TEXAS!

Hey Sea Fans!

Yup, I've also been in the state where everything is BIGGER...TEXAS!!!!!  I was lucky enough to be invited to visit the Galveston Lab of NOAA (National Oceanographic ad Atmospheric Administration).  If you want to know more about them, go to: http://www.noaa.gov/

While I was there, I took part in NOAA Observer Training with the NOAA Fisheries staff. 

Inflatable PFD’s (personal flotation device) are an important part of safety.  Making
sure that the hydrostat or soluble pill is in proper working order before you leave land is a good idea!

NOAA Fisheries organizes fishery observers to collect catch and bycatch data from US commercial fishing and processing vessels.  The full Observer training is 3 weeks long, but I only had a week so I got a taster of what they get up to. This included mostly safety training because the job requires a lot of time at sea.

I learned how to put an immersion suit on properly and how to look after it. An immersion suit could save your life one day so these things are VERY important to know!!

More information about the NOAA Observer program can be found at
http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/observer-home/

I was also lucky enough to visit with NOAA Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) agent Matt
Clark and made some rounds with him in Galveston Bay. 

OLE works to prevent seafood fraud and illegal fishing. They also protect marine resources and their habitat and help safeguard the health of seafood consumers (you and me :)) and the livelihoods of coastal communities.

More information about NOAA OLE can be found at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ole/

While checking things out around Galveston Bay, OLE visited briefly with NOAA Ship Oregon II that was docked at Pier 21 in Galveston. Oregon II is a NOAA Fisheries research vessel that operates
largely in the Gulf of Mexico and occasionally makes port in Galveston.  Built in 1967, Oregon II is the oldest research vessel in the NOAA fleet.

For those of you who'd like to know more about what goes on when the ship goes to see for a research expedition, read this: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/stories/2013/10/10_18_13photo_journey_fish_survey.html

For the moms and dads who might want to know more about the ship's design, here's a pdf: http://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/Circulars/CIRC256.pdf

Fascinating stuff!!  And who said that being a marine biologist meant that you just swim with dolphins all day?!?!?  How boring!

I hope you've enjoyed my travels so far Sea Fans because there's still lots more coming...including more from Texas!

Chat soon and have a great week.

Abby

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PS. All NOAA images credited to NOAA Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary