Q: What is the procedure for analyzing the specimens that you catch with the nets and the sub?
A: All of the material collected with the nets and the sub is used by many different scientists. We do not analyze anything at sea because we need to use the ship's time wisely, plus it is a bit nauseating to look through a rocking microscope at sea! When we collect a sample, we separate the vertebrates from the invertebrates and preserve them for future study. Many of the fish are photographed immediately while still in stable condition. We are taking some samples for isotope studies that allow us to understand the energy transfer through the food web. All of these materials will be available for future use.
