PIERing into the future

Michael L. Domeier, Ph.D.
Pfleger Institute of Environmental Research

Wednesday, June 16, 1999
3:00 p.m.—Pacific Forum

Southern California has seen a small non-profit organization make a big splash in the marine fisheries research arena. Founded in 1996 by Mr. Thomas Pfleger and Dr. Michael Domeier, the Pfleger Institute of Environmental Research (PIER) has grown from an idea to a reality in a very short time. Phase I of PIER is already constructed in Oceanside Harbor, and plans for a $20 million Phase II are well underway. PIER strives to bridge the gap between research, conservation, and public perception by focusing research on important marine fisheries issues and attempting to influence policy and public perception by disseminating research results in unconventional ways. Although PIER scientists are expected to publish in peer-reviewed journals, they also have the responsibility to educate the public as to the importance of their work. The existing facility is strictly research, but the proposed Phase II includes a public element that will promote the transfer of information between researchers and the general public.

Current research topics include the age and growth of California market squid (Loligo opalescens), the basic life history and culture of the protected giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas), and the characterization of a proposed marine-protected area in the Dry Tortugas (Florida). A new project will be focusing on highly migratory marine fish species of the Eastern Pacific.

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