February 18, 2003— NOAA commissioned a new fisheries survey vessel on Jan. 30, 2003, in Honolulu, Hawaii, in an official ceremony that blended naval traditions with Hawaiian ones.

After the OSCAR ELTON SETTE was ordered to be placed into commission as part of the NOAA fleet, the ship — to be homeported in Honolulu — was blessed by a Hawaiian kapuna (reverend), who cut a lei tied over the gangway for good luck.

Participating in the ceremony were Governor Linda Lingle and Congressman Neil Abercrombie of Hawaii, Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr. USN (ret.), undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator; William Hogarth, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries; Rear Admiral Evelyn J. Fields, director of NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations and NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps; and Mrs. Josephine Bridges, daughter of Oscar Elton Sette, the ship’s namesake.

SETTE will support the Honolulu Laboratory of NOAA Fisheries. The ship will continue the work of the recently decommissioned TOWNSEND CROMWELL in the waters of the central and western Pacific, assessing and protecting the region’s fisheries and living marine resources. It will conduct fisheries assessment surveys, physical and chemical oceanography, coral reef research and marine mammal projects.

SETTE is a former Navy T-AGOS ship, built in 1988 and transferred to NOAA for conversion into a fisheries survey vessel. It has far greater capabilities and range than the 39-year-old CROMWELL had.

“Not only are we greatly expanding our observation and research potential, but we’re continuing in the gradual trend of revitalizing the NOAA fleet,” said Lautenbacher. “With each new or refurbished addition to the NOAA fleet, we become more efficient at supporting the NOAA mission. SETTE has a longer range, enhanced stability and better boat-handling capabilities than the ship it’s replacing. SETTE also carries more scientists and a larger suite of scientific labs than most other research vessels.”

OSCAR ELTON SETTE is named after the first director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Honolulu Laboratory, now part of NOAA Fisheries. He served there from 1949 to 1955. His daughter, Mrs. Josephine Bridges, is sponsor of the ship.

“The commissioning of a new ship is always a special occasion for NOAA because the NOAA fleet is the backbone that supports the agency’s seagoing data-collection efforts,” said Rear Admiral Fields. “SETTE is one of several T-AGOS vessels that NOAA has acquired from the Navy and converted to conduct research. Because it is acoustically quieted, it is particularly well suited to conduct fisheries research and marine mammal surveys.”

Formerly known as USNS ADVENTUROUS, OSCAR ELTON SETTE was built by Halter Marine, Inc., of Moss Point, Miss., and delivered to the Navy’s Military Sealift Command in 1988. It was transferred to NOAA in 1992. Congress provided funding to convert the ship to a fisheries survey vessel in fiscal years 2001 and 2002. SETTE is a cost-efficient and highly capable replacement for the 39-year-old TOWNSEND CROMWELL. It has a much larger suite of scientific labs; in addition to a wet lab, SETTE has a dry lab, computer lab and chemistry lab. It also has some new and upgraded electronics mission capabilities, and has a full stern trawl capability that the CROMWELL didn’t have.

OSCAR ELTON SETTE is commanded by NOAA Corps Commander Kenneth W. Barton. The 224-ft. ship is crewed by five NOAA Corps officers, three licensed engineers and 13 wage mariners, and carries a complement of up to 12 scientists.

The NOAA fleet of research and survey ships and aircraft is operated, managed and maintained by NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations, which includes civilians and officers of the NOAA Commissioned Corps, the nation’s seventh and smallest uniformed service. NOAA Corps officers — all scientists or engineers — provide NOAA with an important blend of operational, management and technical skills that support the agency’s environmental programs at sea, in the air and ashore.

Relevant Web Sites
NOAA COMMISSIONS NEW FISHERIES SURVEY VESSEL: Oscar Elton Sette to be homeported in Honolulu

NOAA Ship OSCAR ELTON SETTE

Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., U.S. Navy (Ret.) Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator

WILLIAM T. HOGARTH, Ph.D. ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR FOR FISHERIES NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE

Rear Admiral Evelyn J. Fields, NOAA Director, NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations and
Director, NOAA Corps

NOAA's NMFS Honolulu Laboratory

NOAA BIDS FAREWELL TO AN OLD FRIEND: TOWNSEND CROMWELL to be decommissioned Oct. 10

NOAA CORPS: OFFICERS OF THE NATION'S SMALLEST UNIFORMED SERVICE

NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations

Media Contact:
Jeanne Kouhestani, NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, (301) 713-3431 ext. 220