“My favorite part of my job is doing science that matters, and specifically working with the people that the science matters for. It’s knowing that my research has an impact, not just to the scientific community, but for the people who are harvesting and consuming the fish,” said Anna Mercer of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Narragansett, R.I.
On a Wednesday in early June, Mercer presented a webinar of her studies on how NOAA works with local fishermen to maintain sustainable fisheries as part of the “NOAA Live! 4 Kids program.” Mercer’s webinar was one of 35 in the series, aimed at kids and families, which began in March 2020 when stay-athome orders were put into place. The series provided opportunities for children to interact with NOAA scientists and learn about careers at NOAA.
The webinar reviewed species that are harvested in the northeast, how these species are caught, and how NOAA collaborates with fishermen to develop tools and strategies for sustainable fishing methods and research projects.
“I have worked with a lot of fishermen to do research. I went out on their boats, went fishing with them, collected data, talked to