Mississippi State University Marine Fisheries Ecology

09/02/2026

🎣 As part of the Reef Fish Extension project, partners in Texas have helped grow the Gulf Commercial Fisherman Program (GCFP) — a training program for entry-level deckhands looking to break into commercial fishing in the Gulf of America.

Participants learn fisheries management, gear and vessel types, species ID, fish house operations, safety at sea, and business planning — all culminating in a hands-on day of commercial fishing.

GCFP is an industry-led initiative built in partnership with Sea Grant and Gulf fishing businesses, showing how collaboration between scientists and stakeholders keeps training focused where it’s needed most.

📍 Learn more and stay updated on the next training: gulfcommercialfishing.org

08/31/2026

🎀 IT’S A GIRL! 🎀

But how do we actually know? 👀 We examine reproductive organs to determine s*x and learn more about the reproductive biology of red snapper and other reef fishes—including when they mature and how many eggs females can produce.

08/28/2026

Join the Return ‘Em Right team!

Our team is expanding! Return ’Em Right is seeking a full-time Marketing and Communications Specialist! 🎣

We are looking for an experienced marketer with a passion for saltwater angling to help develop, implement, and evaluate our promotional campaigns, manage our website, and represent Return 'Em Right at major outreach events!

📍 Location: Gainesville, FL (Florida Sea Grant office at UF)
💼 Benefits: Full University of Florida benefits package!

If you know you love outdoor recreation marketing, and excel at public engagement, we want to hear from you. 🐟👇

Click the link to submit your application: https://explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/541034/marketing-and-digital-media-specialist-i-or-ii

08/19/2026

The Reef Fish Extension project may be officially wrapping up, but the partnerships we’ve built through these programs continue on. Collaboration between scientists and stakeholders ensures that research is focused where it matters most.

To read more about this project, visit www.gulfseagrant.org/reef-fish-extension/

08/18/2026

We may be a little biased, but these two are rockstars! Click the link to learn more about their story.

🦈 From Interns to Marine Scientists

Meet Alena Anderson and Danielle McAree, WFA alumni and Mississippi State University Extension Service associates making waves in marine science. Through hands-on research, they are advancing our understanding of shark growth, movement, and ecology while supporting conservation and fisheries management efforts throughout the Gulf Coast.

Their journey from interns in the Mississippi State University Marine Fisheries Ecology Program to marine science professionals highlights the opportunities available through the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture – Mississippi State.

🔗 Learn more about Alena and Danielle's research at the link in the comments.

08/14/2026

What can we say, we keep it super chic around here! 💅✨

08/12/2026

🎣🚨Attention Anglers🚨🎣

We’re excited to announce the launch of a Gulf-wide Cobia & Tripletail High Dollar Reward Tagging Program, made possible through funding from the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission and the collaboration of researchers and partners from across the Gulf Coast.

Over the coming months, hundreds of cobia and Tripletail will be tagged to help us better understand their movements, habitat use, survival and connectivity throughout the Gulf. Every angler who reports a tagged fish contributes directly to the success of this research.

Anglers who return a tag will receive a $250 reward! 💵

Simply:

✅ Clip and mail in the tag
✅ Report your catch at tags.usouthal.edu
✅ If the fish is harvested, please return the acoustic tag as well

Please help us spread the word by sharing this post. The more anglers who know about these reward tags, the more successful this project will be.

Thank you for helping advance fisheries science and conserve our Gulf fisheries!

08/11/2026

That’s a wrap!

Over the past five years, the Southeastern Sea Grant teams have developed and implemented Extension and outreach programming related to reef fish research and management in the South Atlantic and Gulf of America. By working directly with stakeholders, the Reef Fish team identified pressing research gaps in each region and tailored programming to fit the needs of each community.

Interested in learning more about this work? Click this link to visit the website!
https://gulfseagrant.org/reef-fish-extension/

Thank you National Sea Grant College Program for funding this regional collaborative work!

08/10/2026

Read Dr. Marcus Drymon’s latest blog for more information about our FISHES course. Registration is open now! 🎣

08/05/2026

📡🐟 Range Testing 101 📡🐟

Are you familiar with acoustic telemetry range testing? This is a critical step in Conrad’s master’s research, helping identify any potential data gaps between our Innovasea acoustic receivers throughout our array in Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

By understanding how well each receiver detects tagged fish, we can ensure we’re collecting reliable movement data. These receivers will allow us to better understand sheepshead movement patterns in Mississippi waters. Stay tuned for those results! 👨‍🔬📊