Ben Wilkins, “Estimating Abundance and Spatial Distribution of the Giant Red Sea Cucumber in Pri

Ben Wilkins discusses habitat associations and distribution of sea cucumbers in PWS. He covers basic biology, range and life history of the species (Apostichopus californicus), followed by information about various sea cucumber fisheries around the world. He then discusses our habitat and distribution findings from 419 underwater scuba transects throughout PWS. Ben Wilkins grew up in Colorado, where he eventually attended the University of Colorado at Boulder for his undergrad degree in Environmental Biology. After that, he became a dive instructor and taught in the Florida Keys, Northern California, and then in Hawai’i for ten years. He came to Alaska in 2015 to attend graduate school and drive boats for Lazy Otter Charters and has been here ever since. He now manages the Fisheries, Aquatic Science and Technology (FAST) Lab at Alaska Pacific University, where he’s also the Diving Safety Officer and teaches Scientific Diving. He also works seasonally for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG), where he runs logistics, training, and underwater surveys for the Southcentral Dive Team. _____________________________________________________________ Watch a playlist of the whole 2025 Natural History Symposium at:    • 2025 Natural History Symposium - FULL EVEN...   Find out more about Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation https://www.princewilliamsound.org/do... Prince William Sound Stewardship Foundation is an Alaska-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that came together around a shared love of Prince William Sound. We coordinate and support projects such as beach clean-ups, invasive species control, site restoration, public education, and much more. We accomplish our work through fundraising, partnership development, and our growing volunteer network, and we work closely with the Chugach National Forest and other Prince William Sound stakeholders.