Dr. Walter Adey has dedicated his career to studying the importance of seaweeds in the marine ecosystems of the Northwest Atlantic. Walter first surveyed the benthic communities of the Gulf of Maine fifty years ago. In the wake of the collapse of the famed New England cod fishery and half a century of climate change, the Gulf of Maine is no longer what it once was. This summer, Walter plans to revisit his original sites on his final voyage as captain of his hand built research vessel, the Alca i. The opportunity to resurvey these sites after 50 years will provide scientists with an unprecedented look at the effects of overfishing and climate change on marine ecosystems and will help us to better understand the challenges facing our oceans. Walter and several other early-career marine ecologists, including Smith Lab member Mike Fox, are working to raise money for the Gulf of Maine Expedition this summer. Please consider lending your support to this effort as the team prepares to examine the impacts of global climate change beneath the frigid waters of the North Atlantic. All donations to this project will directly support the expedition logistics and critically important research to unravel the impacts of global change on our oceans.

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