Reef Fish Survey (RFS)
Marine Resources Monitoring, Assessment, and Prediction (MARMAP) &
Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program South Atlantic (SEAMAP-SA)

Research Crew

James Brooks, Logistics and Supplies

James Brooks

James is involved with vessel logistics, the maintenance of gear and field work for the Reef Fish Survey. He assists with age growth, histology, and fecundity lab work. His interests are fishing, boating and being on the sea. James has been with the survey since 2014.

Degrees: B.S. Biology (College of Charleston)

Office: 843-953-0434

Email: brooksj@dnr.sc.gov

Dr. Walter (Wally) Bubley, Assistant Marine Scientist, Age-Growth Laboratory Manager

Dr. Walter (Wally) Bubley

Wally is the lead biologist of the survey's age and growth laboratory and the fishery-dependent program. He cooperates and communicates with commercial and recreational fishermen as part of the survey's fishery-dependent program, meaning he organizes sampling efforts to obtain information that either cannot be gained through or supplements our fishery-dependent sampling. He also oversees the diet studies laboratory and acts as a chief scientist aboard Reef Fish Survey research cruises. His research interests include life history, including age/growth and reproduction, fish ecology, and fisheries science/management through the SEDAR stock assessment process. He joined the survey in 2014.

Degrees: B.S. Zoology (Miami University); M.S. Marine Biology (University of Charleston); Ph.D. Animal and Nutritional Sciences (University of New Hampshire)

Office: 843-953-9810

Email: bubleyw@dnr.sc.gov

Joseph (Joe) Evans, Age-Growth Biologist

Joseph (Joe) Evans

Joe is a biologist in the Reef Fish Survey's age and growth laboratory. He helps process and age many of the life history samples collected by the survey. He also acts as a watch chief on Reef Fish Survey research cruises. Along with working in the age and growth laboratory, Joe lends his services as a diver to the Coastal Receiver Array project. Joe joined the survey in 2012.

Degree: B.S. Marine Biology (Roger Williams University)

Office: 843-953-0773

Email: evansj@dnr.sc.gov

Margaret Finch, Data Management, Life History Biologist

Margaret Finch

Margaret assists with data management, the processing and ageing of life history samples, and field work for MARMAP. She also enjoys doing data analyses in R and GIS. Her research interests include fish ecology and species distribution modeling of reef fish species. Margaret has been with the survey since 2015.

Degrees: B.S. Biology and Math (University of Mary Washington), M.S. Marine Biology (University of Charleston)

Office: 843-953-7146

Email: walkermf@dnr.sc.gov

Keilin Gamboa-Salazar, Life History Biologist

Keilin Gamboa-Salazar

Keilin is involved in collecting, processing, and interpreting age and reproductive histology samples for the Reef Fish Survey. She assists with the organization and upkeep of the age and growth laboratory, and she handles the QAQC and downloading process for the survey’s underwater video effort. Her research interests include life history of marine life, especially the reproduction aspects. In her spare time, Keilin enjoys reading a good book, taking long walks outdoors, and doing traditional Japanese drumming. She has been with the survey since 2016.

Degrees: B.S. Biology (Berry College); M.S. Marine Biology (College of Charleston)

Office: 843-953-9002

Email: gamboa-salazark@dnr.sc.gov

Dr. Dawn Glasgow, Underwater Video Manager

Dawn oversees our underwater video effort for the RFS. Her interests in marine ecology include reef fish linkages to the environment, reef fish species interactions, and bathymetric mapping. She has been with the survey since 2009.

Degrees: B.S. Biology (College of Charleston); M.S. Environmental Studies (University of Charleston); and Ph.D Integrative Biology (University of South Carolina)

Office: 843-953-0480

Email: glasgowd@dnr.sc.gov

Kevin Kolmos, Life History Biologist, section Safety Officer

Kevin Kolmos

Kevin manages and maintains all aspects of the Marine Resource Division's Histology Laboratories. His interests include marine ecology, fisheries biology, and environmental resource management. He joined the Reef Fish Survey in 2007.

Degrees: B.S. Marine Biology (UNCW); M.S. Environmental Studies (University of Charleston)

Office: 843-953-9100

Email: kolmosk@dnr.sc.gov

Dr. Marcel Reichert, Senior Marine Scientist, Section PI

Dr. Marcel Reichert

Marcel leads the Coastal Research Section of the Marine Resources Research Institute at SCDNR. The 30-35 biologists and scientists in this section are responsible for conducting research of fish, crustaceans, and sea turtles in the coastal waters off South Carolina and the southeast region. Monitoring these marine populations is an important part of the section's activities. Marcel grew up in The Netherlands and earned his PhD at the University of Groningen. He has conducted research in Ireland, the Caribbean, the Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, and the University of South Carolina before joining SCDNR in 2004. His research interest and experience is in Marine Ecology and Fisheries Science. Besides managing the Coastal Research Section, he acts as a chief scientist during research cruises and assists with fish life history studies. Marcel is also a member of the Scientific and Statistical Committee, and advisory committee to the South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council. He teaches graduate courses in "Fisheries Science" and "Marine Policy and Conservation" at the College of Charleston, and advises graduate students from various academic institutions.

