Marine Sciences students present at Saco Bay Tackle Seminar

A group of student and faculty researchers from the University of New recently presented at the 2024 Saco Bay Tackle Fishing Seminar, held at the Dunegrass Country Club in Old Orchard Beach in April. 

The annual event brings together the local fishing community to generate excitement for the season, including a gear and tackle raffle and seminars related to fishing techniques and fisheries science.

Presenting were John Mohan, Ph.D., assistant professor in the School of Marine and Environmental Programs and principal investigator of the Shark and Fish Ecology Lab at UNE, and four student researchers: undergraduate research assistants Ben Gowell (Marine Sciences, ’25), Clayton Nyiri (Marine Sciences, ’25), and Kade Tyrell (Marine Sciences, ’24) and graduate research assistant Michael Nguyen (M.S. Marine Sciences, ’24). 

The group gave a public seminar on ongoing research related to tracking the habitats of striped bass in the Saco River as well as shark bycatch reduction technology. Each member of the team presented on an individual research interest: 

• Mohan discussed the use of nonlethal scale samples as chemical tracers of the natal origins (birthplace) of fish
• Gowell discussed the role of telemetry and how acoustic tags are tracking striped bass habitat use in the Saco River and broad-scale migrations along the coast
• Nyiri discussed the innovative use of electric deterrents to reduce spiny dogfish interactions in recreational groundfish fisheries
• Tyrell discussed the noninvasive use of environmental DNA in water samples to determine the presence or absence of striped bass in the Saco River
• Nguyen detailed the use of a citizen science phone application and how anglers can get involved by collecting data on striped bass by providing photos of their fish 

Members of the UNE Shark and Fish Ecology Lab engaged one-on-one with anglers and outlined their collaborative efforts to monitor the presence of white sharks in the Gulf of Maine, including how the public can keep track of shark detections using the free Sharktivity mobile application. UNE has for two years partnered with the Maine Department of Marine Resources to place real-time shark detection buoys in Saco Bay.

“Participating in the Saco Bay Tackle Fishing Seminar was a fantastic opportunity to share my research with a community that is as passionate about striped bass as I am,” Gowell reflected. “As an avid striped bass fishermen and researcher, it was rewarding to meet with other local anglers, hear their firsthand experiences, and discuss how science can contribute to their fishing practices. 

“As a student, it was also beneficial to be able to practice presenting and interacting in a public setting,” he added.

“Saco Bay Tackle has been a great partner supporting the education and research of UNE students,” Mohan remarked. “We were fortunate to have the opportunity to present ongoing fisheries research and engage the local fishing community.