Fishing

I've been throw trap sampling for work this week and am totally exhausted. Yesterday we were sampling on Deer Island in 34° C (93° F) heat with about 95 % humidity--I didn't think we would make it!! Throw trap sampling is used to collect organisms (usually nekton) from a know volume of water, in this case on flooded salt pannes. Our throw trap is aaluminumum box 1 m square by 75 cm high. Basically, the entire process is a HUGE pain in the bum, but we end up with good data so I guess it's all worth it. At least that's what I tell myself so I can get through it!

Paul made it back safe and sound (only slightly sun burnt--yeah for sunscreen!) from his larval billfish collecting cruise/fishing adventure to the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. In the breaks between sampling he caught another marlin, slightly smaller this year, which was released, a wahoo, some amberjack, and other miscellaneous pelagics. I don't even think sleep was in his schedule--too much fishing to cram into any spare minute!!

Paul's White marlin (Tetrapturus albidus; less than 100 lbs.)

Paul and Wahoo (Acanthocybium solanderi)

Larval Marlin (~ 1 cm long)

Short bigeye (Pristigenys alta; ~ 10 in long)