July 11, 2025 — A mission to understand how fish age, grow, and reproduce in the Mariana Islands is underway.
NOAA Fisheries and commercial fishermen from the Mariana Islands are combining forces. Their goal: to improve our understanding of the region’s valuable fish stocks.
The research expedition will focus on gathering fish life history and population data, along with larval fish research, to guide sustainable fishing and promote strong fish populations.
Mission Kickoff
NOAA Fisheries scientists and partners departed Apra Harbor, Guam, July 7, 2025, aboard the NOAA ship Oscar Elton Sette. The team will survey waters from Anatahan to Uracas (Farallon de Pajaros), focusing on bottomfish species such as snappers, groupers, and jacks. These species are key to commercial, recreational, and subsistence fishing in the region.
Researchers will collect data to better understand:
- How fast these fish grow
- How long they live
- When they’re able to reproduce
Discover how NOAA Fisheries’ life history program gathers clues about fish growth and reproduction
Scientists will also conduct annual plankton surveys to study early life stages of fish, a critical part of their life cycle. Researchers will use fine-mesh nets, lowered to 100 meters below the ocean’s surface, to collect plankton samples that include fish larvae. Examining these young fish specimens helps the team uncover where young fish are located and how abundant they are. This information is key to understanding how fish populations grow, move around, and respond to environmental changes over time.