Excerpt from the Dayton Daily News
For a Midwesterner, Ben Strang spends a lot of time on the water. The 2021 Wright State University–Lake Campus graduate is an observer on fishing vessels that ply the Gulf of Alaska, the Bering Sea and northern Pacific.
Strang, who received a degree in integrated science studies from Lake Campus, works for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), helping ensure that fishing quotas are adhered to.
NOAA is the scientific and regulatory agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditions, charts the seas, conducts deep sea exploration, and manages fishing and protection of marine mammals and endangered species in the U.S. economic zone.
Strang’s primary duty involves rigorous biological sampling of catch to ensure that fishing quotas are stuck to and the catch of non-desirable species is minimized. Each boat is allotted a certain amount of quota-by-species that they are allowed to catch.
“This ensures a sustainable fishery for the future,” said Strang. “The data I collect is used for real-time management while the boats are actively fishing and to inform future management decisions regarding the fishery.”
Strang said the most challenging part of his work is the scheduling and being far from home. He works 12-hour shifts seven days a week while on the boats.
