Research Interests

My fortune has been on the sea. As an oceanographer I have enjoyed wide international experience. I have spent more than a thousand days at sea, working in all the oceans except Antarctica. That included leading winter cruises into the Arctic, but also the scientific direction of two tropical marine laboratories sited on living coral reefs, and exploration of numerous other reef systems, diving in warm clear seas of the Pacific and Caribbean.

I have long-standing interest in fish and fisheries of many waters. I am curious about the distributions and migrations of sea fishes, what they do and how they do it. I have a particular interest in the behavior and energetics of cod during 1,000 km migrations across the Barents Sea, and making comparison with behaviors of cod stocks inhabiting other seas. I study responses of fish to diverse critical characters in their physical environment, also the modulation of such responses through change in their physiology, including endocrines. Quite frequently, abundant fish populations live near limits to their performance abilities, or physiological endurance. For example, large fisheries for cod occur along boundaries to very cold waters, and in very cold winters boreal species commonly encounter cold limitation. Study of fishes in ambient conditions close to their limits can be illuminating. Thus, we measured unique adaptations of physiology and behavior in hake, that allow a life-style as abundant, active pursuit-predators in the severely hypoxic waters of the Benguela upwelling, off Africa.

In local waters, my research concerns fish in communities inhabiting estuary systems of the Hudson River, New York Harbor and Long Island Sound. Complexity of quotidian behaviors in estuarine fish is of great interest. Hydroacoustic methods profile diel changes in density distribution and orientation of fishes responding to tidal exchanges and illumination in the water. Local fish communities are large, diverse and dynamic. I have described their composition and distribution, and their changes in space and through seasons and the annual cycles. Compilation of historic information from multiple fishing surveys has allowed interannual comparisons to be made between those communities across decades. The New York region is massively urbanized and our estuaries are arteries of commerce, they are disturbed and strongly polluted; during summertime hypoxia commonly develops. In response to local estuarine stressors (or, to habitat improvement), fish populations and benthos may change rapidly in their abundance, often providing opportunities to make critical field studies. For example, to assess species' distributions with respect to their respiratory capabilities.

My experience of reef systems spans decades, - from years living on tropical coral islands, to study of artificial fishing reefs in US waters. Reefs provide place and space for biological colonization. In NY Harbor, submerged structures, piers, etc, are overgrown by epifaunal reef communities. I apply knowledge of ecological function of fauna associated with such structures, to inform responsible ‘Green Port’ development. Inclusion of critical ecological respects in port construction designs can reduce habitat destruction, or perhaps improve and create new habitat.

Research Experience Seagoing, Diving

Publication of over 150 scientific reports, chapters, articles, documentary films.

Shipboard oceanographic experience is well found, - some 140 cruises in many waters:

• Estuaries: Hudson River, NY Harbor, Long Is. Sound, 27 fish and environment cruises.
• Arctic North Atlantic, 19 fishery and oceanographic cruises.
• Temperate North Sea, 27 fisheries cruises.
• Temperate NE & NW Atlantic, over 30 fishery and oceanographic cruises.
• Tropical South Pacific, 23 oceanographic cruises and coral reef expeditions.
• Tropical Caribbean, 5 oceanographic surveys.
• Tropical Benguela upwelling, Africa, 8 fishery and oceanographic cruises.
• Transoceanic, 1 cruise N. Atlantic, Mediterranean, Red Sea, Indian and S. Pacific Oceans.

Diverse diving experience. SCUBA on coral reefs in Australia, Coral Sea and S. Pacific, 1966-9, including Kiri-bati, Papua-Niu Gini, Tahiti, Tonga, Palmyra, Fiji, New Caledonia, Tuamotus, Solomons, and in the Caribbean, 1971-74. I directed SCUBA diving programs for research in Newfoundland Canada, the New York Bight US, and Jamaica WI, 1972-84. I used submersibles to explore deep reef ecology on the Great Barrier Reefs of Australia, and off Jamaica, Caribbean.

Selected Publications and Reports

Woodhead, P.M.J., H. Hamukuaya, M. O’Toole, T. Stroemme, G. Saetersdal, M. Reiss and M. Scranton. submitted. Catastrophic loss of two billion Cape hake recruits during widespread anoxia in the Benguela Current. ICES J. mar. sci.

Woodhead, P.M.J., H. Hamukuaya, M. O’Toole, T. Stroemme, M. McEnroe and S. Kristmannsson. submitted. Recruit mortalities of Cape hake, following exclusion from shelf habitat by persistent hypoxia in the northern Benguela Current. ICES J. mar. sci.

Woodhead, P.M.J. 2002. Biota of the Gowanus system of New York Harbor. For New York City, Dept. Environmental Protection.

