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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

@fisheries.noaa.gov is hiring 6 data scientists around the country at the ZP-3/4 or ZP-2 levels: www.usajobs.gov/job/883284100 and www.usajobs.gov/job/883284900 (~$50k to ~$187k). Six folks spread across the agency can only do so much, but it's still a huge step forward.

usajobs.gov

Data Scientist

This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Office of Science and Technology (OST), with six vacancies in the list...

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Status update at the @noaa.gov Northwest Fisheries Science Center: 1. facility still needs help, and 2. pile driving still loud, but 3. the amazing @mcsiple.bsky.social has joined the #stockassessment team!

Photo of a bland government building in Seattle surrounded by parking lot, dumpsters, and a highway construction project. But the sky is blue.

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

In my 15 years with @noaa the only swag I've had a chance to buy was a hat that a fellow employee paid out of pocket to embroider.

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

Here are links to the source code for a few more integrated #fisheries #stockassessment models: - SAM (used frequently in Europe): github.com/fishfollower... - WHAM (newer model from NEFSC): github.com/timjmiller/w... - FIMS (in development by NOAA staff): github.com/noaa-fims/fi...

github.com

GitHub - fishfollower/SAM: Git page for SAM R-package

Git page for SAM R-package. Contribute to fishfollower/SAM development by creating an account on GitHub.

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

‪@jebyrnes.bsky.social‬, good question. The source code for most integrated stock assessment models is on GitHub. I'm most familiar with Stock Synthesis (SS3): github.com/nmfs-ost/ss3.... Let me know if you have questions.

github.com

GitHub - nmfs-ost/ss3-source-code: The source code for Stock Synthesis (SS3).

The source code for Stock Synthesis (SS3). Contribute to nmfs-ost/ss3-source-code development by creating an account on GitHub.

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Reposted by Ian G. Taylor

Kiva Oken @kivaoken.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

Proud 🧪 post: @iangtaylor.bsky.social, other collaborators, and I have been working furiously despite *waves hands* to produce the best possible science for management of yellowtail rockfish. Today, our draft document (typos and all! 😶‍🌫️) was posted publicly prior to the review 2 weeks from now.

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

To clarify, the emails were from folks who were departing. Thankfully, Kiva is still with us.

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

Here's the status today: 1. lease process cancelled 2. maintenance and janitorial contracts not renewed (cart in the hallway with cleaning supplies for us to use) 3. pile driving next door (just measured 88 decibels) 4. telework policy terminated--everyone back in office on April 21.

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

This is my office building at the aging @noaa.gov Northwest Fisheries Science Center. Through the IRA act, congress allocated funds that were going to help move to a new leased facility. "It is critical to maintain continuity of NOAA Fisheries’ science missions in the Northwest."

Photo of an uninspiring red and cream-colored 2-story office building surrounded by parking lots and older buildings. There are two minivans parked in front. One of the buildings in the background has a brick facade and looks nice, but has issues with heating and cooling (not visible in photo).

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Reposted by Ian G. Taylor

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 05/02/2025

NOAA manages large ocean fisheries in US waters. Scientists there conduct surveys, sample fish, and run complex models to estimate the levels of sustainable catches. NOAA is recognized as a world leader in creating jobs, producing food, and avoiding overfishing. Kudos to NOAA fisheries!!!!

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

I've worked in public service for the U.S. government for 15 years and have never been more insulted than by the email that said "The way to greater American prosperity is encouraging people to move from lower productivity jobs in the public sector to higher productivity jobs in the private sector."

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

A #fisheries #stockassessment workshop for Yellowtail Rockfish (led by @kivaoken.bsky.social) took place this morning. 43 people showed up: commercial & recreational stakeholders, 3 state agencies, a tribal group, Pacific Fishery Mgmt Council, and NOAA. It was a very respectful & productive meeting.

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

Getting federal-government-wide blast emails asking us to quit isn't helping us focus on getting this important work done.

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

One of our biggest challenges is that there aren't enough of us to do all the work that needs to be done. Offers to backfill vacant positions have been interrupted by a hiring freeze.

Figure 2 from https://www.pcouncil.org/documents/2024/05/f-3-a-nmfs-nwfsc-report-1.pdf/ showing Cumulative numbers of west coast groundfish species assessed from 2001-2023 which shows a 128% increase since 2003 and a 216% increase if considering the separate modeled areas, not just species. Also shown is the combined number of assessment staff working on these assessments, which has not seen a similar increase over this time period.

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

One of the joys of being a federal employee is the dedication of all of my colleagues to our important mission (in this case providing the scientific basis for annual catch limits that sustainable seafood and fishery jobs depend on). Every one of us strives for excellence in our daily work.

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

For anyone who prefers the instructions with accordion accompaniment, Geoff Berner has a song for that: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XS-...

youtube.com

How To Build A Corsi-Rosenthal Box

YouTube video by GEOFF BERNER

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 14/01/2025

Another #fisheries #job: NOAA is hiring a Research Social Scientist to coordinate and guide the NMFS Human Dimensions Program. This is a permanent FTE position (US nationals only) with five potential duty stations around the US. Closes Jan 22: www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewD...

usajobs.gov

Research Social Scientist

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Reposted by Ian G. Taylor

Eric Ward @eric-ward.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

Come work at NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center! 2 jobs, re-posted from a couple weeks back. These are part of a great group that leads work around fisheries stock assessments: www.usajobs.gov/job/82490680... Timing on this is terrible, but the ad is open 19 - 26 Dec

usajobs.gov

Research Fish Biologist/Research Mathematical Statistician

This is a Direct Hire Public Notice. Please read this Public Notice in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration. This is a term appointment not ...

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

I was taught pickleball in gym class in public school in the 80s (in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, where it all began). It's easier, cheaper, and generally more accessible than tennis (but still very white).

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

Longnose Skate (Caliraja rhina) being measured on the U.S. West Coast Groundfish Bottom Trawl Survey. Not shown are label printer and barcode scanner. See electronic back deck equipment in action in this video: www.fisheries.noaa.gov/video/reelin...

A medium-sized longnose skate (Caliraja rhina) being held by two orange gloved hands on an electronic fish meter board. Also pictured are a motion-compensated scale and a rugedized laptop.

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Another #fisheries #stockassessment job. Remote contractor position in support of NOAA's National Stock Assessment Program focusing on the issue of projections under a non-stationary environment: myjobs.adp.com/ecsfederal/c....

myjobs.adp.com

Career Site

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Here's a snailfish to brighten up your Friday. It was caught in the U.S. West Coast Groundfish Bottom Trawl Survey www.fisheries.noaa.gov/west-coast/s... off central California.

An orange gloved hand holding a snailfish, which is a cute pink slimy creature with an open mouth and a shiny eye. It looks surprised, but is probably dead.

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Exactly. It's really frustrating, but it's also hard to complain when you see labor costs vs budget problems that you described perfectly in this thread. Note that in addition to reducing staff we're also looking at reductions in data collection (surveys) due to budget limitations.

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Regarding "you better do stock assessment ... because those people have outside job opportunities and hence NOAA has to be competitive" NWFSC is backfilling so called "permanent" stock assessment folks with term positions, making them less competitive (though it's still a really cool job).

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Ian G. Taylor @iangtaylor.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

Melissa Haltuch and Kelli Johnson moved on to even bigger roles within NOAA so we have big shoes to fill. Feel free to reach out if you have questions about the team, which includes @kivaoken.bsky.social, me, and other great folks.

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