On Prince William Sound, just outside Whittier, Alaska​​
My most recent stint as a scientist was while I worked as the Statewide Bottomfish Coordinator for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. My main responsibility was to conduct analyses to determine Pacific halibut sport fish harvesting regulations for the charter and unguided fleets.
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I decided I wanted to make a shift into science communication, and so in 2024 I ended this chapter in my career as a full-time scientist. In my last days as a fishery biologist for the ADF&G, the crew for the Prince William Sound management area invited me out on their job to make sure the research vessel was ready to go for the upcoming field season. We set out some shrimp pots, we caught a couple of little king crab, and a yelloweye rockfish, which looks like and oversized goldfish!
Checking out our deadliest catch.
Taylor shows off her yelloweye rockfish (Sebastes ruberrimus) that she caught (and released with a descending device). Notice the distinct yellow eye that gives this fish its name.
See that balloon-like thing in the rockfish’s throat? That’s the swim bladder, which helps a fish control its buoyancy. When rockfish are brought up to the surface too quickly, the gas inside their swim bladder expands. That’s why descender devices are important—they help the fish return to depth so the swim bladder can recompress, giving them a better chance at survival.