Project Title

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Antarctic Marine Living Resource (NOAA/AMLR) Program Cape Shirreff Camp Support

Summary

Event Number:
X-591-E
NSF/NOAA-AMLR Agreement

Program Director:
Mr. Tim McGovern

ASC POC/Implementer:
Kenneth Vicknair / Diane Hutt

Principal Investigator(s)

Dr. Douglas John Krause
douglas.krause@noaa.gov
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
AMLR - Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division (SW Fisheries Sci Ctr)

Project Web Site:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/antarctic-ecosystem-research-division-southwest-fisheries-science-center

Location

Supporting Stations: Special Project
Research Locations: Cape Shirreff

Description

Cape Shirreff is located on Livingston Island in Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) 149. The facility at this site, also referred to as Cape Shirreff, is owned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and is maintained and operated by NOAA with support from the National Science Foundation. Specifically, research is conducted by the Antarctic Marine Living Resource (AMLR) program of NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFC). Cape Shirreff currently supports a NOAA-funded project conducting seabird and marine mammal research. The facility was built in the 1996-97 austral summer at NOAA direction and supported by Antarctic Support Associates, the NSF Antarctic contractor at that time.

Field Season Overview

This will be the second field season during which NOAA is replacing the existing field camp infrastructure. The new facility, when complete in February 2024, will be called the Holt-Watters Field Camp. The NOAA field team will be comprised of 6-9 scientists, ten construction crew, a camp manager, and a cook. During the reconstruction process, the NOAA science team will continue their long-standing research. The NOAA science team is comprised of members of the NOAA Pinniped Research Program and NOAA Seabird Research Program with studies of fur seals and leopard seals, three species of penguins (Adélie, chinstrap, and gentoo) and several species of flying seabirds, including skuas and giant petrels. The team monitors population status, reproductive success, and foraging ecology of these Antarctic species. The study aims to provide ecosystem-based data to detect, monitor and predict changes that effect krill populations and inform fisheries management in the Southern Ocean. For over a decade, the ARSV Laurence M. Gould and RVIB Nathaniel B. Palmer have supported Cape Shirreff camp opening and closing operations. However, in 2023/24, USAP will provide camping gear, medical and communications support while opening and closing of the camp will be provided by the M/V Nansen Explorer.

Deploying Team Members