IUCRC Phase III University of Southern Mississippi Center for Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS)

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The Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCeMFiS) uses academic and commercial finfish and shellfish fisheries resources to address scientific problems limiting sustainable fisheries. SCeMFiS reflects both a continuing expansion of industry-supported research in an era of increased science rigor in management, and the importance of synergistic collaboration between academics, industry, and regulatory agencies in complex management decisions. This five-year, Phase III renewal for the SCEMFIS Lead Site, The University of Southern Mississippi, will focus its research efforts on: (1) precautionary management that maintains catch quotas below sustainable levels, (2) the influence of climate change on sustainable management and long-range planning, (3) resolution of multiple use conflicts (both spatial and over multi-decadal time frames) between fisheries and wind energy production, and (4) ecosystem management with a focus on forage fish and ecosystem trophic structure. The SCeMFiS industry-university cooperative research center (IUCRC) will develop essential biological data on fish stocks and improve models of sampling design, population dynamics, and fishery performance; evaluate trends in stock structure and their relation to genetics, physiology and sexual dimorphism; and improve approaches to fishing to reduce discards through gear innovation and modifications in fleet deployment. SCeMFiS offers the coalescence of capabilities from a range of oceanographic and marine biological disciplines that is essential to meet the challenges faced by fisheries management. Broader impacts of the work include workforce training of the next generation of fisheries professionals, creation of significant and extensive data archives of fisheries ranges and productivity, and sustainability of a crucial sector of the U.S. marine economy. SCeMFiS provides a mechanism by which a diverse group of fishing companies and organizations can collectively develop a coherent, problem-solving research plan advantaged by access to a wealth of academic resources. The renewal to a third phase of SCEMFIS research will build on efforts of the previous two successful phases. SCeMFiS partners gain ownership of the products developed, and become full partners in assessment and regulatory actions supporting sustainable management. SCeMFiS provides a mechanism by which industry can publicly demonstrate their support for the goal of sustainable seafood. In a SCEMFIS Phase III, the Center will expand efforts to leverage additional research support emphasizing the integrated efforts of the two sites to achieve industry-wide research goals, stabilize precautionary management actions that would otherwise drive quota reductions, reflect management actions that are responsive to climate change driven variations in fish production and accessibility, with all actions in compliance with federal mandates under the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. These goals will be achieved in an environment that promotes graduate education, enables rapid response to emerging data needs, and provides a combined fishery and economics approach to address societal needs.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.