Research Areas and Sub-Specialties

Fisheries Science

Young of the year red drum Faculty at UNCW conduct basic and applied fisheries research on a diverse assemblage of marine and freshwater organisms including finfish, molluscs, crustaceans, and sharks, as well as the interaction of directed fisheries with protected species such as sea turtles and marine mammals. Prospective students will find faculty with broad research interests and expertise in aquaculture, conservation, species interactions, genetics and physiology, molecular techniques, systematics, population dynamics, quantitative fisheries assessment, and fisheries management. Ideally located in close proximity to marine, estuarine, and freshwater systems, UNCW provides students with access to a variety of fisheries research projects. A large fleet of research vessels and seawater facilities promote both field and laboratory based research, allowing students the opportunity to t Otolith of a juvenile fish est specific hypotheses generated from fisheries data gathered in the field. The availability of analytical equipment enables detailed studies of age and growth, reproductive biology, and population genetics. Students can also benefit from research collaboration with scientific colleagues at state and federal agencies to seek solutions to applied fisheries problems. Many faculty are presently engaged in collaborative research projects to collect critical data on the abundance, distribution, life history, and size and age composition of stocks of fishes and invertebrates that are economically and ecologically important to the region. Students with interests in fisheries science will be active participants in research that contributes to an improved understanding of the population dynamics of our fishery resources.