The FSU Coastal and Marine Lab Conservation Lecture Series presents "Conserving Fish in the Southeast" on Thursday, June 14, 2012 at 7pm in the FSU CML Auditorium.

Known as the American Mediterranean, the Gulf of Mexico is an economic and environmental treasure.  Within it lie natural wonders and habitats ranging from an underwater Grand Canyon 12,000 feet deep to coral reefs and one of the largest contiguous seagrass beds in the Northern Hemisphere.

From whales to dolphins, from osprey to brown pelicans, important marine animals eat smaller fish and organisms to survive.  Understanding the role of their prey species in the food web is critical to a healthy, robust ocean ecosystem.

Populations of some of these small fish have plummeted, partly because billions have een scooped up by industrial fishing to serve as ingredients in fertilizer, pet food, and other products.  Depleting fish too fast risks tipping the balance of the ocean ecosystem and harming an economic engine that supports millions of people and jobs.  This is the focus of the talk for the June 14th lecture.

Sharon McBreen is a senior outreach associate for Pew Environment Group's Gulf of Mexico Fish Conservation Campaign.  After working as a reporter and editor at the Orlando Sentinel for 24 years, Sharon decided to turn her passion for fishing and Florida's outdoors into working to preserve Florida's fish populations.  She travels the Gulf of Mexico coast and works with fishermen, marine biologists, fishery managers and others to end and prevent overfishing and protect the marine ecosystem.

Please join us for refreshments after the talk to chat with Ms. McBreen.

The FSU Coastal & Marine Laboratory is located at 3618 Coastal Highway 98 in St. Teresa, Florida.

For more information call 850-697-4137 or visit www.marinelab.fsu.edu, or http://www.facebook.com/FSUCML.

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