MAY 2026

Lily joins the lab for a project on seagrass soundscapes 

The Fisheries Lab is hosting Lily Bertlshofer, a senior from the University of North Carolina, to conduct a research project on seagrass soundscape ecology in Pamlico Sound. Lily was awarded a scholarship to support her work through the UNC Outer Banks Field Site at CSI. She will be placing hydrophones in seagrass beds throughout the OBX region and examining acoustic recordings spanning multiple weeks in this important estuarine habitat.  

Cami and Andrew work with local classrooms

As part of the Shad in the Classroom program, Cami and Andrew worked with over 100 middle school and high school students in Duplin and Dare Counties. This program provides fish anatomy and dissection lessons for students, based around a culturally important group of anadromous fishes in northeast NC. ​

​Amelia wins research scholarship

To help support her research on black gill disease in shrimp, Amelia won a $1,000 scholarship from the Lerner-Gray Fund for Marine Research, through the American Museum of Natural History. The funds will help support her research on how the infection affects shrimp metabolism.

APRIL 2026

Jim presents to invasive species panel

The Gulf and South Atlantic Regional Panel (GSARP) on Aquatic Invasive Species helps coordinate efforts in the southeast U.S. against freshwater and marine invasives. Jim attended the spring GSARP meeting in South Carolina to present our research on the impacts of blue catfish in Albemarle Sound, NC. ​

Cami and Caid defend their M.S. theses

This month Cami defended her M.S. thesis on the trophic impacts of invasive blue catfish in Albemarle Sound. Also, Caid defended his M.S. thesis on long term changes in the species assemblage in Pamlico Sound. Both of their projects will help management efforts within this large, and rapidly changing, estuarine ecosystem. 

MARCH 2026

Fisheries Lab attends the annual Tidewater conference

Andrew and Jim attended the annual meeting for the Tidewater Chapter of the American Fisheries Society in Solomons Island, Maryland. Andrew presented his research on the value of oyster farms as estuarine habitat. Jim was recognized with a teaching and mentorship award. 

Amelia wins best student poster award

Amelia attended the joint annual conference with the Atlantic and Southeastern Estuarine Research Society in Morehead City, NC. She presented her research on black gill disease in shrimp and won the award for best student poster presentation.

FEBRUARY 2026

New paper published on sheepshead reproductive ecology

Sheepshead are a unique coastal fish along the southeast U.S. coast and have been growing in popularity among fishers. This new paper (LINK) in the journal Fisheries Research provides critical new information on the spawning aggregations formed by sheepshead on the NC coast and provides results on reproductive output.

JANUARY 2026

Jim presents at CSI's Science on the Sound

The Coastal Studies Institute hosts a monthly-evening seminar series that is focused on sharing scientific research with the general public. This month, Jim shared his lab's research on sheepshead, a coastal fish species that is popular among recreational anglers. The seminar can be viewed here (LINK). 

Spencer Hudson joins lab to research coastal inlets

Coastal inlet habitats are a critical movement corridor for fish and invertebrates between the ocean and estuary. However, there is little data on fish community passage through inlets. Spencer will be analyzing an acoustic imaging dataset of seasonal fish use of Oregon Inlet on the Outer Banks. Spencer graduated from UNCW and spent several years working on the water with NC Division of Marine Fisheries and also working on a commercial fishing boat. 

NOVEMBER 2025

Ray participates at science outreach event in Greenville

The Tar River Community Science Festival takes place annually in Greenville and is an opportunity for the public to interact with local scientists. Ray talked with people about the Coastal Studies Institute and his research on aquatic soundscapes. ​

Fisheries Lab represented at CERF Conference

The Coastal & Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) holds a biennial conference, bringing together scientists from across the country. The Fisheries Lab attended this year's event in Richmond, VA. Cami presented her research on invasive blue catfish. Andrew presented work on the impacts of inlet dredging. Ray and Jim presented work on the habitat function of oyster aquaculture. 

​OCTOBER 2025

Jim presents at water quality symposium

The Water Quality for Fisheries Symposium is an annual event hosted by the Coastal Carolina Riverwatch. The event brings together scientists, policy makers and stakeholders to discuss challenges and consider solutions to issues related to water quality in coastal North Carolina. Jim presented research on how invasive blue catfish might be contributing to water quality issues in Albemarle Sound, by consuming filter feeding bivalves. 

​AUGUST 2025

Check out a new video on Ray's research!

New paper out on Local Ecological Knowledge from the shrimp fishery

There has been growing interest in using information from stakeholders, termed Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK), in resource management. A new paper in Frontiers in Marine Science examines LEK from North Carolina shrimp fishers about how shrimp responds to climate (LINK). The LEK results are compared with statistical models of shrimp populations to identify potential biases between approaches.

​Amelia Magee joins the lab to research shrimp

Penaeid shrimp​ in the southeast U.S. can be infected by a parasite that causes black gill disease. Amelia will be conducting her M.S. research on this host-parasite relationship, specifically examining patterns of disease prevalence from across North Carolina and in a variety of habitat types. Amelia is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and is being co-Advised by Drs. April Blakeslee and Jim Morley.

JUNE 2025

New paper out on climate vulnerability of U.S. southeast species

Climate vulnerability assessments have been conducted for species in all U.S. coastal regions by NOAA. These expert based assessments are designed to identify species that are at greater risk from climate change, based on their life history. The assessment for the southeast region has been published in PLOS Climate (LINK). 

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Andrew volunteers on NOAA research cruise

The NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center conducts an annual survey of reef fishes off the southeast Atlantic coast. This survey provides important biological and abundance data for the management of many important fisheries (including Red Snapper). Andrew recently returned from volunteering for a two-week leg of this survey off Florida. He spent much of his time at sea catching fish in traps and then collecting data and biological samples from specimens. Andrew has volunteered on this survey over the last three summers.

​MAY 2025

Lauren joins the lab as a summer technician

The Fisheries Lab is hosting Lauren Elgin, a senior from the University of Delaware, as a summer field and lab technician. Lauren will be participating in all of our field sampling, including at oyster farms (picture), and also processing acoustic imaging and hydrophone data in the lab.