Project Title

Cape Shirreff

Summary

Event Number:
X-591-L
NSF / NOAA-AMLR Agreement

Program Manager:
Mr. Tim McGovern

ASC POC/Implementer:
David Rivera / Cara Ferrier

Principal Investigator(s)

Dr. Douglas John Krause
douglas.krause@noaa.gov
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
AMLR - Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division (SW Fisheries Sci Ctr)
La Jolla, California

Location

Supporting Stations: ARSV Laurence M. Gould
Research Locations: Livingston Island

Description

Cape Shirreff is located on Livingston Island in Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) 149. The facility at this site, also referred to as Cape Shirreff, is owned by the National Science Foundation but maintained and operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), specifically under the Antarctic Marine Living Resource (AMLR) program of NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFC). Cape Shirreff currently supports a NOAA-funded project conducting marine-mammal research. The facility was built in the 1996-97 austral summer at NSF direction by Antarctic Support Associates, the NSF Antarctic contractor at that time. Since then, it has been NOAA-occupied with USAP support limited to personnel transport and camp openings and closings.

NOAA also occupies another camp, Copacabana on King George Island , for which USAP does not generally provide any logistical support. However, in the 2020-21 season, USAP will provide limited support for the field camp at Copacabana as part of a special circumstance.

Field Season Overview

Each season, the ARSV Laurence M. Gould (LMG) supports Cape Shirreff camp opening and closing. Cape Shirreff is scheduled to open in early- to mid-December and close around mid-March. USAP support includes small boat operations, ASC ship personnel, and science volunteers to help open and close the camp, and cargo transport for camp supplies and waste. The team will need vessel laboratory space for drying project-specific gear and equipment during the closeout cruise. The POC will work with the marine laboratory supervisor to discuss storage of approved temperature-sensitive samples on northbound transits. There will be no mid-season participant turnover in 2019/20 as there has been in the past.

Deploying Team Members