
Chantel Caldwell & Luca Adelfio
Diane and Bill Cobb
Erin Cole
Signe and Jim Fritsch
Gerri and Rodger Koechling
Kris and Erik Kokborg
Kate and Hamish Laird
Nancy Penrose
Patricia and Stan Senner
Barbara Solomon & John Stack
Karen and Paul Swartzbart

$50
Anonymous
Kelsey Appleton Hayden
Beverly Boynton
Adam Kenyon

$10
Anonymous
IN-KIND DONORS
AC Value Center
Adrift Prints
Akimbo Collection
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Glacial Essentials
Alaska Railroad Corporation
Alaska Salt Co.
Ellen Americus
Patience Andersen Faulkner
Mike Anderson
Art Seriously
Karl Becker
Bougie Alutiiq
Milo Burcham
Calamityware
Cascadia Cross-Border Law Group
Cedar and Grey
Columbia Sportswear
Erin Cooper
Copper River Fleece
Cordova Gear
Cordova Historical Society and Museum
Cordova Wireless Communications
Gloria Cunningham
Curate.org
Edible Alaska
FisheWear
Signe Fritsch
Sarah Glaser
Greywind Design Co
Teal Hansen
Happy Mountain Designs
Headband Happy AK
Here & There Boutique
Hayley Hoover
JQA Designs
Knot Crazy
RJ Kopchak
Sylvia Lange
Laura's Liquor Shop
Love From Alaska
Matson
Caitlin McKinstry
Laura and Mike Meadors
Metal in the Mountains
Melina Meyer
Patagonia
Nancy Pease & Dan Hull
Scott Pegau
Pete's Treats
Poppy Peak
Prince William Sound Salt Co.
Raven's Brew Coffee
Caryn Rea & Steve Aberle
David Rosenthal
Emily Rubio
Chris Rurik
Salmon Sisters
Margaret Stock & Neil O'Donnell
Stray Goose Studio
Sweet Caribou
The Daily Burn
The Net Loft
Thea Thomas
Trident Seafoods
Uncage the Soul
Mike Webber
Webber Wild Seafood
Nicole Webster
Wilderness Expressions
Wren and the Raven

PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS

SHARING OUR IMPACT & RESULTS

Sharing our work near and far is one of the most important parts of PWSSC's impact. Our staff members are widely-published, and here’s a summary of their publications, reports, posters, oral presentations, outreach, and service for 2020.

Mary Anne Bishop, Ph.D.

Peer-reviewed publications

Bishop, M.A. and J.W. Bernard.  In press.  An empirical Bayesian approach to incorporate directional movement information from acoustic transmitters into the Arnason-Schwarz mark-recapture model. Movement Ecology.

Schaefer, A.L., M.A. Bishop, and R. Thorne.   2020. Marine bird response to forage fish during winter in subarctic bays.  Fisheries Oceanography 29(4):297-308. https://doi.org/10.1111/fog.12472

Presentations

Arimitsu, M., J. Piatt, R.M. Suryan, S. Batten, M.A. Bishop, R.W. Campbell, H. Coletti, D. Cushing, K. Gorman, S. Hatch, S. Haught, R.R. Hopcroft, K.J. Kuletz, C. Marsteller, C. McKinstry, D. McGowan, J. Moran, W.S. Pegau, A. Schaefer, S. Schoen, J. Straley, and V.R. von Beila. 2020. Synchronous collapse of forage species disrupts trophic transfer during a prolonged marine heatwave. Pacific Seabird Group, February 2020. Portland, OR.

Bishop, M.A. Annual herring migration cycle. Review of the Herring Research and Monitoring Program by the EVOS Science Panel.  February 2020. Anchorage.

Posters

Arimitsu, M., M.A. Bishop, D. Cushing, S. Hatch, R. Kaler, K. Kuletz, C. Matkin, J. Moran, D. Olsen, S. Pegau, J. Piatt, A. Schaefer, and J. Straley.  Changes in Marine Predator and Prey Populations in the Northern Gulf of Alaska: Gulf Watch Alaska Pelagic update 2019. Alaska Marine Science Symposium, January 2020, Anchorage, AK.

