ECU awarded $3.5 million to study fish spawning aggregations

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - East Carolina University has been awarded $3.5 million to study fish spawning aggregations off the Gulf Coast.

ECU says Dr. Rebecca Asch, an associate professor in its biology department, will lead a team of investigators on the research through September 2030.

Dr. Asch says fish spawning aggregations are places where certain species of fish gather to reproduce. She says they are often vulnerable to overfishing or environmental changes.

“So, the goal of this project is to work with fishers and managers to verify some of these sites that are unverified in the Gulf of Mexico,” Dr. Asch said. “Figure out where they are, monitor them, and figure out what is the best way of managing them so that they stay healthy into the future.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Restore Science Program funds the grant. In addition to being exciting, Dr. Asch also says getting the funding was a big relief after she says it has been a difficult climate for receiving federal funds and grants.

“It allows us to focus on doing some really cool science rather than just thinking about applying for grants and the next funding source,” she said.

Dr. Asch also says ECU will partner with multiple organizations, including the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of Texas and Louisiana, and incorporate the public into the science.

More information on the project can be found here.