Marine Resources Division 217 Ft. Johnson Road Charleston, SC 29412-2559

The Marine Resources Division of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is located on James Island adjacent to historic Charleston Harbor. Current research programs focus on obtaining the scientific information needed to better manage coastal resources. Fishery management activities focus on analysis of the condition of recreational and commercial fisheries, evaluation of fishery management effects, assessing new and promising fishing technologies and methods to enhance existing fisheries, and developing commercially viable cultured seafood products. The Division also investigates and addresses environmental and ecological concerns, especially those that affect fisheries habitats.

DNR facilities at the Marine Resources Center include the 50,000 square foot Marine Resources Research Institute (MRRI), plus a portion of the 78,000 square foot Hollings Marine Laboratory. Culture facilities equipped with a recirculation seawater and freshwater system suitable for the culture of a variety of marine species exist in both buildings. Laboratories for research specific to the various disciplines identified for the Division's research and management staff utilizing the most up-to-date equipment including gas and liquid chromatography, automated nutreint and CHN analyzers, robotics, sequencers, DNA microarray technologies, real time and automated PCR, etc. Numerious other labs are dedicated to research in ecology, physiology, age-growth and reproductive assessments, shellfish diseases and restoration, plankton, chemistry, and taxonomy. The Institute houses the Southeastern Regional Taxonomic Center, which serves as a training facility, a specimen repository, and a venue for a taxonomic library and searchable database. Facilities at the HML include biosecure marine infectious disease research laboratories and state-of-the-art environmental toxicology bioassay chambers in addition to support laboratories for physiology, toxicology, and genomics. Library holdings include approximately 25,000 volumes representing more than 22,000 unique titles. Computer facilities consist of NT servers, a GIS laboratory, and more than 150 desktop computers. Rsearch vessels include the R/V PALMETTO - a 110-foot steel hull ocean research vessel, the R/V LADY LISA - a 73-foot St. Augustine trawler, the RV ANITA - a 52-foot wooden hull inshore research vessel, a new 45-foot fiberglass catamaran designed for educational outreach, and approximately 40 small boats with outboard motors. The Marine Division's Waddell Mariculture Center is a state-of-the-art aquaculture field station located in Bluffton, South Carolina. Experimental and production scale facilities include seven buildings, twenty-five research ponds, four greenhouses, replicated tank systems, and pumping capacity for freshwater and seawater to ponds, tanks and laboratories. The facility's innovative research includes advanced environmentally-friendly intensive production technologies. The Division opened a new field station in 2002 at Bennett's Point in the ACE Basin NERR that includes a classroom/conference room, dormitory space for 12 visitors, a wet laboratory, office space for the ACE Basin Reserve staff, boat storage, and dock facilities.

The Marine Resources Division is proactive in applying rigorous advanced scientific methods and tools to provide basic data for the division's applied resource managers. This provides a fundamental foundation for development of sound policies communicated through an effective in-house education and outreach office. The research, management and education components are housed at the SCDNR Marine Resrouces Center where multi-institutional collaborations with federal government and university facilities on the campus have culminated in the development of the new Hollings Marine Laboratory (HML). Dedicated in 2002, this federal multi-disciplinary facility provides science and biotechnology applications to sustain, protect and restore coastal ecosystems, emphasizing linkages between environmental and human health. Division scientists are conducting studies to determine factors that control the distribution, life history, abundance and reproduction of commerically and recreationally important species in the southeastern region, and provide long-term databases on the sttus and trends of important fishery species. The MRD provides the primary fishery-independent databases used by the states and fishery management councils for the southeastern region through the MARMAP, SEAMAP and other long-term monitoring programs. Current research emphasis is on inshore fisheries, offshore fisheries associated with hard-bottom reef habitats, shellfish and crustacean resources, aquaculture for commercial production and stock enhancement, and assessing environmental effects of habitat modifications and pollution on the physiology and health of biotic reources and their associated habitats through ecological assessments that are integrated with other measures of habitat condition.

The Marine Resources Divison is not an academic institution, however, many Division scientists serve as faculty members for the Graduate Programs in Marine Biology and Environmental Studies at the College of Charleston. In addition, many Division scientists hold full or adjunct faculty appointments at one or more of the following institutions: Clemson University, College of Charleston, Medical University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina. The Division also maintains formal cooperative agreements with Clemson University and the University of South Carolina for cooperative research, education and extension programs. Finally, the MRD maintains a summer minority traing program through a mix of state and federal funding that provides an opportunity for undergraduate students to experience marine research during a 12 week period.