Gorman, K.B., M.A. Bishop, and A.L. Schaefer. Resolving the annual pelagic distribution of Tufted Puffins in the Gulf of Alaska using geolocator technology: preliminary ocean habitat utilization distributions (2018/19). Alaska Marine Science Symposium, January 2020, Anchorage, AK.

Outreach

2020 Delta Sound Connections

Bishop, M.A. Shifting sands and the whale that disappeared

Bishop, M.A.  Message received: 11 years later!

Bishop, M.A. and K. Gorman Burrowing into a puffin nest

Robert W. Campbell, Ph.D.

Publications

Campbell, R.W., Roberts, P.L. and J. Jaffe. 2020. The Prince William Sound Plankton Camera: a profiling in situ observatory of plankton and particulates. ICES J. Mar. Sci. doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsaa029.

Connors, B., Malick, M.J., Ruggerone, G.T., Rand, P., Adkison, M., Irvine, J., Campbell, R.W. and K. Gorman. 2020. Climate and competition influence sockeye salmon population dynamics across the Northeast Pacific Ocean. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. doi: 10.1139/cjfas-2019-0422

Posters

Campbell, R.W., Roberts, P.L. and J. Jaffe. 2020. The Annual Secondary Productivity Cycle in Prince William Sound Measured with the Prince William Sound Plankton Camera. ASLO Ocean Sciences Meeting, San Diego.

Campbell, R.W., Roberts, P.L. and J. Jaffe. 2020. The Annual Secondary Productivity Cycle in Prince William Sound Measured with the Prince William Sound Plankton Camera. Alaska Marine Science Symposium, Anchorage.

Kibler, S., Wright, B., Du, X., Campbell, R.W., Holderied, K., Hondolero, D., Masui, R., Guo, C., and C. Walker. 2020. NPRB 1801 - Prevalence of Paralytic Shellfish Toxins in the Marine Food Web of Southcentral and Southwest Alaska: Year 1 Update. Alaska Marine Science Symposium, Anchorage.

Reports

Campbell, R.W. and C.A.E. McKinstry. 2020. Temperature trends in the surface waters of Prince William Sound. pp 62-63 in: Zador, S., Yasumiishi, E. and Whitehouse, G.A. (Eds.). Ecosystem Status Report 2020: Gulf of Alaska. North Pacific Fishery Management Council Report, Anchorage.

Campbell, R.W. 2020. Monitoring the Oceanographic Conditions of Prince William Sound.  Report to the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council Gulf Watch Alaska project.

Outreach

Campbell., R.W., 2020, Effects of the recent marine heat waves on the waters of Prince William Sound. Prince William Sound Natural History Symposium, online, May 18.

2020 Delta Sound Connections

Campbell, R.W., J. Jaffe, and P. Roberts. Computers identify plankton images from Prince William Sound.

Campbell, R.W. and C. Hoover. Early season sonars help manage the Copper River salmon fishery.

Kristen Gorman, Ph.D.

Publications

Guo, C. B. Konar, C. Walker, and K. Gorman. Submitted, Feb 2021. Environmental factors important to high-latitude nearshore estuarine fish community structure. Deep-Sea Research II.

Gorman, K.B., K.E. Ruck, T.D. Williams and W.R. Fraser. In revision, Feb 2021. Advancing the sea ice hypothesis: trophic interactions among breeding Pygoscelis penguins with divergent population trends throughout the western Antarctic Peninsula. Frontiers in Marine Science.

2021. Arimitsu, J. Piatt, S. Hatch, R.M. Suryan, S. Batten, M.A. Bishop, R.W. Campbell, H. Coletti, D. Cushing, K. Gorman, R.R. Hopcroft, K.J. Kuletz, C. Marsteller, C. McKinstry, D. McGowan, J. Moran, W.S. Pegau, A. Schaefer, S. Schoen, J. Straley, and V.R. von Biela. In press, Feb 2021. Heatwave-induced synchrony within forage fish portfolio disrupts energy flow to top pelagic predators. Global Change Biology, doi: 10.1111/gcb.15556.

