We’ve begun sampling around the Monterey Accelerated Research System (MARS) cabled observatory. We have collected water samples from the ship for eDNA analysis, conducted Bongo net tows, and coordinated our efforts among the different sampling platforms that have all been deployed around this site.

Already we’ve seen lots of marine mammal activity including a large pod of pacific white-sided dolphins, humpbacks, and northern right whale dolphins. Our nighttime Bongo tow caught myctophids, pyrosomes, and an abundance of krill. The LRAUVs have been sampling both within the range of the acoustic cone at MARS and also on a two-kilometer radius circle around the site. This allows us to match acoustic detection of organisms with genetic data and information about bioluminescence across these layers.

This acoustic cone allows us to visualize both the location of scattering layers (where organisms are in the water column) and the LRAUV as it is sampling them—a unique opportunity to match eDNA and acoustic data!