Chinook salmon are federally listed under the Endangered Species Act, and one common approach for recovering populations is to restore estuary rearing habitat. Through this internship, you will work on a collaborative project between NOAA and tribes and help study the population responses of salmon and other fishes to estuary restoration. Our monitoring program emphasizes examining changes in fish abundance over the course of the salmon migration out of freshwater, through the estuary, and into marine habitats. We strive to gain a broad understanding of salmon habitat use, predators and prey, and migratory behavior, and recognize that all these issues are critical to understanding the biological consequences of estuary restoration.
While the actual restoration projects may not occur during your visit, sampling before and after restoration is crucial for understanding the population response of salmon to restoration. You will assist with several aspects of monitoring, including:
Fish sampling. Sampling fish from different habitats involves a variety of methods, including: 1) funnel-shaped traps spanning tidal channels (fyke traps), 2) block nets that are deployed along shorelines (beach seines), and 3) surface nets towed through deeper water by two boats (surface trawling). You can expect to actively participate in surface trawling, as well as other sampling.
Habitat measurements. These measurements include continuous measurements of temperature, salinity, and water level through deployment of loggers, as well as spot water quality measurements. In addition you may be able to participate in measurements of estuarine channels and their associated wetlands.
Data entry and analysis. Field monitoring generates much data, and you will be responsible for entering data as we collect it. If you are interested, you can use a portion of the data for an individual project mutually determined by you and project mentors.