Knudsen, E.E., P.S. Rand, K.B. Gorman, D.R. Bernard, and W.D. Templin. 2021. Hatchery-origin stray rates and total run characteristics for Pink Salmon and Chum Salmon returning to Prince William Sound, Alaska in 2013-2015. Marine and Coastal Fisheries 13:58-85.

Horst, A.M., A.P. Hill, and K.B. Gorman. 2020. palmerpenguins: Palmer Archipelago (Antarctica) penguin data. R package version 0.1.0. https://allisonhorst.github.io/palmerpenguins/. doi: 10.5281/zenodo.3960218.

Connors, B., M. Malick, G. T. Ruggerone, P. Rand, M. Adkison, J. R. Irvine, R. Campbell, and K. Gorman. 2020. Climate and competition shape sockeye salmon population dynamics across the Northeast Pacific Ocean. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 77: 943–949.

Heintz, R.A., K.B., Gorman, T.C. Kline, F.F. Sewall, M.E. Roberts, and W.S. Pegau. 2020. A High Temporal (and Spatial) Resolution Study to Validate the Juvenile Herring Condition Monitoring Project Final Report - Herring Condition Monitoring. Prince William Sound Science Center Final Report 2020 to Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council.

Presentations

Arimitsu, M., J. Piatt, R. Suryan, S. Batten, M.A. Bishop, R. Campbell, H. Coletti, D. Cushing, K. Gorman, S. Hatch, S. Haught, R. Hopcroft, K. Kuletz, C. Marsteller, C. McKinstry, D. McGowan, J. Moran, S. Pegau, A. Schaefer, S. Schoen, J. Straley, and V. von Biela. Heatwave-induced synchrony within forage fish portfolio disrupts energy flow to top pelagic predators. Alaska Marine Science Symposium, Anchorage, AK, Jan 2021. Poster presented by M. Arimitsu.

Gorman, K.B. Integrative studies examining the implications of a declining trend in body size on spawning migration performance by Sockeye Salmon. College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences Departmental Seminar. University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, March 2020. Oral Presentation.

Rand, P.S. and K.B. Gorman. Integrated study of spawning migration, energetics, and pathogens in Copper River sockeye salmon: Preliminary results from 2019. Copper River Basin Symposium. Copper Center, Alaska, February 2020. Presented by P. Rand.

Arimitsu, M., J. Piatt, R. Suryan, S. Batten, M.A. Bishop, R. Campbell, H. Coletti, D. Cushing, K. Gorman, S. Hatch, S. Haught, R. Hopcroft, K. Kuletz, C. Marsteller, C. McKinstry, D. McGowan, J. Moran, S. Pegau, A. Schaefer, S. Schoen, J. Straley, and V. von Biela. Synchronous collapse of forage species disrupts trophic transfer during a prolonged marine heatwave. Pacific Seabird Group, Portland, Oregon, February 2020. Presented by M. Arimitsu.

Gorman, K.B., P.S. Rand, and K.M. Miller. Pathogen prevalence and load among spawning populations of Sockeye Salmon in the Copper River (2016). Copper River Basin Symposium. Copper Center, Alaska, February 2020. Oral Presentation.

Gorman, K.B., M.A. Bishop, and A.L. Schaefer. Resolving the annual pelagic distribution of Tufted Puffins in the Gulf of Alaska using geolocator technology: preliminary ocean habitat utilization distributions (2018/19). Alaska Marine Science Symposium, Anchorage, Alaska, January 2020. Poster Presentation.

Service

Peer-review of manuscripts for Antarctic Science (1), Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (1), Polar Biology (1).

Maya Groner, Ph.D.

Publications

Travis, B.A., W. N. Batts, M. L. Groner ML, P. K. Hershberger, S. C. Fradkin, C. M. Conway, L. Park and M. K. Purcell. 2021Novel diagnostic tests for the putative agent of bacterial gill disease in Pacific razor clams (Siliqua patula). Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 107519.

Elliott. D.G., C. M. Conway, C. L. McKibben, A. H. MacKenzie, L. M. Hart, M. L. Groner, M. K. Purcell, J. L. Gregg and  P. K. Hershberger. In press. Differential susceptibility of Yukon River and Salish Sea stocks of Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha to ichthyophoniasis. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms.

