Hard clams or quahogs (Mercenaria mercenaria) are one of the most popular species of clams along the East Coast of North America. They support important commercial and recreational fisheries as well as a growing...
Sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) are a jawless species of fish native to the northern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. They have a complex life cycle that begins and ends in freshwater. Sea lamprey eggs...
The Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) is a marine invertebrate whose native range spans from the Gulf of Maine to the Gulf of Mexico. This species is ecologically and economically important. Several species of...
Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides; Figure 1) are a highly prized freshwater gamefish in the sunfish family, Centrarchidae. They are native to east-central North America but have been introduced worldwide due to their popularity with...
Alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) are small, silvery forage fish in the family Clupeidae (Figure 1). Their native range spans the eastern seaboard of North America from South Carolina to Newfoundland. Historically, alewives have supported important...
Many species complete annual migrations, usually in search of ideal climates, rich food resources, or prime breeding grounds. When thinking of migration, the hundreds of miles some bird species or monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus)...
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are areas where human activities are restricted for conservation or historical purposes. These restrictions can include limitations on fishing, development, and anything that disrupts aquatic life. In the United States,...
Blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) are a species of crab native to estuaries along the western Atlantic coast from Nova Scotia to northern Argentina (Figure 1). They live on soft-bottom habitats and are omnivorous, feeding...
Oyster reefs are dense colonies made up of thousands of individual oysters attached to hard substrate (Figure 1). Because of their complex structures, oyster reefs provide important habitat for a variety of fish and...
Horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) are a species of marine arthropod native to the Atlantic coast of North America, ranging from the Gulf of Maine to the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico (Figure 1). Despite their...
