Marine Science Field Trip Introduction

Stockton Marine Science and Environmental Field Station Located off of the Mullica River Mullica River empties into the Great Bay The Great Bay empties into the Atlantic Ocean

Designated as the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve (JCNERR) NOAA funded program Designated in October of 1997

My Position (1996) Faculty support Facility management co-teach in field and laboratory Support research/courses in general Facility management Scheduling Maintenance Purchasing Director of marine operations Safety program Dive program

Boating Safety – year round Medical needs – must inform me Eat properly day of trip Non-swimmers? Other concerns? Boarding a boat – carefully While underway – PFD’s on Getting off the boat To assist or not to assist…fending off, etc.? Questions?

Your experience... Unique undergraduate experience Get involved Ask questions Use each piece of equipment Form partnerships Record data in pencil, use a clipboard/rubber band Consider classroom knowledge while afield

Experience continued… Act responsibly You can lose field privileges Negatively affect you overall course grade This experience will get you jobs… Field Station RUMFS NJDEP Summer and year-round positions, resume builders

Activities… Boating experience in general Environment experience Seining Trawling Water quality sampling Sediment sampling Plankton community sampling

Seining…

Trawling…

Field work, equipment and other hazards Be wary of equipment on deck Strain on anchor and trawl lines Entanglement Bottom grabs – wear gloves Seining – wear shoes/booties/waders Formaldehyde – gloves/goggles Handling fish – some w/ hard spines

Field Station facilities Teaching laboratory Faculty research spaces Aquaculture laboratory Dry lab/physical science lab Repair facilities Offices of Manager and CRC Waterfront mooring for R/V’s

Personal equipment/clothing Weather – highly variable Early season – dress light colored clothes, be prepared to get wet Later season – consider waders, warmer clothes Sunblock – even when cloudy Bug spray Water/food

Other important knowledge Where you are Travel from Nacote Creek – Mullica River - across Great Bay Little Egg Inlet area Little Egg Harbor Bay Back Brigantine Bays Up rivers – Mullica, Bass and Wading Communication VHF radio – field station/USCG, Ch 82 Cell Phone – boat cell phone has list of important numbers

652-4486, or x4486 from campus