James W. Morley

James W. Morley serves as Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at East Carolina University and holds a faculty appointment at the Coastal Studies Institute. His research program addresses critical challenges in marine ecosystem sustainability under climate change, fishing pressures, and coastal development.

His educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Zoology from North Carolina State University (2013)
• M.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences from North Carolina State University (2004)
• B.S. in Biology from SUNY Cortland (2000)

Dr. Morley employs an integrated methodological approach combining high-tech field investigations (acoustic imaging, sonar habitat mapping), traditional fisheries sampling, and advanced ecological modeling. His work spans spatial scales from North Carolina estuaries to continental shelf ecosystems across North America, generating predictive insights into species distribution shifts and habitat vulnerabilities.

Graduate students in the Marine Fisheries Ecology Lab receive comprehensive training in field data collection, laboratory analysis, and quantitative modeling techniques. The lab maintains active collaborations with NOAA, state marine fisheries divisions, and coastal management agencies to ensure research directly informs policy decisions.

The Marine Fisheries Ecology Lab operates as a dynamic research hub where interdisciplinary projects examine the intersection of ecological change and human resource use. Current work emphasizes developing early-warning indicators for ecosystem shifts and creating adaptive management frameworks for fisheries under climate uncertainty.