My PhD research is focused on developing a model to derive species specific abundance information from  aggregate catch statistics (i.e., total catch-per-unit-effort data).  This is being done to move away from treating the community of species making  up a multi-species fishery as a single stock, so that we have a better understanding of how the individual species making up these mutli-species fisheries are impacted by fishing mortality . I will use the Hawaiian bottomfish fishery as a case study, which is a mutli-species fishery targeting approximately 13 species.  The stock assessments being done for this fishery treat this complex of species as a single species and management policies are determined for the aggregate. Currently this fishery is being managed by an aggregate total allowable catch system.  Another component of my research will be to evaluate potential management strategies for the Hawaiian bottomfish fishery.    

Meaghan is a member of the Quatitative Research modeling group working with Dr. Steve Martell.

PUBLICATIONS

Zeller, D., Darcy, M., Booth, S., Lowe, M.K., Martell, S. 2008. What about recreational catch? Potential impact on stock assessment for Hawaii bottomfish fisheries. Fisheries Research 91: 88-97.

Brennan, N.P., Darcy, M.C., Leber, K.L. 2006. Predator-free enclosures improvepost-release survival of stocked common snook. Journal of Experimental MarineBiology and Ecology 335: 302-311.

Darcy, M.C., D.B. Eggleston. Do habitat corridors influence animaldispersal and colonization in estuarine systems? Landscape Ecology 20 (7):841-855.