Benjamin Kurth Email & Phone Number

St Petersburg, Florida, United States

Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida Area

Fisheries Independent Monitoring (FIM Program

Monitor fish populations in the Gulf of Mexico via in situ collections (i.e., seines, trawls, hook and line), as well as remote methods (i.e., cameras, side scan sonar, multibeam acoustics)

Molecular Genetics Laboratory

• Use DNA sequencing, genotyping and other bio-molecular methods to:
• Investigate demographic/taxonomic linkages, genetic dynamics, and ecological interactions among organisms, including marine and freshwater finfish** and invertebrates, marine and terrestrial mammals, and waterfowl
• Assist biologists and resource managers in species conservation and management
• Provide guidance to state and federal regulators/policy-makers in matters having conservation genetic implications for Florida’s native species

College Of Marine Science - Fish Ecology Lab

• Conducted research on Atlantic Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) lifelong habitat use and migration.
• Used Stable Isotope analysis to identify essential juvenile habitat and ontogenetic habitat shifts, as well as foraging site fidelity among mature individuals.
• Collaborated with FWRI Tarpon Genetic Recapture Program to better describe juvenile Tarpon biology, habitat use, ontogenetic habitat shifts.

Gulf Ecology Division, Gulf Breeze, FL

• Provided research support independently and as a team member on laboratory and field efforts of the EPA
• Assisted with two major research projects: Assessing the Gulf of Mexico Hypoxic Zone biogeochemistry and Remote sensing of water quality characteristics in various Florida estuary systems

Fisheries Habitat Ecology Division

• Sampled Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis) populations using large seine nets and Passive Internal Transponder tags
• Assisted mentor with literature research and statistical analysis for the development of several populations
• Produced project and co-authored publication on the effects of a disturbance on a fish population

Master Of Science (Ms), Marine Resouce Assessment

Activities and Societies: Knight Fellow Paul M. Getting FellowshipThesis: Trophic ecology and habitat use of Atlantic Tarpon (Megalops.

Bachelor Of Science (Bs), Aquatic/Marine Biology, 3.8 Gpa

Activities and Societies: Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Society, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Campus RecreationSenior Research, Biology Department.