Cantrell,  D. L., M. L. Groner, T. Ben-Horin, J. Grant, C. W. Revie. 2020Modeling parasite dispersal in marine ecosystems. Trends in Parasitology 36: 239-249.

Ben-Horin,  T.,  G. Bidegain, G. de Leo G, M. L. Groner, E. E. Hofmann, H. McCallum and E. N. Powell. 2020. Chapter 13. Modeling and forecasting disease dynamics in the sea. In D. C. Behringer, B. R. Silliman, K. D. Lafferty (Eds.), Marine disease ecology. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.

Reports

Hershberger, P.H. and M. L. Groner. 2020. Herring Disease Synthesis. In: Pegau, W. S, and D. R. Aderhold, editors. Herring Research and Monitoring Science Synthesis. Herring Research and Monitoring Synthesis Report, (Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council Program 20120111). Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, Anchorage, Alaska.

Presentations

Groner, M. L. Lobsters in a pinch and other ‘tails’ of disease in fished populations. University of Washington School of Aquatic Fisheries Science Spring Seminar Series

Service

Member of the Seattle Audubon Science Panel

Outreach

Guest lectures for courses in disease ecology (University of Washington), and indigenous resource management (Western Washington University)

Caitlin McKinstry, M.S.

Publications

Arimitsu, M., J. Piatt, R.M. Suryan, S. Batten, M.A. Bishop, R.W. Campbell, H. Coletti, D. Cushing, K. Gorman, S. Hatch, S. Haught, R.R. Hopcroft, K.J. Kuletz, C. Marsteller, C. McKinstry, D. McGowan, J. Moran, R.S. Pegau, A. Schaefer, S. Schoen, J. Straley, and V. R. von Biela. In press. Heatwave-induced synchrony within forage fish portfolio disrupts energy flow to top pelagic predators.  Global Change Biology. 

Losee, J.P., Jones, S.R.M., McKinstry, C.A.E., Batts, W.N., and P.K. Hershberger. 2020. Anadromous Coastal Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii) as a Host for Argulus pugettensis (Crustacea, Branchiura): Parasite Prevalence, Intensity and Distribution. Northwest Science. 94:111-117.

Suryan, R., M. Arimitsu, H. Coletti, R. Hopcroft, M. Lindeberg, S. Barbeaux, S. Batten, W. Burt, M. A. Bishop, J. Bodkin, R. Brenner, R. Campbell, D. Cushing, S. Danielson, M. Dorn, B. Drummond, D. Esler, T. Gelatt, D. Hanselman, S. Hatch, S. Haught, K. Holderied, K. Iken, D. Irons, A. Kettle, D. Kimmel, B. Konar, K. Kuletz, B. Laurel, J. Maniscalco, C. Matkin, C. McKinstry, D. Monson, J. Moran, D. Olsen, W. Palsson, S. Pegau, J. Piatt, L. Rogers, N. Rojek, A. Schaefer, I. Spies, J. Straley, S. Strom, K. Sweeney, M. Szymkowiak, B. Weitzman, E. Yasumiishi, and S. Zador. In press. Ecosystem response persists after a prolonged marine heatwave. Scientific Reports.

Reports

Arimitsu, M., J. Piatt, R.M. Suryan, S. Batten, M.A. Bishop, R.W. Campbell, H. Coletti, D. Cushing, K. Gorman, S. Hatch, S. Haught, R.R. Hopcroft, K.J. Kuletz, C. Marsteller, C. McKinstry, D. McGowan, J. Moran, R.S. Pegau, A. Schaefer, S. Schoen, J. Straley, and V. R. von Biela. 2020. Chapter 3 Synchronous collapse of forage species disrupts trophic transfer during a prolonged marine heatwave. In: M.R. Suryan, M.R. Lindeberg, and D.R. Aderhold, eds. The Pacific Marine Heatwave: Monitoring During a Major Perturbation in the Gulf of Alaska. Gulf Watch Alaska Long-Term Monitoring Program Synthesis Report (Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council Program 19120114). Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, Anchorage, Alaska.

