Addressing a fishery disaster: Biological and environmental factors associated with the emergence of an undescribed apicomplexan parasite and the collapse of the bay scallop fishery in New York

THIS PROJECT WILL ADDRESS KNOWLEDGE GAPS RELATED TO FACTORS THAT CAN DICTATE DISEASE DEVELOPMENT AND MORTALITY OUTBREAKS IN A MAJOR LOCAL FISHERY, BUT ALSO TO THE POTENTIAL RISK OF DISEASE SPREAD TO OTHER PRODUCTIVE REGIONS IN THE NORTHEAST. THIS PROJECT IS DIRECTLY RELEVANT TO THE S-K PROGRAM, SINCE IT FUNDAMENTALLY INVESTIGATES THE POTENTIAL AND THE ROUTES FOR MAINTAINING A SUSTAINABLE FISHERY, AND EXAMINES THE VULNERABILITY OF FISHING COMMUNITIES. THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION (E.G., DISTRIBUTION OF THE PARASITE IN THE NORTHEAST, EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON DISEASE DYNAMICS) AND BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES TO SUPPORT RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND RESTORATION EFFORTS.