Newport Hydrographic Line

The Newport Hydrographic Line

 

Since 1996, the Newport Hydrographic (NH) Line has provided fortnightly to monthly data on physical (temperature, salinity), chemical (oxygen, DIC, nutrients), and biological (phyto-, zoo-, and ichthyoplankton) oceanographic metrics. These data are distilled into ocean ecosystem indicators that characterize the habitat and survival of juvenile salmonids. The indicators are then incorporated into a ‘stop light’ table which supports annual outlooks of salmon returns 1–2 years before they return to their natal streams. As the only long-term, high-frequency dataset of its kind in the California Current, the NH Line also provides critical ecosystem information on emerging issues such as marine heatwaves, ocean acidification, hypoxia, and harmful algal blooms. Further, these ongoing efforts enhance our understanding of the connectivity between ocean-climate changes and ecosystem structure and function.

Researchers on the NH Line are continuously working to refine and develop indicators that deepen our mechanistic understanding of salmon survival. By utilizing emerging technologies—such as in-situ imaging, machine learning, autonomous vehicles, and eDNA—they gain deeper insights into intricate lower trophic ecosystem processes, focusing on the plankton. These advancements help improve our ability to monitor and predict how shifts in environmental conditions affect the foundational components of marine food webs, ultimately supporting more effective management and conservation strategies.

People

NOAA Partner: Northwest Fisheries Science Center

NOAA PI: Jennifer Fisher, MS & Kym Jacobson, PhD

CIMERS Lab Members:

Other Key Collaborators: Maria Kavanaugh, Toby Auth, Juvenile Salmon and Ocean Ecosystem Survey(JSOES)

Links: