Bethany Gaffey, a master’s student at the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, spent the summer of 2021 researching Gulf Sturgeon on the Choctawhatchee River. Part of a multi-agency collaborative effort, the work focused on gathering genetic, age, and movement data to support the conservation of this threatened prehistoric species.
According to the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Gaffey’s internship was conducted through the University of Florida and the Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. This specific fieldwork on the Choctawhatchee River in the Florida panhandle is a component of a larger research replication project involving a wide array of partners, including NOAA, USGS, FWC, USFWS, and universities such as LSU, USM, UGA, NAU, and Mississippi State.
Choctawhatchee River Field Operations
Fieldwork required a all hands on deck
approach to populate the Gulf Sturgeon database. The research team utilized both drifting and anchored gill nets to capture specimens. Once a fish was caught, the crew performed a rigorous set of measurements and collections, including weighing the fish and taking genetic and age samples.
To monitor how these fish move, the team used two types of tracking technology: PIT tags and acoustic tags. The latter were reserved for fish of an appropriate size. While the net mesh was designed to target juvenile fish, the range of captures was significant; according to UF/IFAS, the team collected samples from sturgeon as small as 10 inches and as large as 6 feet.
Gulf Sturgeon Distribution and Climate Variables
The data collected during the summer of 2021 feeds into Gaffey’s master’s thesis, which examines the intersection of species distribution and climate change. This research is not based solely on new captures; Gaffey is utilizing decades of existing data alongside the fresh samples her team collected.
- Water temperature
- Precipitation
- Groundwater
Multi-River Sampling Network
Science Communication and Academic Path
Bethany Gaffey, student in the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, stated that working with such a prehistoric, charismatic, and threatened species had been exciting. She noted that she enjoyed getting up close and personal with these protected fish and sharing her experiences with friends and family via social media. Because she is currently pursuing a career in science communication, she added that she enjoyed learning the best ways to communicate their research findings creatively.
The School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences
The institutional framework supporting this research is the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, an interdisciplinary unit that has focused on the sustainable management and conservation of natural resources since 1937. The school integrates three distinct program areas: Geomatics, Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, and Forest Resources and Conservation.
Gaffey is pursuing her master’s degree within the Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences program, with a planned graduation date of summer 2023.
