Dr. Robert L. Shipp
Chair and Professor, Department of Marine Sciences
University of South Alabama
Ph.D., 1970, Florida State University
rshipp@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

Research Description:

My research interests focus on the role of artificial reefs as management tools. This involves what parameters control productivity and aggregating characteristics of reefs, and how finish biomass transformation from undesirable to desirable species is affected by artificial reef deployment. In addition, I am also interested in recruitment processes of marine fishes, especially dispersal mechanisms of larval and juveniles. I am desirous of developing methods to utilize this information in optimizing management programs.

My original training was a systematist and I retain an active interest in the often controversial relationship between systematics and biogeography. I edited Systematic Zoology for three years. and continue to be involved in the analysis of biogeographical patterns, especially marine fishes, and their relationship to vicariance theory. In recent years, however, I have come to focus more on marine resource management.

Recent Publications:

Shipp, R. L. 1999. Status of Exploited Fish Species in the Gulf of Mexico. Gulf of Mexico Marine Ecosystem. Blackwell Science. 196-204.

Shipp, R. L. 1999. The Artificial Reef Debate: Are We Asking the Wrong Questions? Gulf of Mexico Science 1999(1): 51-55.

Patterson, W. F., III, J. C. Watterson, R. L. Shipp, and J. Cowan, Jr. 2001. Movement of tagged red snapper in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society: 130: 533-545.

Bailey, H. K., IV, J. H. Cowan,Jr. and R. L. Shipp. 2001. Experimental Evaluation of Potential Effects of Habitat Size and Presence of Conspecifics on Habitat Association by Young-of-the-year Red Snapper. Gulf of Mexico Science XIX (2): 119-131.

Shipp, R. L. 2002. Why Manage Fish Stocks? Current, the Journal of Marine Education. 18(1): 2-4.

Shipp, R. L. 2003. Tetraodontidae. In: FAO species Identification sheets for fishery purposes, Western Central Atlantic. Vol. 3: 1988-2006. FAO of the United Nations, Rome, Italy.

Shipp, R. L. 2003. A perspective on marine reserves as a fishery management tool. Fisheries, Amer. Fish. Society. Fisheries. 28 (12): 10-21.

Patterson, W. F. III, G. W. Ingram, R. L. Shipp and J. H. Cowan. In press. Indirect estimation of release mortality of red snapper and gray triggerfish in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Proceedings of the 53rd annual meeting of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute.