Habitat Ecology in the Northeast

We conduct research on marine life to determine how habitat loss, degradation, restoration, and mitigation affect ecosystems.

deep-sea corals

The Northeast U.S. continental shelf ecosystem is home to many species of fish and marine life. Changes to their habitats from human activities or climate change can have negative effects on their populations. These changes can also affect the sustainability of important commercial fisheries in the Northeast.

We conduct research on the status of marine life populations to determine the functional value of habitats. We explore changes to habitat including habitat loss, degradation, restoration, and mitigation. We want to determine how these changes affect ecosystem services such as aquaculture, productivity, and diversity. 

Our tools include:

  • Sampling cruises.
  • Database development, analysis, and modeling.
  • Chemical analysis related to the status, health, distribution, and movements of fisheries stocks and protected species. 

We collaborate with managers, academic researchers, and industry partners on our research.

Take a deeper dive into our current research projects

Last updated by Northeast Fisheries Science Center on October 17, 2019