Achievement

Thomas Farrugia is interested in using the information collected through his work to inform existing or proposed fishery management plans. Through a combination of satellite tag studies and the analysis of existing catch data, he is studying the movement patterns of skates in the Gulf of Alaska and implications for the management of a skate fishery. Supported by a MESAS IGERT small grant, Farrugia presented his work last winter at the American Elasmobrach Society (AES) Annual Meeting. Most of the research presented at the conference is geared towards elasmobranch conservation, and many of the experts that come to AES are actively involved in policy, either through government agencies, management, or as part of CITES and IUCN. In addition to his research activities, Farrugia has taken a strong interest in teaching and will be the primary instructor of the undergraduate Introduction to Fisheries course in the upcoming year.