Suryan, R.M., M. Arimitsu, H. Coletti, R.R. Hopcroft, M.R. Lindeberg, S. Batten, M.A. Bishop, R. Brenner, R. Campbell, D. Cushing, S. Danielson, D. Esler, T. Gelatt, S. Hatch, S. Haught, K. Holderied, K. Iken, D. Irons, D. Kimmel, B. Konar, K. Kuletz, B. Laurel, J.M. Maniscalco, C. Matkin, C. McKinstry, D. Monson, J. Moran, D. Olsen, S. Pegau, J. Piatt, L. Rogers, A. Schaefer, J. Straley, K. Seeney, M. Szymkowiak, B. Weitzman, J. Bodkin, and S. Zador. 2020. Chapter 4 Ecosystem response to a prolonged marine heatwave in the Gulf of Alaska. In: R.M. Suryan, M.R. Lindeberg, and D.R. Aderhold, eds. The Pacific Marine Heatwave: Monitoring During a Major Perturbation in the Gulf of Alaska. Gulf Watch Alaska Long-Term Monitoring Program Synthesis Report (Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council Program 19120114). Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, Anchorage, Alaska.

Outreach
Presentations

Arimitsu, M., J. Piatt, R.M. Suryan, S. Batten, M.A. Bishop, R.W. Campbell, H. Coletti, D. Cushing, K. Gorman, S. Hatch, S. Haught, R.R. Hopcroft, K.J. Kuletz, C. Marsteller, C. McKinstry, D. McGowan, J. Moran, W.S. Pegau, A. Schaefer, S. Schoen, J. Straley, and V.R. von Biela. 2020. Synchronous collapse of forage species disrupts trophic transfer during a prolonged marine heatwave. Pacific Seabird Group, February 2020. Portland, Oregon.

Posters

McKinstry, C., Campbell, R.W., and K. Holderied. 2020. Influence of the 2013-2016 marine heatwave on zooplankton community structure in the lower Cook Inlet, Alaska. Ocean Sciences Meeting, February 2020. San Diego, CA.

Outreach

2020 Delta Sound Connections

McKinstry, C. 2020. From Sea Angel to Sea Devil: Clione limacina Caught on Camera

Arissa Pearson, B.S.

Outreach

Cordova Times

Pearson, A.  2020. Sound Science: Where are the herring going? April 4, 2020.

  1. Scott Pegau, Ph.D.
Report

Pegau, W. S, and D. R. Aderhold, editors. 2020. Herring Research and Monitoring Science Synthesis. Herring Research and Monitoring Synthesis Report, (Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council Program 20120111). Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, Anchorage, Alaska.

Pegau, W. S, J. Trochta, and S. Haught. 2020. Status of PWS Herring. in: Zador, S., Yasumiishi, E. and Whitehouse, G.A. (Eds.). Ecosystem Status Report 2020: Gulf of Alaska. North Pacific Fishery Management Council Report, Anchorage.

Presentations

Pegau, W. S., A Remotely Operated Surface Vessel for Oil Spill Response, presentation to the Industry Technical Advisory Committee. November 2020.

Trochta J. T, T. A. Branch, W. S. Pegau. Challenges to estimating maturity in stock assessment: a case study of Pacific herring in Prince William Sound, AK, presented at SAFS Think Tank. April 2020, Seattle, WA.

Arimitsu, M. M.A. Bishop, D. Cushing, S. Hatch, R. Kaler, K. Kuletz, C. Matkin, J. Moran, D. Olsen, S. Pegau, J. Piatt, A. Schaefer, and J. Straley. Changes in Marine Predator and Prey Populations in the Northern Gulf of Alaska: Gulf Watch Alaska Pelagic update 2019. (poster) Alaska Marine Science Symposium, 2020.

Bishop, M.A., T. Branch, K. Gorman, M. Groner, S. Haught, P. Hershberger, S. Pegau, P. Rand, J. Trochta, and A. Whitehead. PWS Herring Research and Monitoring. (poster) Alaska Marine Science Symposium, 2020.

Mearns, A., S. Pegau, D. Janka, R. Campbell, and B. Robinson. Volunteer Photographers Continue Capturing Inter-annual Variability of Rocky Intertidal Biota in Prince William Sound. (poster) Alaska Marine Science Symposium, 2020.

