Researching Marine Mammal and Seabird Food Sources

How do researchers study marine mammal and seabird food sources? With a tucker trawl! Using this system of nets that open and close at different depths in the water column, researchers can sample zooplankton and other small marine organisms. A few weeks ago, researchers for ACCESS Partnership did just that in Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. ACCESS data have been used to help redirect large ships away from important feeding areas and better understand impacts from El Niño and climate change by tracking important seabird and marine mammal forage species.