Patty’s Post: We woke up to the news that while we peacefully slept, the work continued, putting out 5 miles of long-line with a total of 500 hooks and the hope of finding what diversity of fish life resides at >1000 meters in the Gulf waters.

Notice the stomach extruding from the mouth due to the expansion of swim bladder as pressure decreases at the surface.

 

C-IMAGE Chief Scientist, Dr. Steve Murawski, a professor at USF College of Marine Science, has two new graduate students, just starting their master’s program. All are standing by eager to help with the fish catch.  One of these students, Susan Snyder, just moved down from New York state the day before the cruise left.  What a great way to start your first year at USF!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the specimens caught today include smooth dogfish sharks, snappers, a Southern stingray (Dasyatis americana), yellowedge groupers and tilefish.

Liz with King Snake Eel- this is one slimy fish

 

Teacher, Patty Smukall holds smooth hound dogfish- a type of shark

As the fish are brought in, graduate students, technicians,scientists stand by, ready to process them. Processing includes weighing, measuring, drawing a blood sample, removing the gall bladder, a sample of bile, cutting off a piece of their liver, and removing the otoliths (ear bones) for further study.

How old is this fish? The earbones of fishes help to determine the age by counting growth rings deposited in the bone

 

Susan Snyder, Liz Herdter and Jacquelin Hipes and Erin Pulster, A.K.A. "the fish ladies" examining fish organs.

Guess the weight of this fish? This Tilefish weighs 2 pounds- no prize for guessing this weight

David Levin (on board journalist) meets fish