We received 3,500 Mussels (yes the shellfish) yesterday although the project doesn't officially start until Monday. By the time Monday arrives we will have "socked" the majority of these animals into bunches of 12.
Socking: the process of placing mussels into tubes of nylon mesh and securing them (and tag identifiers) in place with zap straps.
Once socked these mussels will be taken from the lab and placed on large "frames" (which are basically squares of PVC tubing) and dispersed into specific water bodies, to be brought back to the lab quarterly over the next 12 months.
Just to confuse matters, this month's session is still technically part of last years study which means that the socks we receive for processing (starting on Monday) have been out at their specific sites approximately 1 year.
Processing: includes taking measurements of weight, length, width and height as well as the dissection of each animal. The majority will also be sexed and undergo various bloodwork procedures. Yet another group of animals will be used to determine mussel reproductive effort (how many and how big their eggs are).
Well, now that you know what I will be up to for the next two weeks, please don't be offended if I am dopey, tired or stupid when you speak to me...it will pass, it always does, but then again MP is never over for long either...
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