Daniel Auerbach

I am a Ph.D. student looking to see the capabilities of drones in fisheries, more specifically looking at subsurface detection in riverine settings.  Currently, I am working with two state agencies here in Washington and to the east in Idaho.  My work with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife aims to compare current methodologies and assess the feasibility of identifying and enumerating Summer chinook redds in the Wenatchee River.  After two years of flying in Washington, I teamed with Idaho Department of Fish and Game in Stanley, Idaho, to identify Spring chinook as well as look at environmental impacts on image quality from drones.  Finally, I am working with Dr. Daniel Schindler from University of Washington in Alaska.  Our current work is identifying individual sockeye for population estimates.

Tying to my passion for fisheries, post-college work with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and knowledge of drones, was key in bringing my project together.  I have B.S. from University of Washington in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences as well as a B.S. in Environmental Science from Washington State University. I have two field seasons working with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife as a field technician in stream restoration and salmonid work. My passion lies in the environment, especially in the aquatic field, and have extensive knowledge in both marine and freshwater ecology.  Beyond fisheries, I am a recreational drone enthusiast.   My skills include wildlife, water quality, volunteer management, environmental policy, and environmental science.  In my free time I enjoy hiking, backpacking, and photography, as well as long walks on the beach.

Contact Info:
Daniel.s.auerbach@wsu.edu