*Due to the pandemic, this presentation will take place on Facebook Live

Robots for Recovery: ConductingRockfish Research in the Salish Sea with an ROV. 

 Approximately 27 species of rockfish (Sebastesspp.) occur within the Salish Sea and many occupy habitats that are difficultto survey using traditional methods like trawls and SCUBA. Populations of somespecies were depleted following historic overfishing that resulted in theclosure of rockfish fisheries within the US Salish Sea and the ESA listing oftwo species, Bocaccio and Yelloweye Rockfish. The WDFW Marine Fish Science Unithas subsequently developed a research program using a small remotely operatedvehicle (ROV) to conduct visual surveys of these species in their preferredhabitats. This talk will cover rockfish research and recovery efforts, focusingon WDFW’s ROV program, and some of the amazing rockfish and habitats the ROVencounters.

Bio: Andrea Hennings is a biologist with the WDFWMarine Fish Science Unit. Since 2008, the Unit has utilized a remotely operatedvehicle (ROV) to conduct surveys focused on bottomfish in Puget Sound,particularly rockfish. Andrea primarily supervises annotation of video andstill images collected by the ROV – a process that turns the digital media intouseable data for fisheries management.

Cocktails & Fishtales is Harbor WildWatch’s science-social series. Held monthly, these programs feature a scientist, researcher, or environmental artist on an ecological topic. While these programs are traditionally 21+ and held at a local taproom or venue, during the pandemic they have shifted to an online format for all ages. They continue to serve as an engaging and interactive way to learn about the environment, and bring together eco-enthusiasts from our local community… and, now, beyond. Questions and interaction are highly encouraged!

Cocktails & Fishtales are educational events. As such, Harbor WildWatch does not endorse any speaker, service, or product represented at Cocktails & Fishtales.


To access Facebook Live events, simply search Harbor WildWatch on Facebook at the scheduled time to find the live feed on our page. For Live events, please check website calendar or Facebook for possible schedule changes. The videos will always post in full once the live stream ends, so feel free to catch up with any content you miss by scrolling through our facebook page. These videos will also get posted to youtube. All times are posted as PST.