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ABOUT US
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PERSONNEL
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ENDOWED FACULTY
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STUNZ
DR. GREG STUNZ
HRI ENDOWED ASSOCIATE RESEARCH PROFESSOR
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HRI ENDOWED FACULTY
DR. RICHARD MCLAUGHLIN
DR. PAUL MONTAGNA
DR. THOMAS SHIRLEY
DR. GREG STUNZ
 TAMUCC FACULTY BIO
CURRICULUM VITAE (pdf)
GULFBASE BIO
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Researchers study tourneys to learn how fisheries change
Source:
Port A South Jetty
click image to enlarge
March 2008 - Dr. Greg Stunz is looking for anglers.
Anglers with photos. Anglers with data.
Stunz, a marine biologist at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi's
Harte Research Institute, is doing a study of sport fishing in the
Gulf of Mexico, along with researchers in Mississippi and Alabama.
"The idea is to find out what the changes have been in catches over
the years," Stunz said. "We're looking at tournaments like the Deep
Sea Roundup (in Port Aransas) and other old tournaments that go
back 75 years or so. Back then, there were no regulations or any
data on what people were catching. We think the tournaments are our
best chance to learn how catches have changed."
Stunz also has a team of undergraduate students working with him to
collect and collate the data from the tourneys. Among the things
they're looking for are photos of Deep Sea Roundups of the past,
showing the fish that have been caught.
"We're mostly interested in sharks right now - pelagic (oceangoing)
sharks," he said.
Stunz said the tournament photos will be valuable because they show
the actual fish caught during the competition, letting researchers
identify the fish.
The study has been going on for about three weeks, and Stunz isn't
certain yet exactly what it will show.
"A lot of this will depend on how much data we can find," he said.
Researchers were in Port Aransas last week thumbing through archive
copies of the South Jetty and looking at memorabilia collected by
Port Aransas Boatmen Inc., sponsors of the Deep Sea Roundup.
"We'll be back plenty of times," Stunz said. "We're hoping for a
lot of information on the Deep Sea Roundup."
Once the data is collected, Stunz said researchers will sit down
and try to draw conclusions from it.
He said the study should be finished before the end of this year.
Anyone with information about past Deep Sea Roundup catches or
photos of past tournaments should call him at Texas A&M University-
Corpus Christi, (361) 825-3254, Stunz said.
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Research and scholarly activity
Source: TAMUCC Coastlines
March 2008 - Dr. Greg Stunz, a professor with the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, and Science and Technology
Professor Deborah Overath, have received a $100,000 grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to conduct
genetics studies on fisheries. The grant will allow them to assess the efficacy of hatchery reared fish in replenishing over-fished
stocks such as spotted sea trout and their contribution to adult populations and the ecology of estuaries.
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READ MORE
Aug 2007 - Stunz team's current research focuses on Packery Channel
July 2007 - CCA Texas funds Port Mansfield study
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Dr. Greg Stunz in his HRI lab
Carrie Robertson photo - download hi-rez (350KB)
Contact Information:
Harte Research Institute, 213A
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
6300 Ocean Drive, Unit 5869
Corpus Christi , Texas 78412-5869
Telephone: (361) 825-3254
Fax: (361) 825-2050
E-mail: greg.stunz@tamucc.edu
Greg Stunz became HRI's Endowed Associate Research Professor for
Ocean and Human Health
in September 2007.
Dr. Stunz’s research interests are in marine biology with an emphasis in fisheries and marine ecology. Specifically, his research centers on understanding
the relative value of habitat for aquatic organisms and ocean and human health.
CURRICULUM VITAE (pdf)
Area of Expertise/Interest:
Marine Biology, Marine Ecology, Marine Fisheries Ecology
Research Projects:
MORE RESEARCH INFO
- The Role of Oyster Reef as Essential Fish Habitat,
2006-present. Oyster reefs are recognized for their value as a
fishery source for oysters, yet these reefs also provide habitat for
marine life. This Texas Parks and Wildlife-funded project is designed
to characterize patterns of habitat use and food web dynamics in
recently mapped oyster reef systems in Matagorda Bay, Texas.
- Effects of Propeller Scarring on Seagrass-Associated Fauna, 2005-2007.
Seagrasses play a critical role in the function and structure of
coastal ecosystems, and they are an important habitat for a variety of
marine organisms. Damage to seagrass beds from boat propellers is
significant in many areas. This study was designed to examine the
effects of the propeller scarring on seagrass-associated fauna.
- Effects of Tidal Inlets on Recruitment
Dynamics of Marine Nekton, 2006-2008. In the Gulf of Mexico,
the vast majority of commercially important species are
estuarine-dependent with larvae migrating through tidal inlets to reach
their “nursery” grounds. Access to high quality habitats in estuarine
areas via tidal inlets is critical for reproduction, growth, survival,
and sustainability of these populations. The purpose of this Sea
Grant-funded research is to assess tidal inlets dynamics, including the
newly dredge Packery Channel, for recruiting marine life.
- Shark Population Dynamics on Padre Island
National Seashore, 2007-present. Recent global and regional
trends have suggested alarming declines in shark populations. One of
the restricting factors in implementing proper management is our
limited understanding of the basic shark population parameters such as
species composition, movement patterns, nursery areas, and habitat use.
The goal of this United States Geological Survey-funded project is to
assess the ecology of sharks using the Padre Island National Seashore.
- Effects of Hypoxia on Estuarine Fishes in
their Nursery Habitats, 2007-2008. Hypoxia, dissolved oxygen
concentrations routinely falling below 2 mg/l for extended time
periods, is becoming a wide-ranging phenomenon. The low oxygen levels
are often a result of human-induced nutrient enrichment leading to
oxygen depletion, and few animals can tolerate the associated
physiological stress. The goal of this Texas Research Development Fund
study is to examine the effects of extended periods of low oxygen on
the nursery value of estuarine habitat types and further the scientific
knowledge on factors influencing community structure in aquatic
populations.
- Catch-and-Release Mortality of Spotted
Seatrout, 2005-present. Catch and release is becoming a more
common management tool in marine recreational fisheries. Clearly, a
critical factor in determining proper management practices using this
strategy is post-capture survival. The Coastal Conservation Association
(CCA-Texas) has funded this study to investigate the mortality
associated with catch and release in the spotted seatrout Cynoscion
nebulosus fishery in south Texas.
Education:
- B.S. in Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio (1990)
- M.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University (1995)
- Ph.D. in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University (1999)
Associates:
Courses:
- Marine Ecological Processes, BIOL 5436
- Marine Fisheries, BIOL 4428 and 5428
- Coral Reef Ecology, BIOL 5202
- Field and Sampling Techniques, BIOL 5409
Students:
PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
Selected Publications:
MORE PUBLICATIONS
- Bushon, A.M., G.W. Stunz, and M.M.Reese. 2007. Evaluation of visible implant elastomer for marking juvenile red drum in experimental studies.
North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 27:460-464
- Stunz, G.W. and D.A. McKee. 2006. Catch-and-release mortality of spotted seatrout
(Cynoscion nebulosus) North American Journal of Fisheries Management 26:843-848
- Burfeind, D.D. and G.W. Stunz. 2006. The effects of boat propeller scarring intensity on nekton abundance in subtropical seagrass meadows.
Marine Biology 148:953-962
- Levin, P.S. and G.W. Stunz. 2005. Habitat triage for exploited fishes: Can we identify essential fish habitat? Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 64:70-78
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