Many commercially important fish species - like the Nassau grouper - are under threats that endanger their long-term viability. We seek to better understand how these species behave within their habitats, and assess the impact human intervention is having on marine populations.

Groupers and snappers, for example, gather in large schools of hundreds to thousands of fish every year to reproduce. We closely monitor these massive gatherings, called Fish Spawning Aggregations (FSAs), to discover how we can best preserve these species for decades to come.

Did you see a Fish Spawning Aggregation while you were on the water?

Science-based management is not enough. Communication and outreach are essential tools in our arsenal that we use to shift people's behaviors and attitudes, as well as foster policies aimed at protecting fisheries, ecosystems and food security. We work with local governments, NGOs, partners and more to guide fishery regulations, marine spatial planning and ecosystem-based management in The Bahamas and the Caribbean.