Administrative Staff, Research Scientists and Senior Biologists:
Anderson, William, Wildlife Biologist III, mollusk biology, assessment and fisheries management
Atwood, Amy, Ph.D., Assistant Marine Scientist, Shrimp aquaculture
Ball, Amy, Ph.D., Assistant Marine Scientist, fisheries biology
Barans, Charles, Ph.D., Senior Marine Scientist, fisheries biology
Beatty, Randy, Director of Vessel Operations
Bell, Melvin, Wildlife Biologist IV, artificial reefs and recreational fisheries development
Bobo, Yvonne, Wildlife Biolgist III, shellfish biology, diseases of shellfish
Boyles,Robert, MRD Deputy Director
Browdy, Craig, Ph.D., Senior Marine Scientist, crustacean, finfish culture
Chapman, Robert, Ph.D., Associate Marine Scientist, population genetics, marine genomics coordinator
Coen, Loren, Ph.D., Associate Marine Scientist, shellfish and benthic ecology, restoration science, shellfish research coordinator
Collins, Mark, Ph.D., Associate Marine Scientist, finfish biology, mariculture
Cupka, David, Director, Office of Regional Management
DeLancey, Larry, Wildlife Biologist III, crustacean biology
Denson, Mike, Wildlife Biologist III, finfish aquaculture, fishery enhancement
Farmer, Charles, Director, Office of Public Affairs
Hadley, Nancy, Wildlife Biologist III, shellfish mariculture, shellfish restoration and ecology
Hammond, Donald, Wildlife Biologist III, recreational finfish management and development
Harris, Patrick, Ph.D., Associate Marine Scientist, finfish biology
Jenkins, Nan, Wildlife Biologist III, fisheries data collection and management
Jenkins, Wallace, Wildlife Biologist IV, finfish culture management, assessment and development
Knott, David, Wildlife Biologist III, benthic ecology, benthic taxonomy
Lewitus, Alan, Ph.D., Associate Marine Scientist, algal ecology and biology
Low, Robert, Ph.D., Wildlife Biologist IV, fisheries statistics
Maier, Phil, Wildlife Biologist III, enviromental biologist
Martore, Bob, Wildlife Biologist III, artificial reefs
McCord, William, Wildlife Biologist III, anadromous fisheries

McKenzie, Michael, ACE Basin NERR Manager, Outreach and Special Programs
Moore, Charles, Wildlife Biologist IV
Rhodes, Raymond, Wildlife Biologist IV, economic analysis and assistance
Rice, Denise, Director, Office of Management Services
Reichert, Marcel, Ph.D., Assistant Marine Scientist, fisheries ecology and biology
Riekerk, George, Wildlife Biologist III, environmental research
Roumillat, William, Wildlife Biologist III, reproductive biology of fishes, fisheries ecology and stock assessment
Sedberry, George, Ph.D., Senior Marine Scientist/Assistant Director - MRRI, finfish biology, offshore finfish research coordinator
Segars, Al, DVM, veterinary medicine, invertebrate diseases, turtle research
Shepard, Neng, Ph.D., Assistant Marine Scientist, marine genomics
Smith, Theodore, Ph.D., Senior Marine Scientist, finfish biology and culture, mariculture research coordinator
Stokes, Alvin, Wildlife Biologist IV, Manager, Waddell Mariculture Center
Theiling, Dale, Wildlife Biologist IV, Assitant Director, Office of Fisheries Management
Ulrich, Glenn, Wildlife Biologist III, finfish assessment and development
Van Dolah, Robert, Ph.D., Director, Marine Resources Research Institute, benthic ecology, environmental research
Waltz, Wayne, Assistant Director, Office of Fisheries Management
Weirich, Charles, Ph.D., Assistant Marine Scientist, mariculture of shrimp and finfishes, system design
Wendt, Priscilla, Environmental Quality Manager III, environmental permitting
Wenner, Charles, Ph.D., Senior Marine Scientist, finfish biology and stock assessment, inshore fisheries research coordinator
Wenner, Elizabeth, Ph.D., Senior Marine Scientist, crustacean biology and ecology, crustacean research coordinator
Whitaker, David, Director, Office of Fisheries Management
Wyanski, David, Wildlife Biologist III, reef fish life history and stock assessment

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Dr. Robert Van Dolah, Director Marine Resources Research Institute 843-953-9819 (O) 843-952-9820 (F) vandolahr@dnr.sc.gov