My position for the summer:

This summer I am working with the USDA-ARS in Newport, OR. I am just getting started so much of my current work duties involve training. I anticipate that my primary responsibilities will involve field work. I will likely assist other researchers in the lab that I’m working with in their collection and monitoring of burrowing shrimp and staghorn sculpin populations located in estuaries along the Oregon and Washington coasts.

This project is a part of larger project to find possible biological controls of burrowing shrimp which are considered a pest of oyster aquaculture. Typically, chemical pesticides are used to control their populations but, they are moving away from this attempting to find more sustainable/environmentally friendly population controls. I will help the lab I’m working with reach this goal by collecting raw data that is necessary for the project. I may help with data analysis as well.

Looking at the bigger picture:

Since Oregon Sea Grant’s vision involves “thriving coastal communities and ecosystems” this project will directly help advance those goals. Local shellfish aquaculture is a major source of income and livelihood for coastal communities in the Pacific Northwest. Burrowing shrimp pests negatively impact this industry causing oyster mortality so, for many years chemical pesticides have been used to control their populations. There have been concerns on the environmental impacts of these pesticides so certain chemicals have been discontinued and oyster growers are working with scientists to find a better solution to control burrowing shrimp populations that will allow the shellfish aquaculture industry thrive while simultaneously allowing coastal ecosystems to thrive.

Since the mission of the USDA involves providing leadership for agriculture based on science and management, this project will hopefully provide the scientific background to efficiently manage burrowing shrimp populations allowing for better shellfish aquaculture practices along the Oregon and Washington coasts.