Media Advisory/Calendar Notice: NOAA to host media availability of NOAA Ship Nancy Foster

NOAA’s Florida Key’s National Marine Sanctuary, state, and university research partners will host a media availability opportunity of NOAA Ship Nancy Foster on August 9 in Key West, Florida.

Media will have the opportunity to meet researchers from NOAA, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute to learn more about their jobs, as well as their upcoming 13-day research expedition in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Starting August 10, researchers aboard the Nancy Foster plan to conduct habitat mapping; tag fish with acoustic transmitters to understand their movement patterns; service instruments deployed in the sanctuary to listen to fish tagged with acoustic transmitters; and deploy drop cameras, stereo-cameras and a wave glider to provide visual and acoustic observations that complement direct diver observations.

This research mission is focused on the ecological connections between the protected areas in the Dry Tortugas region, including the fish and habitats in the waters of the Florida Keys, Marquesas, and Dry Tortugas.  Of particular interest are the fish spawning habitat areas at Riley’s Hump and surrounding reef habitats including Warsaw Hole.  The information the scientists collect will be used to inform management decisions at the sanctuary.

WHAT:        Media availability of NOAA Ship Nancy Foster

WHEN:       Tuesday, August 9, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

WHERE:     NOAA Ship Nancy Foster is docked at the Truman Annex Navy pier in Key West.

To access the ship, media should plan to meet at the NOAA Nancy Foster Complex, 33 East Quay Road at 1 p.m. for escort onto the property.

WHO:          Researchers from Florida Key’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary,NOAA’s National Center for Coastal and Ocean Sciences, National Weather Service, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

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