Woodhead, P.M.J. 2001. The design of habitat enhancement structures to be sited in New York Harbor. For Empire State Development, NY. 18 pp.

Woodhead, P.M.J., T. Rotunno and S. Zappala. 2000. Ecological surveys to characterise the fish habitat project-site in New York Harbor. For Empire State Development, NY. 56 pp.

Woodhead, P.M.J. 2000. The use of artificial substrate as fish habitat in the NY/NJ Harbor. In: Evaluating estuarine habitat in the New York-New Jersey Harbor. 5 pp. Sympos. US ACE, US EPA /NY-NJ Harbor Estuary Program, US NOAA/NMFS, US Dept. Inter./NPS, New York, NY.

Woodhead, P.M.J., T. Rotunno and S. Zappala. 1999. Biological assessment of fish habitat associated with shipping piers in New York Harbor. For Empire State Development, NY. 94 pp.

Woodhead, P.M.J. M.I. Scranton, M.J. O’Toole and H. Hamukuaya. 1999. Change in the distributions of anaerobic products in coastal waters of the Namibian inner shelf, 1996. In: Anaerobic chemistry in the sea. World Bank workshop (ed: O’Toole, M.J.) 8 pp. NATMIRC, Namibia. March, 1999.

Hamukuaya, H., M. O’Toole and P.M.J. Woodhead. 1998. Observations of severe hypoxia and offshore displacement of Cape Hake over the Namibian shelf in 1994. In: Benguela dynamics: Impacts of variability on shelf-sea environments and their living resources. S. Afr. J. mar. Science 19: 41-57.

Saetersdal, G., T. Stroemme, P.M. Woodhead, H. Hamukuaya, M.J. O’Toole. 1998. Massive mortality of Cape hake associated with a widespread anoxic episode on the Namibian shelf, summer 1992-1993. In: Intnatl. Sympos., Environmental variability in the South East Atlantic. (eds: V. Shannon and M.J. O’Toole), 5 pp. NATMIRC, Namibia.

Woodhead, P.M., H. Hamukuaya, M.J. O’Toole and M. McEnroe. 1998. Effects of oxygen depletion in shelf waters on hake populations off central and northern Namibia. In: Internat. Sympos., Environmental variability in the South East Atlantic. (eds: V. Shannon and M.J. O’Toole), 10 pp. NATMIRC, Namibia.

McEnroe, M., P.M.J. Woodhead, C.E. Crocker, J.J. Cech and H. Hamukuaya. 1996. Physiological adaptations of Cape Hake to severe hypoxia. Abst. 32 nd Europ. Mar. Biol. Symp., Lysckiel, Sweden.

Woodhead, P.M., H. Hamukuaya, M.J. O’Toole, T. Stroemme and S. Kristmannsson. 1997. Recruit mortalities in Cape hake, following exclusion from shelf habitat by persistent hypoxia in the Benguela Current, Namibia. In: ICES Intnatl. Sympos., Recruitment dynamics of exploited marine populations: Physical-biological interactions. p. 26-27.

Woodhead, P.M., H. Hamukuaya, M.J. O’Toole, T. Stroemme, G. Saetersdal and M. Reiss. 1997. Catastrophic loss of two billion Cape hake recruits during widespread anoxia in the Benguela Current off Namibia. In: ICES Intnatl. Sympos., Recruitment dynamics of exploited marine populations: Physical-biological interactions. p. 105-106.

McEnroe, M., P.M.J. Woodhead, H. Hamukuaya, C.E. Crocker and J.J. Cech. 1996. Physiological-ecology of Cape hake inhabiting persistently hypoxic waters in the Benguela upwelling system. CalCOFI. Conf. The Hake Symposium. Abst.

Woodhead, P.M., H. Hamukuaya, and M.J. O’Toole. 1996. Effects of hypoxia on catches of Cape hake in Namibian shelf waters, Benguela Current. CalCOFI. Conf. The Hake Symposium.

Bianchi, G., M.J. O’Toole, H. Hamukuaya, P.M.J. Woodhead and J-P. Roux. 1996. Abundance estimation and ecology of O-group hake (Merluccius capensis). UN FAO-NORAD. Rept. “Dr. Fridtjof Nansen”. Surveys of the Fish Resources of Namibia. UNDP GLO 82/001. 44 pp.

McEnroe, M. and P.M.J. Woodhead. 1996. Changes in the commercial and recreational fisheries for finfish in the Apex of the New York Bight and the estuary of the Hudson, 1978-1988. State Univ. N.Y. Stony Brook, MSRC Spec. Report # 110, Ref. 96-01.

