Cassandra Brooks | Ice Stories: Dispatches From Polar Scientists

Cassandra Brooks is a graduate student in Marine Science at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (MLML) in California who has studied Antarctic marine resources for the last four years both at MLML and with the Antarctic Marine Living Resources Program (AMLR). Cassandra’s work focuses on life history and population structure of Antarctic toothfish. Her goal is to provide information on their age, growth, and spatial distribution in order to facilitate sustainable management of this important Antarctic species.

Project Page: Antifreeze Fish

All Posts By Cassandra Brooks

The End of Our Cruise & International Waters

By Cassandra Brooks · April 5, 2008 ·

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One Gorgeous Day We finally finished our zooplankton survey and since we had two days to spare, we steamed down into the Gerlache Straight, off the Antarctic Peninsula for a fun day off. The Gerlache… {Read More »}

Going Ashore

By Cassandra Brooks · March 29, 2008 ·

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SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS-- By far one of the biggest treats for those of us on the boat is getting ashore and visiting the sub-Antarctic field camps. First of all, stretching our legs on land is… {Read More »}

Zooplankton Soup

By Cassandra Brooks · March 15, 2008 ·

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SOUTHERN OCEAN-- Krill get all the fame and glory as far as Southern Ocean zooplankton are concerned, and they certainly deserve it. But they only make up about half of the zooplankton biomass. So what… {Read More »}

The Most Remote Fishery on Earth

By Cassandra Brooks · March 10, 2008 ·

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SOUTHERN OCEAN-- Antarctic fish are a strange and fascinating breed, drawing scientists from all over the world to study their unique polar adaptations. Many Antarctic fish have proteins in their blood that possess antifreeze properties,… {Read More »}

Whale Break

By Cassandra Brooks · February 28, 2008 ·

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SOUTHERN OCEAN-- After a full night of sorting krill, those of us on the night crew went out on deck in the early morning light. We had been notified that Fin whales were off the… {Read More »}

A World of Ice {in Pictures}

By Cassandra Brooks · February 23, 2008 ·

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I stepped out on deck this morning to find the sea fog had finally lifted, revealing an immense ocean of ice: the world of Antarctica. As far as I could see in every direction there… {Read More »}

It’s All About the Krill

By Cassandra Brooks · February 20, 2008 ·

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There are 19 scientists on board the Yuzhmorgeologiya and we’re all dedicated to studying Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) and their ecosystem. I am on the zooplankton (the ocean’s small, drifting animal life) team and collectively… {Read More »}

Bouts of Bad Weather

By Cassandra Brooks · February 17, 2008 ·

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Last night we arrived at our destination, South Orkney Islands, northeast of the Antarctic Peninsula. In most years the AMLR cruises just survey the South Shetland Islands, but because this is International Polar Year, the… {Read More »}

The Remoteness Factor

By Cassandra Brooks · February 14, 2008 ·

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Dawn- 5am We are having a calm voyage across the Drake Passage with gentle seas and brisk air. As I stand outside, there is nothing but the sound of the boat breaking against the waves.… {Read More »}

In Transit

By Cassandra Brooks · February 13, 2008 ·

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Antarctica, being the most remote continent on earth, is by no means easy to get to. From California, I traveled two days by plane to arrive in Punta Arenas, Chile, where our research vessel is… {Read More »}