The second oldest Federal fisheries laboratory in the United States is located in Beaufort, North Carolina. The Center provides managers with information needed to enhance recreational and commercial fishing and Essential Fish Habitat information required under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Management and Conservation Act. Jointly sponsored by the National Ocean Service and National Marine Fisheries Service, the CCFHR conducts laboratory and field research on estuarine processes, nearshore and ocean ecosystems biological productivity, the dynamics of coastal and reef fishery resources, and the effects of human influences on resource productivity.

Coastal Habitats - Research focuses on the importance of coastal and estuarine habitats to fish, the impacts of natural and human factors on these habitats, and how to restore them. Current studies include salt marshes, intertidal flats, and seagrasses along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and large California coastal bays. The Center also conducts studies on micro-algae, seagrass and salt marsh plants, invertebrates and fishes, bacterial interactions, and the linkages between habitats and all fishery organisms.

Fish Ecology - Environmental factors affecting the survival of the early life stages of fish need to be understood, as they are a major factor of future populations. Larval and juvenile fish are collected and the processes that transport larvae from spawning to nursery grounds and the conditions which aid their survival are described. Through otolith techniques, the ages when larval and juvenile fish migrate to nursery grounds are also determined. This information improves our ability to forecast abundance and manage fish resources.

Chemical and Physical Processes - Trace metals and stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur help researchers understand habitat use, trophic pathways, contaminant exposure and biomagnification in coastal ecosystems. Current projects include determining the origin of high mercury levels in Florida Bay fish, South Atlantic coastal pelagics, and marine mammals. Also, on the west Florida Shelf, researchers are using isotopes to determine now much plant productivity is needed to support a healthy system. Stock discrimination and migration of fish are also under study using trace metal characteristics of otoliths.

Harmful Algal Blooms - These have been studied for more than a decade. Understanding the conditions that produce them and detecting them as they begin are important, as well as determining the physical aspects of a bloom. On the west Florida continental shelf, there are studies of how the toxins from a bloom affect the web of life. Equipment is being developed to monitor a bloom as it develops.

Reef Fish - Populations of snappers, groupers, and other reef fish in the southeastern Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico are assessed using fish landing data and life history information. The life history data includes age/growth, mortality, and reproduction. Scientists also analyze changes in age structure and population size of various species, and do SCUBA surveys to study reef fish habitat distribution and abundance, habitat preference, community structure, and impacts of fishing on natural reefs. Summary reports are provided to regional fish management councils and commissions discussing the health of the populations and recommendations on ways to allow continued public use of reef fish resources.

Population Dynamics - Valuable commercial and recreational fish in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico are monitored to gather accurate population data. Data and statistics are provided to the Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Councils and the National Marine Fisheries Service for their decisions. The Center also assists other institutions with fish assessments as requested.

Protected Species - The Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act require monitoring of protected sea turtles and marine mammals. Information gathered includes overall characteristics (e.g., age, sex) genetic structure, habitat requirements, and navigational cues. Also assessed are impacts of fish interactions.