TAMU-CC Movement Ecology Lab Takes a Deep Dive into Shark Research
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Fifty years ago, sharks swam from the depths of the ocean and into the spotlight when a little movie called “Jaws” changed both Hollywood and the world’s perception of these underwater enigmas. The 1975 blockbuster struck fear in audiences and beachgoers, with many wondering if it was safe to go back in the water. Half a century later, the film still endures — but at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, a new generation of marine researchers is working to ensure the fear it inspired does not.
“The biggest misconception is that sharks want to eat people,” said Jasmine Nyce ’28, a graduate research assistant working on a Ph.D. in Marine Biology. “I’ve been in the water with great hammerheads, and they just don’t care that I’m there. If you don’t mess with them, they won’t mess with you. We’re not even part of their diet.”
Nyce’s graduate research centers on the feeding behaviors of sharks, exploring how shifts in their diet can signal changes in the health of marine ecosystems.
“You are what you eat,” she said. “A shark’s diet can tell us so much about the health of our ecosystem. The marine environment is complex, and any changes in a shark’s diet could signal that something deeper is going on.”
Nyce’s work is part of a growing body of research happening inside the Movement Ecology Lab located in Tidal Hall at TAMU-CC. Founded in 2022 by Dr. Danny Coffey, Assistant Professor of Biology in Fisheries and Mariculture and fellow at the university’s Harte Research Institute, the lab focuses on understanding the behavior and movement patterns of marine animals, especially sharks, across the Gulf and beyond.
“Our lab has three main goals,” Coffey said. “We track the movement of marine species, determine what’s driving their behavior, and assess how environmental changes impact these patterns. From there, we can make more informed conservation and management decisions.”
Another project in the lab is led by Kyle King ’26, a marine biology master’s student studying shark depredation, the phenomenon where sharks consume or damage fish caught by anglers before the catch is reeled in.
King is testing whether magnetic fields can deter sharks from approaching fishing gear. He’s serving as an independent tester for the Sharkbanz Zeppelin, a product that mimics a sinker weight and emits a magnetic field intended to deter sharks.
“I’m attaching it to the end of fishing lines and monitoring shark interactions with the magnetic deterrent using a GoPro,” King explained. “If the device is effective, it could help anglers avoid gear loss. But more importantly, it could reduce shark depredation of red snapper and other species and support more accurate population monitoring.”
Previous tests of the product were conducted in aquariums. King’s research is one of the first to take the study into open water.
“If it works, we can relay that to the public, especially recreational anglers in the Gulf,” he said.
Katie Gheysen ’26 is another marine biology graduate student working in the Movement Ecology Lab to advance shark science. Her research focuses on tracking the seasonal movements of spinner sharks, bonnetheads, and cownose rays to identify important habitats, like potential nurseries, in the western Gulf.
“There has been a lot of research done on the eastern side of the Gulf, but we want to find areas of ecological importance here, closer to home,” Gheysen said. “If we know where these sharks spend a lot of time, we can prioritize conservation in those regions.”
To do this, Gheysen and her team tag marine species with transmitters and deploy acoustic receivers in Aransas Bay, Redfish Bay, and Corpus Christi Bay. When tagged animals pass near a receiver, the receiver records that the animals were present, which helps map their movement.
“We noticed a majority of the tagged animals left the bay system after the first near-freeze in December,” Gheysen said. “Then, in our April data collection, we saw signs that a few individuals came back. That’s exciting — it means they’re returning to their habitat. Hopefully, when we do our next receiver download, we’ll know if more came back.”
Collaboration is a recurring theme in the Movement Ecology Lab. From spontaneous brainstorming sessions to joint fieldwork and data, the collaborative culture is shaping a generation of marine scientists ready to tackle the ocean’s biggest challenges.
“Science is rarely a solo endeavor,” Coffey said. “It’s been gratifying to see students not only progressing individually but also investing in each other’s successes.”
As part of a campus-wide Shark Week celebration, Nyce, King, and Gheysen will take part in a student research showcase at the Mary and Jeff Bell Library on Monday, July 21, at 2 p.m. The university is also teaming up with the Corpus Christi Hooks for a Shark Week-themed night at Whataburger Field. Discounted tickets are available at sharkweek.tamucc.edu.