Outreach

2020 Delta Sound Connections

Hoover, H. and S. Pegau, Herring Population Estimates

Service

Panelist on the NASA PACE applications panel to present on remote sensing needs for oil spills

Peter S. Rand, Ph.D.

Publications

Farley, E., J. Murphy, E. Yasumiishi, K. Cieciel, K. Howard, K. Dunmall, T. Sformo, and P.S. Rand. 2020. Response of pink salmon to climate warming in the northern Bering Sea. Deep Sea Research II.

Connors, B., M. Malick, G.T. Ruggerone, P.S. Rand, M. Adkison, J. R. Irvine, R. Campbell, and K. Gorman. 2020. Climate, competition and life history interact to shape Pacific Salmon population dynamics across the Northeast Pacific Ocean. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences

Knudsen, E.E. P.S. Rand, K.B. Gorman, M.L. Buckhorn, D.R. Bernard, and W. Templin. 2021. Hatchery fish straying and run sizes, escapement, and harvest rates of hatchery- and natural-origin pink salmon and chum salmon in Prince William Sound, Alaska: Implications for Management. Marine and Coastal Fisheries.

Fukushima, M., and P.S. Rand. 2021. High rates of consecutive spawning and precise homing in Sakhalin taimen (Parahucho perryi). Environmental Biology of Fishes

Reports

Rand, P.S., K.B. Gorman, G. Dunne, E. Knudsen, and D.R. Bernard. 2020. Interactions of wild and hatchery pink salmon in Prince William Sound. For Alaska Department of Fish and Game Contract CT 160001756.

Rand, P.S. 2020. Herring Program – Adult Pacific Herring Acoustic Surveys in PWS. Annual project report to the EVOSTC.

Presentations

Rand, P.S. Summary of 2020 Alaska Hatchery Research Program field studies in Prince William Sound, December 2020.

Rand, P.S. Summary of results from a radio telemetry project on the Copper River, 2019. Copper River Harvesters Roundtable in Copper Center, Alaska, February 2020.

Rand, P.S. Building collaborations with Alaska Native Communities in the Copper River Basin. Copper River Science Symposium, Copper Center, Alaska, February 2020.

Gorman, K.B.  and P.S. Rand. Pathogen presence and load in sockeye salmon spawning populations in the Copper River during 2016. Copper River Science Symposium, Copper Center, Alaska, February 2020.

Rand, P.S. and K.B. Gorman. Copper River sockeye salmon are returning at smaller body sizes and may be at higher risk of natural mortality during their spawning migration. Copper River Science Symposium, Copper Center, Alaska, February 2020.

Rand, P.S. Migration patterns and status of Sakhalin taimen, an endangered salmon in Japan. Invited seminar at the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences at UAF, Fairbanks, February 2020.

Rand, P.S. 2020. Patterns of occurrence of hatchery-origin pink salmon in Prince William Sound, Alaska. American Fisheries Society Meeting, Bend, Oregon, March 2020.

Presented results of an on-going radio telemetry study of Copper River sockeye salmon to members of the CR/PWSMA, May 2020

Outreach

I made contact with media folks on over 15 separate occasions during 2020, including national and international media outlets (Seafoodsource.com, Intrafish.com, NHK in Japan). My research was highlighted in a number of media outlets, including blogs, social media posts, websites, TV documentaries, and newsletters.  I successfully raised $20K to promote outreach efforts on our Copper River project, including support for a stakeholder meeting in Copper Center, Alaska.

I co-organized and presented at a special meeting on pink and chum salmon at the Oregon American Fisheries Society meeting in Bend, Oregon (March 2020). 

Service

Served as a committee member to Julia McMahon, a master’s candidate at UAF.

Served as the Chair of the IUCN Salmonid Specialist Group.

Anne Schaefer, M.S.

