Conservation Physiology and Marine Fish Stress: Humans pose many threats to health andbalance of our oceans, including direct effects on ocean dwelling species. Our research program studies how marine fishes respond to those “anthropogenic” disturbances that tax these animals beyond the usual scope of their daily existence. Through the use of variety of field and laboratory based tools, we aim to reveal differences in how species physiologically and behaviorally cope with and recover from acute and chronic stressors, establish methods to reduce the stress imposed, and enhance survival of these fish species. In general, our work also aims to provide data that can be directly or indirectly utilized to inform conservation and/or management measures for vulnerable fish species. While our program focuses on a variety of stressors and species, our work principally focuses on how commercial and recreational fishing capture/handling methods affect various fish and invertebrate species. The overriding goal of this work is to establish mortality rates, and reduce stress and injury levels in fish captured accidentally and later discarded as “bycatch”, or fish captured and released for sport. For those species most vulnerable, some of the work also tests strategies to avoid these fish and therefore reduce catch rates in the first place .