Mar 28, 2024  
2013 - 2014 Graduate Catalog 
    
2013 - 2014 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Department of Fisheries Science


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www.vims.edu/research/departments/fisheries

Research within the Department of Fisheries Science is focused on understanding the population dynamics and biology of fish, crab, and mollusc species of commercial, recreational and ecological importance. Also included within the research framework of the department is the Aquaculture Genetics and Breeding Technology Center. Collaborative research and teaching efforts are common among department faculty. In addition to furthering knowledge through peer-reviewed publications, members of the department advise local, regional and national resource management agencies and involve students directly in fisheries management. The department also maintains an internationally recognized collection of alcohol-preserved and skeletal specimens of fishes that are available for student research.

Preparatory Studies

Students interested in graduate study in Fisheries Science should have substantial undergraduate coursework in biology including: physiology, biochemistry, comparative morphology or developmental biology, genetics, ecology and related topics, and evolutionary biology. College physics, chemistry (through organic) and math through calculus are required. Courses in statistics, marine biology and fishery biology may be helpful but are not prerequisites.

Typical Course of Study

In addition to the core courses required of all SMS graduate students, Fisheries students are required to take MSCI 528 - Marine Fisheries Science  as the advanced (3 credit) course in their core course curriculum. Fisheries students are required to take an additional quantitative course, chosen from the following menu: MSCI 625 - Multivariate Analysis and Time Series , MSCI 667 - Experimental and Quantitative Ecology , MSCI 670 - Stock Assessment Methods , or MSCI 669 - Linear and Generalized Linear Models in Ecology . Fisheries students are required to enroll in MSCI 515C - Fisheries Science Seminar  each spring semester. Other courses offered by the Fisheries faculty include MSCI 649 - Modeling Biological and Ecological Systems , MSCI 658 - Larval Ecology , MSCI 664 - Marine Conservation Biology , MSCI 666 - Ichthyology , MSCI 668 - Malacology , MSCI 671 - Fisheries Population Dynamics , MSCI 673 - Marine Molecular Genetics , MSCI 674 - Marine Molecular Genetics Laboratory  and MSCI 698 - Special Topics in Marine Science .

Areas of Research

Anadromous Fishes Program:

Research and monitoring of the abundance, reproductive ecology, life history and exploitation of highly migratory marine species such as striped bass, Atlantic sturgeon, river herrings and American shad that spawns in fresh water. Studies include monitoring commercial and recreational landings, monitoring stock status with fishery-independent surveys, developing novel approaches to stock assessment, conducting surveys of juvenile abundance, mark/recapture and telemetry methods for estimation of fishing rates and description of migratory behavior.

Aquaculture Genetics and Breeding Technology Center

Research includes development of brood stocks in shellfish species of interest to Virginia and the region, including selective breeding (especially for disease resistance), chromosome set manipulation, and evaluation of non-native species.

Molluscan Ecology

Studies focus on ecology and stock assessment of estuarine and continental shelf molluscs. Broad program interests include ecology and behavior of molluscan larvae, life history and population dynamics, restoration culture for commercial purposes, and  molluscs as indicators of climate and environmental change.

Invasive Species Biology

Research focuses on history and pathways of invasions, the characteristics of invasive species ecosystem impacts, and mechanisms of control, national and international policy relating to introductions, and evaluation and implementation of intentional introductions for ecological and economic purposes.

Commercial Fisheries Development

Research is focused on gear selectivity and bycatch as well as management and regulatory strategies for seafood production, processing and utilization.

Crustacean Ecology

Investigations address the ecology, population dynamics, and conservation of the blue crab in Chesapeake Bay and spiny lobster in the Caribbean.

Fisheries Ecosystem Modeling and Assessment Program

Areas of interest in this program include monitoring of the abundance, predator-prey, and competitive interactions among fish populations within Chesapeake Bay. Primary objectives of the program are the development of multispecies stock assessments for the purpose of understanding the joint impact of harvesting and biological interactions on these populations. Information derived from these assessments is designed to yield advice for ecosystem-based approaches to fisheries management.

Fisheries Genetics

This program examines the application of molecular genetic techniques to address problems in fisheries science. Studies focus on analysis of stock structure, use of molecular characters to identify early life history stages of marine organisms, and the evaluation of taxonomic and biogeographic hypotheses with molecular genetic information.

Marine Conservation Biology

Areas of interest include the ecology and conservation of the blue crab, diamondback terrapin, sea turtles (loggerhead and Kemp’s Ridley), Caribbean spiny lobster, queen conch, eastern oyster, and other marine bivalves. Emphasis is placed on metapopulation and source-sink dynamics, marine reserves and dispersal corridors, habitat fragmentation, degradation and loss effects on marine invertebrates, recruitment processes, and predator-prey interactions.

Marine Finfish Dynamics

Investigations focus on the recruitment dynamics of finfish in coastal ecosystems based on data from long-term bottom-trawl and beach seine surveys in Chesapeake Bay. A primary goal of these studies is to calculate recruitment indices to gauge the strength of the current year class and permit informed management of coastal fisheries. Another goal is to integrate observations from the surveys with field and laboratory research to understand large-scale patterns in the distribution and habitat use of coastal fishes. Such research may include individual-based behaviors as evidenced by acoustic tagging studies or physiological responses to habitat change.

Marine Resource Policy and Fisheries Management

Research is performed to support determination of socially optimal rates of exploitation and optimum allocation of marine resources among competing user groups. Studies emphasize assessment and estimation of net social benefits to society and the economic impacts of proposed management and regulatory options. Additional research focuses on numerous international aspects of marine resource management, including, but not limited to, reducing the capture of sea turtles and other undesirable outputs, enhancing technical and economic efficiency of fishing gear, designing capacity reduction programs, and promoting ecosystem-based management.

Marine Vertebrate Ecology

Research areas of interest include the comparative morphology, reproduction, and population dynamics of sharks; long term changes in the distribution, migration, abundance, ecology and energetics of sea turtles; and investigations of the life history and community structure of finfish taxa.

Stock Assessment Methodology

This program involves the systematic evaluation of stock assessment procedures and the development of new mathematical models and statistical methods for studying populations and their responses to exploitation. Tagging, survey, and landings data are used  to estimate population size, mortality rates, components of mortality, yield, spawning potential, and effects of changes in fishery regulations. Applications include invertebrates and vertebrates in temperate and tropical sport and commercial fisheries.

Systematics and Taxonomy

Taxonomically diverse studies focus on the taxonomy, morphology, phylogenetic systematics, zoogeography and evolutionary biology of various vertebrate and invertebrate groups. The program promotes a total evidence approach to phylogenetic research, including molecular techniques and morphological studies of larval, juvenile and adult forms.