What are you researching?: I’m studying marine fisheries management. Specifically, I am working to better describe the life history and population dynamics of black sea bass, Centropristis striatus, in the Mid-Atlantic Bight (Massachusetts to North Carolina) using both field work and laboratory techniques.
Why does it makes a difference? Black sea bass are economically and ecologically important throughout their range. My research will help to better describe the life history and seasonal movement patterns of this species to aid resource managers in making informed decisions about how to best proceed in managing this resource in the future. In addition, the techniques I am using are not specific to black sea bass, and could be used to inform management of other species that exhibit similar life histories and movement patterns.
Why choose the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science? I chose to continue my graduate career at UMCES because I have the opportunity to work with and learn from some of the foremost experts in fisheries management, while being afforded the resources to address my research questions.
What are your future plans? I’d like to obtain a position with a federal or state management agency to continue to address questions related to the population dynamics of exploited fish populations, in order to apply what I have learned throughout my academic career to assist in keeping fisheries sustainable into the future.
