Russ Hopcroft, a GWA Principal Investigator, embarked as Chief Scientist on the Northern Gulf of Alaska Long Term Ecological Research (NGA-LTER) research cruise aboard the R/V Sikuliaq, April 18 – May 5, 2018. This cruise continues the sampling begun in fall 1997 under the NSF/NOAA NE Pacific GLOBEC program, and supported subsequently by a consortium of the North Pacific Research Board (NPRB), the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS), and the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council’s (EVOSTC) Gulf Watch. This is the first cruise as part of the NGA-LTER  funded by the National Science Foundation. The core scientific purpose of the Seward Line project is to develop an understanding of the response and resiliency of this marine ecosystem to climate variability. This cruise marks the 21st consecutive spring cruise for the Seward Line in the NGA, including Prince William Sound (PWS), and the 48th year of observations at GAK1.

Check out the Meet the Chief Scientist video or the cruise’s Science Update to learn more. Or, read the research cruise post on the NGA-LTER website or follow the latest Tweets (@sikuliaq) .

Happy sailing, Russ!