Research

May 11, 2016

Unmanned Surface Vehicle Launched

The construction of a custom-built Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) for NC State/CMAST was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, and will provide a robotic, shallow-water survey platform for seafloor and water quality mapping. Detailed knowledge of the near-shore environment is needed to assess the impacts of various activities and policies on aquatic habitats,… 

Oct 13, 2015

Tag, You’re It!

“So, a gray triggerfish that’s caught and then thrown back for whatever reason, what sort of shot does that fish have of making it?” This is a question CMAST’s Brendan Runde asked hypothetically as he sat working on dozens of tags spread out in front of him, tags that will end up inside of fish… 

Jul 20, 2015

The Past Uncovered

Scanning sonar from a scientific expedition has revealed the remains of a previously unknown shipwreck more than a mile deep off the North Carolina coast. Artifacts on the wreck indicate it might date to the American Revolution. Marine scientists from North Carolina State University, Duke University and the University of Oregon discovered the wreck on… 

Dec 10, 2014

Can Fish Shape Predict Optimal Mesh Size in Traps

Minimum fish size limits have increased several times over the history of the commercial trap fishery for black sea bass in ocean waters off the US South Atlantic states. However, minimum trap mesh size limits have not always increased at the same time. This has led to the use of trap meshes smaller than required… 

Dec 8, 2014

CMAST Explores the Deepest of the Deep

Scientists plunged more than 6,500 feet in the submarine Alvin to investigate the underwater communities that thrive among methane gas bubbles and seeping hydrogen sulfide in the Gulf of Mexico. Activated floodlights revealed the mysterious creatures living in one of the most extreme environments on Earth-cold seeps. As scientists peered through a tiny porthole to… 

Apr 16, 2014

Bucking Conventional Wisdom, Researchers Find Black Sea Bass Tougher Than Expected

In a new study, fisheries researchers from North Carolina State University found that black sea bass (Centropristis striata) can usually survive the physical trauma that results from being hauled up from deep water then released at the surface. The finding is part of a larger study of the fish’s mortality rate, which will inform stock… 

Nov 26, 2013

Listen Up: Oysters May Use Sound to Select a Home

Oysters begin their lives as tiny drifters, but when they mature they settle on reefs. New research from North Carolina State University shows that the sounds of the reef may attract the young oysters, helping them locate their permanent home. Larval oysters are planktonic, meaning that they cannot swim against or across currents. However, they…