JOHN N. COBB (fisheries research vessel)
historic place
The JOHN N. COBB was a significant fisheries research vessel, homeported in Seattle, Washington. Built by the Western Boatbuilding Company in Tacoma, Washington, it was launched in January 1950 and commissioned in February 1950. The 93-foot wooden-hulled ship was named for John Nathan Cobb, the first dean of the University of Washington College of Fisheries. For nearly 60 years, the JOHN N. COBB served in federal fleets, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and later the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. It conducted extensive fisheries research, primarily in Alaskan waters, contributing to studies on salmon, shellfish, and marine mammals. The vessel was decommissioned in August 2008. In 2009, the JOHN N. COBB was named to the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its long legacy in American fisheries research and maritime history.