Two researchers work at a laboratory bench, using scientific equipment and monitoring instruments surrounded by shelves, cables, and lab supplies.

Gulf Coast fisheries are focus of $3.5 million grant

Published Jul 27, 2026 by
Filed under:

An ECU biologist is studying long-term sustainability of the Gulf Coast ecosystem and fisheries through a new $3.5 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Restore Science Program.

Rebecca Asch, associate professor in the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Department of Biology, will lead a team of investigators on the research through September 2030. They will study fish-spawning aggregations in the Gulf and the long-term suitability of these habitats. She will work closely with other scientists and managers at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, which is about 100 miles off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana, and the Gulf Council, among other partners, to verify, monitor and model FSAs and facilitate their management and conservation.

“Spawning aggregations are essential for fish populations. They are special places where most of the reproduction of the species happens, and without protection, that reproduction is likely to decline over time,” Asch said. “That impacts the viability of populations of that species and any activities that are commercial or recreational, such as fishing, or in some cases tourism, that depend on those species.”

At ECU, Charles Veith, a student in the Integrated Coastal Sciences doctoral program, and Brian Bartlett, a postdoctoral scholar in biology, will assist Asch on the project. Asch said they have a general idea of what types of fish species they may encounter, but they will also study species that play a key role in the fishing and tourism industry.
Asch also said the Restore grants are unique. While there are specific goals, the grantor encourages researchers to spend the first year working with stakeholders to determine how the science will work and how it will contribute to management.

“You end up with solutions that are more acceptable to people, and groups are not at odds with each other,” she said. “This is our long-term vision in terms of how we want to contribute to conservation.”

Ultimately, the team’s goal over the next five years is to gather data from fisheries, fishermen and independent surveys, verify where and what species are reproducing in the Gulf and develop plans for the best way to manage and conserve these sites.

Learn more about Asch’s project and the team at Cooperative Study of Spawning Aggregations.