NOAAS Bell M. Shimada (R 227)
Encyclopedia
NOAAS Bell M. Shimada (R 227) is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) research vessel
launched in September 2008. The ship was named by students at Marina High School in Monterey, California
, who won NOAA's vessel-naming contest. The ship's namesake, Bell M. Shimada, served with the Bureau of Fisheries and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission
, and was known for his studies of tropical Pacific tuna
stocks.
Bell M. Shimada was designed to have a low acoustic signature
and is equipped with a sonar
system and equipment for deploying buoys and sensor-packed underwater vehicles. The ship is used to study fish
, marine mammals, and marine bird populations.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
(NOAA) research vessel
Research vessel
A research vessel is a ship designed and equipped to carry out research at sea. Research vessels carry out a number of roles. Some of these roles can be combined into a single vessel, others require a dedicated vessel...
launched in September 2008. The ship was named by students at Marina High School in Monterey, California
Monterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
, who won NOAA's vessel-naming contest. The ship's namesake, Bell M. Shimada, served with the Bureau of Fisheries and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission
The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission is an international commission that is responsible for the conservation and management of tuna and other marine resources in the eastern Pacific Ocean.-History:The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission was created by the Convention for the...
, and was known for his studies of tropical Pacific tuna
Tuna
Tuna is a salt water fish from the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Tuna are fast swimmers, and some species are capable of speeds of . Unlike most fish, which have white flesh, the muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red coloration derives from myoglobin, an...
stocks.
Bell M. Shimada was designed to have a low acoustic signature
Acoustic signature
Acoustic signature is used to describe a combination of acoustic emissions of ships and submarines.-Contributing factors:The acoustic signature is made up of a number of individual elements...
and is equipped with a sonar
Sonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
system and equipment for deploying buoys and sensor-packed underwater vehicles. The ship is used to study fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, marine mammals, and marine bird populations.