TOP: Students walk a net through 

 near-shore waters of the Pamlico 

 Sound. 



BOTTOM: The task of sorting 

 and recording each catch is 

 time-consuming. 



marine biology, is 

 collecting water quality 

 data. He did his under- 

 graduate studies in 

 sociology and ultimately 

 plans to pursue a doctorate 

 in coastal resource 

 management. "I want to 

 make the connection 

 between marine biology 

 and policy," he says. 



Reuter says the field 

 study is helping him hone 

 research methods. 

 "Tonight, we'll get 

 together to chart all the 

 data we have gathered 

 today. We'll put it on the 

 board and look for 

 anomalies. We're using 

 different kinds of water- 

 sampling equipment to 

 test the same water quality 

 variables, and the numbers 

 may be different. We'll 

 discuss why this happens, 

 and determine what 

 equipment and method 

 may be the best for these 

 purposes." 



The nightly wrap-up 

 sessions ensure that all 

 students will have the 

 same data set for their 

 end-of-term projects. 



The weekend also is 

 teaching students that field 

 work often requires a bit 

 of creative improvisation. 



"Duct tape. Always carry duct tape," 

 Reuter advises. "To get a water sample 

 from this point on the flood control 

 structure, we taped a paper cup to the end 

 of a pole to reach the water." 



Call it a wrap 



The kitchen crew is swinging into 

 action to prepare a spaghetti supper for the 

 tired and hungry group. But before dinner 

 is served, a skeleton crew will make a run 

 to the Point to pull the gill net. 



A small number wait in the workroom, 



ready to process their catch. They 

 informally assess the weekend activity and 

 share thoughts about the kind of research 

 they have been scoping out at the refuge. 



Charlton Godwin, a senior marine 

 biology student, is interested in doing a 

 fish control/water control study. He intends 

 to study the biological and water quality 

 effects of the recent retrofit of the flap 

 gates used to keep saltwater and fish from 

 passing into the freshwater lake. It won't 

 be the first study for him. He's looked at 

 the aging of Atlantic needlefish from the 

 lake, reading rings in the otoliths, or fish 

 earbones. 



The outer door bursts open, and 

 students explode into the room talking all 

 at once about the catch of the day — a 46- 

 cm largemouth bass. They returned the fish 

 to the lake to delight another angler on 

 another day. 



A grinning Rulifson affirms. "It was a 

 trophy catch. Only wish I had him at the 

 end of my fishing rod." 



By Sunday, students and faculty are 

 calling the weekend a success. The gear 

 has worked, over 40 different species of 

 fish are recorded, and the data sets are 

 complete. 



"It has been a great weekend for the 

 students and instructors. Every year we 

 have different 'war stories' to tell. This 

 year it will be the rain and wind, trophy 

 bass, and giant gar," Rulifson says. 



"And what a great team-building 

 exercise! These students have gone 

 through four years of college, had each 

 other in the same classes, and never knew 

 their names. Now, they'll have a lifetime 

 of memories about these fellow students 

 and activities from this one, short week- 

 end." 



David Gloeckner, a graduate student, 

 agrees. Now a fisheries port agent in 

 Beaufort for the National Oceanic and 

 Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), he 

 has served as a NOAA observer on an 

 ocean-going vessel. 



Gloeckner says the Mattamuskeet 

 weekend successfully imitated life in the 

 field. "We've been cold and sleep-deprived. 

 Only thing missing — 20-foot seas." □ 



10 SPRING 2001 



i 