Publications

Arimitsu, M., J. Piatt, R.M. Suryan, S. Batten, M.A. Bishop, R.W. Campbell, H. Coletti, D. Cushing, K. Gorman, S. Hatch, S. Haught, R.R. Hopcroft, K.J. Kuletz, C. Marsteller, C. McKinstry, D. McGowan, J. Moran, R.S. Pegau, A. Schaefer, S. Schoen, J. Straley, and V. R. von Biela. In review. Heatwave-induced synchrony within forage fish portfolio disrupts energy flow to top pelagic predators.  Global Change Biology

Schaefer, A., M.A. Bishop, and R. Thorne. 2020. Marine bird response to forage fish during winter in subarctic bays. Fisheries Oceanography 29 (4), 297-308. https://doi.org/10.1111/fog.12472

Suryan, R., M. Arimitsu, H. Coletti, R. Hopcroft, M. Lindeberg, S. Barbeaux, S. Batten, W. Burt, M. A. Bishop, J. Bodkin, R. Brenner, R. Campbell, D. Cushing, S. Danielson, M. Dorn, B. Drummond, D. Esler, T. Gelatt, D. Hanselman, S. Hatch, S. Haught, K. Holderied, K. Iken, D. Irons, A. Kettle, D. Kimmel, B. Konar, K. Kuletz, B. Laurel, J. Maniscalco, C. Matkin, C. McKinstry, D. Monson, J. Moran, D. Olsen, W. Palsson, S. Pegau, J. Piatt, L. Rogers, N. Rojek, A. Schaefer, I. Spies, J. Straley, S. Strom, K. Sweeney, M. Szymkowiak, B. Weitzman, E. Yasumiishi, and S. Zador. In press. Ecosystem response persists after a prolonged marine heatwave. Scientific Reports.

Reports

Arimitsu, M., J. Piatt, R.M. Suryan, S. Batten, M.A. Bishop, R.W. Campbell, H. Coletti, D. Cushing, K. Gorman, S. Hatch, S. Haught, R.R. Hopcroft, K.J. Kuletz, C. Marsteller, C. McKinstry, D. McGowan, J. Moran, R.S. Pegau, A. Schaefer, S. Schoen, J. Straley, and V. R. von Biela. 2020. Chapter 3 Synchronous collapse of forage species disrupts trophic transfer during a prolonged marine heatwave. In: M.R. Suryan, M.R. Lindeberg, and D.R. Aderhold, eds. The Pacific Marine Heatwave: Monitoring During a Major Perturbation in the Gulf of Alaska. Gulf Watch Alaska Long-Term Monitoring Program Synthesis Report (Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council Program 19120114). Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, Anchorage, Alaska.

Bishop, M.A., and A. Schaefer. 2020. Long-term monitoring of marine bird abundance and habitat associations during fall and winter in Prince William Sound. FY’19 annual report to the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, project 19120114-E.

Suryan, R.M., M. Arimitsu, H. Coletti, R.R. Hopcroft, M.R. Lindeberg, S. Batten, M.A. Bishop, R. Brenner, R. Campbell, D. Cushing, S. Danielson, D. Esler, T. Gelatt, S. Hatch, S. Haught, K. Holderied, K. Iken, D. Irons, D. Kimmel, B. Konar, K. Kuletz, B. Laurel, J.M. Maniscalco, C. Matkin, C. McKinstry, D. Monson, J. Moran, D. Olsen, S. Pegau, J. Piatt, L. Rogers, A. Schaefer, J. Straley, K. Seeney, M. Szymkowiak, B. Weitzman, J. Bodkin, and S. Zador. 2020. Chapter 4 Ecosystem response to a prolonged marine heatwave in the Gulf of Alaska. In: R.M. Suryan, M.R. Lindeberg, and D.R. Aderhold, eds. The Pacific Marine Heatwave: Monitoring During a Major Perturbation in the Gulf of Alaska. Gulf Watch Alaska Long-Term Monitoring Program Synthesis Report (Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council Program 19120114). Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, Anchorage, Alaska.

Presentations

Arimitsu, M., J. Piatt, R.M. Suryan, S. Batten, M.A. Bishop, R.W. Campbell, H. Coletti, D. Cushing, K. Gorman, S. Hatch, S. Haught, R.R. Hopcroft, K.J. Kuletz, C. Marsteller, C. McKinstry, D. McGowan, J. Moran, W.S. Pegau, A. Schaefer, S. Schoen, J. Straley, and V.R. von Biela. 2020. Synchronous collapse of forage species disrupts trophic transfer during a prolonged marine heatwave. Pacific Seabird Group, February 2020. Portland, Oregon.

