November 13, 2026 — NOAA scientist Jarrod Santora has been going to sea on research vessels for more than 25 years. He wanted to give something back to NOAA’s fleet of fisheries science ships that collect scientific data to support fisheries management. The fisheries biologist at NOAA Fisheries’ Southwest Fisheries Science Center recently published new research with current and former NOAA ship captains and a ship’s chief engineer. It shows how scientists and ship crews can work together to save fuel and costs while collecting the science NOAA needs—benefiting science, the fleet, and taxpayers.
The key is to reduce fuel use when conditions and operations allow, shifting it to times—often at night—when the ships gather much of their most valuable data. The idea took hold, as many good ideas do, through conversation—in this case, with NOAA Corps officers, who command the ships, and engineers, who keep their generators and engines running.
We asked him how it happened.