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Dr. Greg Fulling leads marine mammal survey in the Mariana Islands

PLANO, TEXAS (January 4, 2007)

Dr. Greg Fulling is headed to Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands where he, along with nine other scientists, will spend the next three months performing a systematic shipboard survey in the Pacific Ocean to determine the diversity and abundance of whales and dolphins in the area.

The Mariana Islands Sea Turtle and Cetacean Survey (MISTCS) is funded by the U.S. Navy for compliance with federal mandates such as the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. The results of the survey are also important for Pacific marine mammal stock assessment reports produced by the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) Southwest Fisheries Science Center (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

Dr. Fulling, who is Program Manager for the Marine Sciences Department at Geo-Marine, designed and is implementing the survey and will serve as chief scientist for the expedition. He will also oversee data analyses and report preparation.
Dr. Fulling holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Eastern Washington University, a master’s degree in the same field from Angelo State University in Texas, and a doctorate in marine biology from The University of Southern Mississippi. He served eight years in the U.S. Air Force. Dr. Fulling came to Geo-Marine from the NMFS after serving as chief scientist for four NMFS marine mammal surveys in the Gulf of Mexico an aerial survey of the Atlantic coastline, and, most recently, on a survey cruise in the Caribbean Sea at Silver Bank with world renowned humpback whale biologist Dr. Phil Clapham.

Geo-Marine is a subcontractor to SRS Technologies for this project. The two companies are partners on the Navy TAPS contract for the West Coast.

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