The University of Southern Mississippi Shark Research Program
The GCRL Shark Research Program conducts research on sharks and rays from the nearshore Atlantic stingray to the offshore whale shark. The scope of work includes population monitoring and assessment surveys; reproduction, feeding and age/growth assessments; molecular endocrinology and physiology analyses; and population genetics.
05/29/2026
Our research is featured on NOAA’s webpage 🌊🦈
A Year in the Life of Larry the Whale Shark One year ago today, researchers deployed a satellite tag on a whale shark off the coast of Tampa Bay, Florida. They never could have anticipated the epic journey that would ensue.
04/22/2026
03/18/2026
Our first whale shark sightings of the year are coming in! 👀
We rely on public reporting to better understand where whale sharks are. With these reports, scientists are able to study whale shark movements and habitat use patterns in the Gulf of America.
Help us spread the word by sharing this post.
If you see a whale shark, tag us in your photo or please report your sighting to: bit.ly/whale-shark-report ⏪⏪⏪
📷: A whale shark seen near Ewing Bank, off the coast of Louisiana. Courtesy of Steve Beard
NOAA Fisheries Service
Blue World Research Institute
02/19/2026
We had a great time providing a look into the life of a shark scientist!
01/09/2026
Calling all undergraduate students interested in a summer field adventure!
https://www.usm.edu/ocean-science-engineering/_files/2026-sfp-brochure.pdf
12/02/2025
Join us for a fishy fun run!
Announcing the 15th Annual Jim Franks Merry Fishmas Fun Run!! 🏃❄️🧣
The event will be held at the Halstead GCRL Campus on Saturday, December 13, starting at 9:30 a.m. This is a fun, casual way to get outside together, celebrate the season, and kick off the holidays with our campus community!! Proceeds support our subunit chapter in providing our students with professional development opportunities.
Event details:
Date: Saturday, December 13
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Location: Halstead GCRL Campus
Length: 5K and 1 mile options
Ticket prices: $15 for adults, $10 for students, $5 for USM AFS members, and kids are free(!!)
Perks: Free event T‑Shirt for participants and a light brunch after the run
We hope to see you there! 🐟🎄🕎 ❄️
11/17/2025
CFRD’s Jeremy Higgs and Nancy Brown-Peterson attended the 78th annual conference of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute in Cartegena, Colubmia, where Jeremy presented results on Bull Shark reproduction in the Gulf of America.
10/16/2025
Come visit us this weekend!
10/08/2025
Congratulations Lindsay!! We loved working with you!
Huge congrats to Lindsay Bomgardner for successfully defending her master's thesis this morning! 🎉
Her thesis, "Describing and Characterizing Lemon Shark Nursery Habitat in Mississippi Coastal Waters," is the product of dedication, curiosity, and countless hours. We’re thrilled to celebrate this milestone. Congratulations, Lindsay!
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