NOAA Ship Albatross IV
The NOAA Ship ALBATROSS IV, built
in 1962 in Slidell, Louisiana, was specially designed as a trawler and multi-function
research platform to meet the operational requirements developed by the Bureau
of Commercial Fisheries (now, the National Marine
Fisheries Service) biological lab at Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Its primary
mission, as it remains today, is to conduct fisheries and oceanographic research.
The ship's normal operating area is the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and the
continental shelf and slope from Nova Scotia, Canada to Cape Hatteras, North
Carolina.
The ALBATROSS IV tows nets and dredges to collect information on the distribution
and abundance of groundfish and sea scallops. It does this while simultaneously
collecting atmospheric and oceanographic data which may affect seasonal and
long-term changes in fish stocks. This research provides an understanding of
the physical and biological processes that control year class strength of key
economical fish species. The ALBATROSS IV is also equipped to study marine mammals,
such as the endangered Northern Right Whale, and the much smaller marine organisms
which comprise part of the groundfish food chain. The data collection and processing,
combined with evolving information technology, provides scientists and fisheries
managers ashore the best possible scientific information for making sound decisions
about utilizing and sustaining our living marine resources. The world's longest
time series of standardized fishery population data is based primarily on the
information provided by the ALBATROSS IV and its crew for over 35 years.
| Albatross I1883-1926:
This steamer was the first research vessel ever constructed exclusively
for fisheries research.
Albatross II 1926-1932: A Navy tug Patuxent was converted for research operations and renamed the Albatross II. Albatross III 1948-1959: Originally named the Harvard, was built in 1926 as a commercial steam trawler and fished New England waters until 1939. The vessel was sold by General Seafoods to the US Government for $1.00 to be converted into a fisheries research vessel. Albatross IV 1962-present: Built in 1962 by Southern Shipbuilding in Slidell Louisiana. The ship was designed to meet the operational requirements by the staff at the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries (now National Marine Fisheries Service) biological lab at Woods Hole, MA. |
While the ALBATROSS IV's mission is well defined, the ship and its crew are adaptive and responsive to special operations and emergency situations. In 1996, an oil spill occurred in Narragansett Bay when the barge North Cape ran aground during a storm. The ALBATROSS IV was diverted to the scene to sample marine life in order to provide a baseline against which to measure natural resource damages. The ship has also responded to a host of maritime distress situations, including the recovery of Navy F-16 wreckage off the New Jersey coast.
|
The ALBATROSS IV maintains an Internet homepage while at sea which outlines the cruise objectives, current weather conditions, project trackline, and provides digital photographs of interesting operations. See http://www.wh.whoi.edu/library/history/ships/albatross4/
Return
to the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations
Home Page 
Return
to the NOAA Fleet 
Visit
the Aircraft Operations Center
Visit
the Marine Operations Center 
Visit
the NOAA Corps