IIP-1266057; University of Southern Mississippi; Eric Powell IIP-1266065; College of William and Mary Virginia Institute of Marine Science; Roger Mann
The Science Center for Marine Fisheries SCeMFiS) will utilize academic and recreational and commercial finfish and shellfish fisheries resources to address urgent scientific problems limiting successful management of these fisheries during the period of intense climate change. The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and the College of William and Mary Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) are collaborating to establish the proposed center, with USM as the lead institution.
The goal of this proposal is to seek funding to establish a new Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) entitled "Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCeMFiS)." The focus of the proposed center will be to develop essential biological data on fish stocks; improved models of sampling design, population dynamics, and fishery performance; evaluation of geographic and depth variations in stock structure and how these relate to the genetics, physiology and sexual dimorphism of species; and improved approaches to fishing to reduce discards through gear innovation and modifications in fleet deployment. SCeMFiS supports an academic program encompassing both components of the management process. SCeMFiS' capabilities encompass the range of oceanographic, fisheries, and marine biological disciplines essential for addressing the data resource and analytical challenges faced by modern-day fisheries management.
The proposed center would have significant impact on both the commercial and recreational fishing industries. The research at the proposed center will result in improved survey sampling methods, improved population dynamics models, new approaches to discard reduction, evaluation of geographic/depth-dependent variations in stock structure, identification of physiological/genetic origins of stock dynamics, and other meritorious outcomes, all aimed at the dual goals of sustainable fish stocks and sustainable fishing industries, thus simultaneously optimizing economic benefit while optimally husbanding the nation's fish resources.
