Join us for a journey into the deep blue waters of the Gulf with Dr. Tracey Sutton, professor of marine and environmental sciences at the Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center of Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Sutton will discuss the extraordinary biodiversity of the deep Gulf water column, from the sunlit surface to the pitch-black “midnight zone.” Research over the last 15 years has uncovered numerous new life forms but has also detected a decrease in pelagic life across multiple levels, from small deep-sea “baitfish” to large oceanic predators.

Dr. Sutton will discuss the deep Gulf in the context of a highly interconnected ecosystem that ranges from Florida to Texas. Fishermen who seek pelagic fish like tuna and billfish in the Gulf will be particularly interested in Dr. Sutton’s work, which connects with the health of populations of offshore recreational fish.