Dr. Athena Rycyk, Associate Professor in New College of Florida’s Marine Mammal Science program, has received a federal Sea Grant award of more than $330,000 to lead innovative research on marine species in the Gulf of America. The project, titled The Development of a Cost-Effective and Scalable Protected Species Monitoring Plan for the Velella Epsilon and Future Finfish Aquaculture Projects in the Gulf of America, will provide critical insights into how dolphins and other marine wildlife use offshore habitats in connection with the first offshore finfish net-pen project of its kind in the Gulf. Conducted in collaboration with NOAA Fisheries and Ocean Era, Inc., the research will develop a scalable monitoring plan for marine species, including bottlenose and Atlantic spotted dolphins before, during, and after the year-long deployment of the Velella Epsilon project, located approximately 45 miles southwest of Sarasota.

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