Trevor A. Branch

@trevorabranch.bsky.social

11K followers 280 following 1.5K posts

Professor at Univ of Washington @uwsafs.bsky.social I run models and synthesize data, love R graphics, and do research on the status of marine fisheries, fishing quotas, and blue whales @bluewhalenews.bsky.social

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Environmental science 66%

Geography 18%

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Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · Mar 19

Sorting out the history of whaling pressure on five populations of blue whales in the Indian Ocean and SW Pacific. So many years of work went into this monumental collaboration with many many coauthors. So pleased to see this paper finally published.
doi.org/10.1111/mms....

Blue whale news @bluewhalenews.bsky.social · Mar 19

Published! Our huge effort to obtain catch series for each of five overlapping populations of pygmy blue whales. Big collaboration with 30+ coauthors using spatial patterns of blue whale song (unique to each population) to figure out where each resides 1/n

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 11h

(This is literally how most of my papers arise: 1) how has nobody noticed this before 2) several years later submits paper)

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 11h

Wow, that's amazing, you should write a scientific paper on that and submit it to a journal for peer review!

Martin Southard @puddybuddy.bsky.social · 11h

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 11h

Yup, plus ship time is so expensive that it is common to expect longer work days while on board (and to get compensated with days off or extra pay accordingly).

Reposted by Trevor A. Branch

Adam Summers @fishguy.bsky.social · 13h

Every other summer we run a fish biomechanics course at Friday Harbor Labs. It is an awesome opportunity to learn the tools of biovisualization while experiencing the rich fish diversity of the Salish Sea. Come join us!
🧪

A flyer for a fish biomechanics course at the Friday Harbor Labs this summer.

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 14h

Right whales, humpback whales, and other species likely were hunted in Brazil 5000 years ago, well before evidence of whale hunting in other regions. Remains even include one blue whale bone
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 15h

Breaking News: The EPA will stop considering lives saved when setting pollution limits and instead calculate only the cost to businesses.

E.P.A. to Stop Considering Lives Saved by Limiting Air Pollution

In a reversal, the agency plans to calculate only the cost to industry when setting pollution limits, and not the monetary value of saving human lives, documents show.

nyti.ms

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 16h

True of all electric cars, this is nothing special. No parts to replace or break.

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 16h

Yeah I got my 2019 Leaf secondhand in 2024 for $20K.

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 16h

Yeah I have a second hand 2019 and love it.

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 16h

Air cooled is not a good solution, best to avoid. Though I have a friend who got a full payout from Nissan for an old Leaf due to the battery issues (cheaper for them than recalls)

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 2d

I think they are getting better all the time. I know the Leaf models prior to about 2018 were not great for battery longevity.

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 2d

Yeah once in 17 months we have had trouble where the listed range was not the actual range (freeway driving in winter) and it was very difficult to find a charger.

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 2d

We have a gas car for the zombie apocalypse.

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 2d

It's $225 more than I pay per year on my gas car.

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 2d

Gas prices vs prices for home-charging our electric car. It's a bit hard to compare since I use mostly public transport for my commute now, but the NY Times estimated an electric car in Washington state cost 23% of a gas car, for driving 100 miles. US average 44%. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/08/u...

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 2d

However, total own goal by Washington state: they charge a massive annual levy on electric-only cars of $225 for transportation electrification, and for electric vehicle renewal. Makes up for the big loss of revenue from gas taxes used to maintain roads.

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 2d

Maintenance so far on my Nissan Leaf (total over 17 months, 10K miles) has consisted of:
$30 for rotating tires
$20 for wipers
Adding air pressure on tires once when they got low

I probably need to check brake fluid too.

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 2d

Wouldn't use it on a longer trip (>100 miles) since the range of 145 miles varies by temperature and speed (high speed = high wind resistance = lower range). But in town the instant extreme acceleration is amazing making it so much fun to drive.

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 2d

I've been driving a Leaf for about a year now and love it. All of our in-town and local driving is now done in the Leaf and we maybe fill up the gas car every 1-2 months. Annoying and wasteful to drive to a gas station and wait in line and fill up, instead of just inserting the plug in our garage.

Reposted by Richard Waite

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 2d

Brand new electric Chevy Bolt for $29K with 262 mile range. Factor in close to zero costs for maintenance, and big savings on fuel, and this is a good option. Second-hand prices of electric cars are going to plummet for the shorter range Nissan Leafs
www.thedrive.com/news/the-202...

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt Edges Out Nissan Leaf To Become Least Expensive EV in US

Team Chevy found a few more miles of range, somehow, to compete with Team Nissan.

www.thedrive.com

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 2d

The issue with natural immunity is this: why do you want it? To protect yourself from the disease? But you are deliberating getting the disease to get natural immunity... so you get the disease to avoid getting the disease. Getting the vaccine to avoid getting the disease makes more sense to me.

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 2d

Next paper: handedness in sand dollars.

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 2d

Not the ones I am used to in South Africa: flat and under the sand most of the time.

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 2d

Sorry about Oregon, and yes, more like 70-7 as a likely score in the finals.

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 2d

Really? I had no idea!!! Always the same side? In which case you'd never expect barnacles on opposite sides of the same sand dollar.

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 2d

Super puzzling to me. I guess once they settle they don't need much food and can hang on for ages? Can't be easy to feed submerged in the sand most of the time.

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 2d

Bemused by the barnacle. Not much filtering of the water to do if you are mostly under the sand!

Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 2d

[Talk] Understanding the past to help guide future restoration, George Pess and Tim Beechie: Thursday 15 Jan 4pm @uwsafs.bsky.social in Seattle. Another pair of incredible NOAA researchers that retired last year.

Reposted by Trevor A. Branch

Chris Mah @echinoblog.bsky.social · 2d

Probably one of more curious associations in West coast Pacific crustacean-urchin relations! A barnacle affixed to a sand dollar (Dendraster)! This happened on a LIVING sand dollar-spines still there. Never seen a paper that has "explained" it! One assumes larval attachment?? #echinoday

sand dollar with spines (brown) with a barnacle affixed to its left side

Reposted by Trevor A. Branch

Liz Neeley @lizneeley.bsky.social · 2d

Each Friday, I write a briefing on what is happening to American science & higher ed. 🧪 This was Year 2, Week 2:
- science budgets avoid catastrophic cuts, but NOT okay
- vaccination schedule hijacked & kids will suffer
- university mergers in Oregon & so much more

buttondown.com/liminalcreat...

Year 2, Week 2

Jan 3-9, 2026 the evidence of our eyes and ears

buttondown.com

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