NOAA and NCEAS Announces New Support for Synthesis Science Focused on Gulf Fisheries

Through their Gulf Ecosystem Initiative, the NOAA RESTORE Science Program and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) will be supporting two new working groups and two new postdoctoral researchers to advance fisheries science and inform future fisheries management in the Gulf of America. The working groups will research the role of artificial structures and explore the integration of artificial intelligence into fisheries management. The two post-doctoral researchers will contribute to the working groups and pursue their own research on the impact of extreme weather on recreational fisheries and models for forecasting shrimp landings.

One working group, led by Dr. Avery Paxton and Dr. Matthew Woodstock, will explore the ecological effects of marine artificial structures like oil platforms and wind turbines on reef fish communities. As offshore development intensifies, understanding these interactions is crucial for informed decision-making regarding the installation, removal, or repurposing of such structures. The second working group, spearheaded by Dr. Kelsi Furman, Dr. Matthew McPherson, and Dr. Nathan Brugnone, will delve into the exciting potential of artificial intelligence, particularly large language models, to enhance fisheries management. This innovative approach aims to streamline qualitative data analysis, incorporating stakeholder perspectives more efficiently and providing timely input to management decisions, directly supporting mandates like the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Learn more about the working groups.

Dr. Jonathan Rodemann, a specialist in remote sensing and animal movement, is one of the two new postdoctoral researchers. He will be tackling the mystery of how fish respond to large-scale environmental disturbances. His GEI project will specifically investigate the impact of extreme climatic events, such as hurricanes and heat waves, on inshore recreational fisheries. These shallow-water fisheries are more than just a source of food; they are a cultural cornerstone, supporting coastal communities and local economies. With recreational fisheries generating billions annually, understanding their resilience to a changing climate is paramount. Rodemann’s research will provide crucial insights for adaptive management strategies, ensuring these meaningful connections to the Gulf endure.

Meanwhile, Dr. LM Bradley, during their postdoctoral experience, will be applying their expertise in predictive modeling to inform fisheries management, with a keen focus on the Gulf’s most popular seafood: shrimp. Despite the popularity of shrimp, the U.S. wild-caught shrimp industry faces an economic squeeze from cheaper imports and rising production costs. Compounding these challenges are environmental pressures, particularly areas of hypoxia such as the Gulf’s “dead zone” – an oxygen-depleted area caused by nutrient pollution from the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River Basin. This hypoxia profoundly impacts penaeid shrimp, leading to smaller sizes, unpredictable locations, and variable harvest times, all of which reduce the efficiency of shrimping. Bradley’s project aims to develop a forecast model that predicts shrimp landings, empowering shrimpers to maximize their catch while minimizing unintended bycatch, thus strengthening both the local economy and the sustainability of the resource.

Learn more about Dr. Rodemann’s and Dr. Bradley’s research

These two new working groups and postdoctoral researchers expand the Gulf Ecosystem Initiative’s scope and reach. They join a growing cohort of interdisciplinary teams committed to working across sectors to synthesize data, address knowledge gaps, and share findings and products to inform resource management in the Gulf.

The working groups and postdoctoral researchers were selected following a rigorous and competitive process, which in the case of the working groups included review by a panel of outside experts. The working groups and postdoctoral researchers will each receive at least two years of funding. This is the third set of working groups and postdoctoral researchers to be funded through the Gulf Ecosystem Initiative, a $3.5 million partnership to fund synthesis science focused on the Gulf. Over its five years, the Gulf Ecosystem Initiative will support up to 10 scientific working groups and up to eight postdoctoral fellows. With only a couple of calls for proposals left for working groups and post-doctoral researchers, please keep an eye out for the next call coming in November.

The mission of the NOAA RESTORE Science Program is to increase understanding of the Gulf ecosystem, including its fisheries, and to support its restoration and sustainability through research, observation, monitoring, and technology development. 

NCEAS, in downtown Santa Barbara, is a research affiliate of University of California Santa Barbara. For over 25 years, NCEAS has supported hundreds of scientific synthesis working groups to transform existing data into knowledge that informs environmental policy and management.