Equipment Used: Submersible
Estimated Catch: Fish, coral, brittle
star
Description of Catch: None provided
Other Observations: This is the
first proof we have of lophelia at this site. We caught a large
(16 inches?) scorpion fish, as well as a small juvenile blackbelly
rosefish. The coral pieces had polycheate worms, gastropods, and
brittle stars on them. We also recorded a crab that we have not
seen before. We hope the footage from the sub will be good enough
to identify it accurately.
Equipment Used: Submersible
Estimated Catch: 1 greater soapfish,
1 scallop shell
Description of catch: None provided
Other Observations: Liz and Fritz
had a glorious dive. They were never deep enough to be in complete
darkness. They saw more than 60 species of fish, including jacks,
reef butterfly fish, moray eels, and three lionfish! The lionfish
are a non-native species. We do not really know how they got here
because they are from the Pacific. They are venomous and could
cause problems on our reef.
Equipment Used: Neuston Net
Estimated Catch: Jack, flying fish
Description of catch: None provided
Other Observations: These fish came
from some very small pieces of sargassum. We also kept samples
of the two species of sargassum that we caught.
Equipment Used: Dip nets with lights
Estimated Catch: Several species
of flying fish, a halfbeak, four crabs, a bur fish, a long-billed
spearfish, four file fish, a squid, a juvenile sailfish, an eel
Description of catch: None provided
Other Observations: We used dip
nets through the night, from about 11:15 PM until about 3:00 AM.
When we "fish" this way, we tie lights to the side of
the boat and use long-handled nets to try and catch the stuff
that swims close to the ship. Your arms get very tired after reaching
over the side for a while! The second night watch got to see a
small loggerhead turtle swim by.