Woodhead, P.M.J. and M. McEnroe. 1996. Effects of summertime hypoxia on macrobenthic and fish communities in Long Island Sound, Raritan Bay and Apex of the New York Bight. State Univ. N.Y. Stony Brook, MSRC Spec. Report # 111, Ref. 96-02.

Woodhead, P.M.J. and M. McEnroe. 1996. Assessment of potential ecological benefits to the forage communities from attaining State standards for dissolved oxygen in Long Island Sound; with recommendations for appropriate measures to monitor ecological recovery. State Univ. N.Y. Stony Brook, MSRC Spec. Report # 112, Ref. 96-03.

Woodhead, P.M.J. and M. McEnroe. 1996The finfish community of the NY-NJ Harbor-Estuary: Use of habitats in the Harbor and the lower estuary. State Univ. N.Y. Stony Brook, MSRC Spec. Report # 113, Ref. 96-04.

Woodhead, P.M.J. 1996. Studies of the ecophysiology of hake inhabiting persistently hypoxic waters on the Namibian shelf. Chapter 4. In: UN FAO-NORAD. Rept. “Dr. Fridtjof Nansen”. Surveys of the Fish Resources of Namibia. UNDP GLO 82/001. 7 pp.

Woodhead, P.M.J. 1995. Effects on the fish community of tide-gates on the East River, New York. In: The East River Tidal Barrage (ed. D. Hill). Annals New York Acad. Sci. 742: 57-68.

Woodhead, P.M.J. 1993. The fish community of New York Harbor: Spatial and temporal distributions of major species. In: Proceedings of the Conference on the Impacts of New York Harbor Development on Aquatic Resources (ed: W. Wise), p. 103-122. The Hudson River Foundation for Science, New York, NY.

Woodhead, P.M.J. 1993. Biological communities of the lower Hudson-Raritan estuary system. For U.S. Dept. of Justice, with Natural Resource Trustees of New Jersey and New York. 103 pp.

Woodhead, P.M.J., F.J. Rohlf and M.A. O’Hare. 1992. The structure of the fish community and distributions of major species in the lower Hudson estuary and New York Harbor. The Hudson River Foundation for Research Inc., New York. 179 pp, and 9 appendices of 202 pp.

Woodhead, P.M.J., M. McEnroe, D.J. Lonsdale, D.M. Monteleone, R.M. Cerrato and W.T. Peterson. 1992. Characterization and assessment of potential impacts of hypoxia on forage species in Long Island Sound. For U.S. EPA’s Long Island Sound Study, U.S. EPA Region I, Boston, MA. 75 pp.

Woodhead, P.M.J. 1992. Assessments of the fish community and fishery resources of the Lower Bay area, in relation to a program of sand mining proposed by New York State. For NY State Executive Office. 225 pp, with 2 appendices of 27 pp.

van der Sloot, H. A., Woodhead, P. M. J., Hockley, D. and F. J. Roethel. 1991. The long-term behavior of stabilized coal ash in the sea. Energieonderzoek Centrum Nederland, Petten ZG, Netherlands, Report ECN-RX-91-007. p. 1-17.

Woodhead, P. M. J. 1991. Coal waste artificial reef program: properties of coal wastes after eight years exposure in the open sea. For NY State Energy Research and Development Authority. Albany, NY. p. 1-77

Woodhead, P. M. J. 1991. Inventory and characterizations of habitat and fish resources, and assessment of information on toxic effects in the New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary. Report in 6 sections. For U.S. EPA, concerning Tasks 3.2, 5.1 and 5.3 of the Harbor Estuary Program of US EPA, Region II, New York; 199 pp.

McEnroe, M. and P.M.J. Woodhead. 1991. Fisheries of the estuary: Status, trends and changes. In: Inventory and characterization of habitat and fish resources, and assessments of information on toxic effects in the New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary (ed. P.M.J. Woodhead). For U.S. EPA Region II’s Harbor Estuary Program. 39 pp.

Woodhead, P.M.J. and M. McEnroe. 1991. Habitat use by the finfish community In: Inventory and characterizations of habitat and fish resources, and assessment of information on toxic effects in the New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary. (ed. P.M.J. Woodhead). For U.S. EPA Region II’s Harbor Estuary Program. 34 pp.

Woodhead, P. M. J. 1990. The Hudson River artificial reef study. Report in 6 sections for New York City Public Development Corporation. 377 pp.

van der Sloot, H. A., Hoede, D., Wijkstra, J., Bijker, J., Wesseling, J.W. and P. M. J. Woodhead. 1990. Milieuhygienische consequenties bij de toepassing van gestabiliseerde reststofproduketn in kunstmatige riffen en fij het opvullen van zandivinputte. Energieonderzoek Centrum Nederland, Petten ZG Netherlands, Contractrapport ECN-89-86; p 1-81.

Last revised: January 30, 2004