Posters

Arimitsu, M., M.A. Bishop, D. Cushing, S. Hatch, R. Kaler, K. Kuletz, C. Matkin, J. Moran, D. Olsen, W.S. Pegau, J. Piatt, A. Schaefer, and J. Straley. 2020. Changes in marine predator and prey populations in the northern Gulf of Alaska: Gulf Watch Alaska Pelagic Update 2019. Alaska Marine Science Symposium, January 2020, Anchorage, Alaska. Poster Presentation.

Gorman, K.B., M.A. Bishop, and A. Schaefer. 2020. Resolving the annual pelagic distribution of Tufted Puffins in the Gulf of Alaska using geolocator technology: preliminary ocean habitat utilization distributions. Alaska Marine Science Symposium, January 2020, Anchorage, Alaska. Poster Presentation.

Dataset Contributions

Drew, G., and J. Piatt. 2020. Fall and Winter Seabird Abundance: PWS fall and winter 2007-2016 seabird observations. Bishop, M.A. and A. Schaefer contribution to North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database v. 3.0 (NPPSD): U.S. Geological Survey data release.

Outreach

2020 Delta Sound Connections

Schaefer, A.L.: Are warmer waters driving shearwaters into PWS?

Service

Peer-review of manuscript for Wilson Journal of Ornithology (1) and proposal review for North Pacific Research Board (1).

Projects on Website

Seabirds & Shorebirds

Avian Influenza

Long-term monitoring of seabird abundance

 

 

Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Caryn Rea
Chair
Retired
ConocoPhillips Alaska (2016-’19, 2019-'22)

Laura Meadors
1st Chair
Retired
Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. (2014-‘17, 2017-'20)

Craig Tillery
2nd Vice Chair
Deputy Attorney General, Retired
Alaska Department of Law (2017-'20)

Dan Hull
Secretary
Commercial Fisherman
Anchorage (2020-'23)

Todd Telesz
Treasurer
Senior Vice President; Power, Energy & Utilities
CoBank (2017-'20)

Katrina Hoffman
President/CEO
Prince William Sound Science Center
Cordova, Ex-officio member

BOARD MEMBERS EMERITUS

Chuck Meacham
President
Capital Consulting, Gig Harbor, Washington
PWSSC Board member (2007-’10, 2010- ’13, 2013-‘16)

Nolan Watson
Senior Vice President
McLellan & Copenhagen, Seattle – PWSSC Board member (1992- ‘03)

ADDITIONAL BOARD MEMBERS

Angela Butler
Cordova (2012-‘15, 2015-’18, 2018-'21)

Douglas Causey, PhD
Professor of Biological Sciences
University of Alaska Anchorage (2012- ’15, 2015-’18, 2018-'21)

Katherine Dugan
Alyeska Pipeline Service Company
Valdez (2021-'24)

Sylvia Lange
The Reluctant Fisherman Inn
Cordova (2020-'23)

Robyn McGhee
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc.
Anchorage (2021-'24)

Betsi Oliver
Outreach Coordinator
Prince William Sound Regional Citizens' Advisory Council (2020-'23)

Chris Rurik
Director
The Russell Family Foundation (2020-23')

Clarence Pautzke, PhD
Retired Executive Director
North Pacific Research Board Anchorage (2011–’14, 2014-’17, 2017-'20)

Margaret Stock
Cascadia Cross-Border Law Group , LLC
Anchorage (2014-’16, 2016-'19, 2019-'22)

Thea Thomas
Area E Drift Gillnetter
Cordova (2017-'20)

Tommy Sheridan
Fisheries Consultant
Cordova (2018-'21)

Sheyna S. Wisdom
General Manager and Senior Scientist
Fairweather Science LLC (2017-'20)

OUR MISSION IS TO ADVANCE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE AND THE UNDERSTANDING AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF ECOSYSTEMS.


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