Abstract

The Gulf of Mexico (GoM) is a uniquely dynamic environment with a variety of hydrographic features and oceano-graphic processes taking place. These features include; the Loop Current, cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies, and the Missis-sippi River Plume. These important features are major drivers of the biological processes occurring in the GoM and are directly responsible for the extent to which the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill (DWH) spread throughout the Gulf. The rela-tionship these features have on the long term community assemblages of Families Lutjanidae and Serranidae has been of great interest from both biological and economic standpoints. These families are home to some of the most economically important fisheries in the GoM and represent some of the larger predators found in reef ecosystems. Identifying the role these features play in the transportation of larval and juvenile nearshore species to offshore environments is vital to resource managers. Using historical data collected shortly after the DWH Oil Spill via the NOAA Natural Resource Damage As-sessment (NRDA) in 2011 as a baseline, we plan to analyze the community assemblages of lutjanids and serranids in the Northern GoM. In conjunction with this data, cruises conducted by the Deep Pelagic Nekton Dynamics of the Gulf of Mex-ico (DEEPEND) Consortium from 2015 - 2017 will be analyzed to identify the natural variability of species assemblages for lutjanids and serranids. In comparing these two data-sets we hope to identify the potential long term affects the DWH Oil Spill may have had on these fish assemblages and the faunal composition of these two families in an oceanic setting.

PDF Preview