OC Faculty Member Featured in Marine Education Magazine

(Photo) Graduate students Jennifer Magnussen (left) and Debra Abercrombie (right) stand with their professor, Mahmood Shivji, in front of bins of shark parts.

Oceanographic Center Associate Professor and Guy Harvey Research Institute Director, Mahmood Shivji, Ph.D. is featured in the magazine Ahead of the Class, a publication devoted to marine education, and published by the Florida Sea Grant Program.

The Sea Grant article focuses on research led by Dr. Shivji that is assisting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in its efforts to identify and prosecute U.S. fishing vessels suspected of catching and selling protected shark species.

Shivji developed a rapid and reliable DNA test that can identify shark species from fins and other body parts, which helps fisheries managers enforce protective measures for overfished shark populations. Just recently, Shivji's research helped federal prosecutors confirm the presence of prohibited species in four of five investigations, resulting in fines of more than $100,000. His work has been featured in international journals, newspapers, radio and TV, including NBC’s EcoWatch.

To read the complete article, visit the Sea Grants website at www.FLseaGrant.org