Degrees: B.S. and M.S. Biology (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands), PhD Marine Biology (University of Groningen, The Netherlands).

Office: 843-953-7558

Email: Reichertm@dnr.sc.gov

Dr. Tracey Smart, Associate Marine Scientist, Data Manager

Dr. Tracey Smart

Tracey is the data manager for the Coastal Research Section. She oversees data collection protocols, electronic updates and improvements, and data sharing procedures. She also serves as a data analyst for the Coastal Research Section, and participates in fisheries management workshops as a life history and indices data provider and analyst. Her research interests include reproductive biology, early life history ecology, and taxonomy. She joined the survey in 2011.

Degrees: B.S. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (University of Arizona), M.S. Biology and Ph.D. Biology (University of Oregon).

Office: 843-953-9226

Email: smartt@dnr.sc.gov

Kevin Spanik, Diet Studies Biologist, section Safety Officer

Kevin Spanik

Kevin is the lead biologist for our diet studies laboratory, overseeing the collection and processing of diet samples collected by the Reef Fish Survey. He also assists with age, growth, and various other life history studies. His research interests include natural resources management, fisheries ecology, taxonomy, and population dynamics. In addition to the South Atlantic, Kevin has research experience in the Mid- Atlantic, Chesapeake Bay, and Alaska. He joined the survey in 2014.

Degrees: B.S. Biology (Christopher Newport University); M.S. Marine Biology (University of Charleston; in progress)

Office: 843-953-9857

Email: spanikk@dnr.sc.gov

D. Byron White, Logistics Manager

D. Byron White

Byron has 34 years of experience in fisheries biology research (30 years with the Reef Fish Survey). In addition to the Atlantic, he has worked in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific. He oversees logistics for the Reef Fish Survey, and his research interests include age, growth and reproductive biology of reef fish as well as deep-sea fishes. He has been with the survey since 1988.

Degree: B.S. Zoology (North Carolina State University)

Office: 843-953-9064

Email: whiteb@dnr.sc.gov

C. Michelle Willis, Database Manager, Life History Biologist

C. Michelle Willis

Michelle is part of the Reef Fish Survey's data management team, focusing primarily on database development and archival data/metadata management. She assists with life history studies through age determination of priority species, and participates in offshore research cruises. Michelle's interests include the design and implementation of data management strategies, database design and programming, and methods for effective mergers of large data sets. She has been with the survey since 2010.

Degrees: B.S. Marine Biology (College of Charleston); M.S. Organizational Data Management (Charleston Southern University)

Office: 843-953-9054

Email: willisc@dnr.sc.gov

David Wyanski, Histology Lead Biologist

David Wyanski

David oversees the reproductive biology aspect of Reef Fish Survey studies of reef fish life history, serves as a chief scientist on research cruises, and participates in regional stock assessments. His other research interests include the taxonomy, movements, and feeding ecology of marine fishes. He has been with the survey since 1989.

Degrees: B.A. Zoology (University of Maine), M.A. Marine Science (Virginia Institute of Marine Science)

Office: 843-953-9065

Email: wyanskid@dnr.sc.gov

Homer Hiers, Life History Biologist

Homer Hiers

Homer assists primarily with field research pertaining to gear maintenance and deployment, as well as the collection and processing of life history samples. He also assists with data entry and gear fabrication. His research interests include methane clathrates existing along the U.S. Atlantic coast as well as anthropogenic impacts on sustainable fisheries within the South Atlantic Bight. He has been contributing to the Survey since 2018.

Degrees: B.S. Geology (College of Charleston)

Office: 843-953-0114

Email: hiersh@dnr.sc.gov

Wiley Sinkus, Life History Biologist

Wiley Sinkus

Wiley’s work as a life history fishery biologist involves collecting, processing, and interpreting samples from the Reef Fish Survey. His work spans both the histology and age growth labs. His research interests include marine fish ecology, toxicology, and fisheries management. Along with his work for RFS, Wiley is a member of the SC DNR Dive Team, working on a variety of projects involving scuba diving. Wiley has been a DNR employee since 2014. He recently returned to the SCDNR after taking a year long trip traveling the world.

Degrees: B.S. Biology (Wofford College), M.S. Marine Biology (University of Charleston)

Office: 843-953-9019

Email: sinkusw@dnr.sc.gov