Honolulu, Hawaii,96816
About Us
Our Experience
Pelagic Research Group LLC, together with our sister company TissueGrab™ Biopsy Systems LLC, brings over 50 years of combined experience in marine biology focused on pelagic species of commercial and ecological importance.
Our mission is to advance best practices in fisheries research and management, with a focus on improving post-release survival outcomes. TissueGrab™ drives innovation in biological sampling devices for wildlife research, expanding opportunities for reliable and minimally invasive data collection.
Our expertise spans:
- Electronic tagging and telemetry
- Post-release mortality studies and bycatch mitigation
- Habitat use and movement ecology of pelagic species
- Data analysis, meta-analysis, and scientific publishing
- Product innovation, patent development, and business strategy
We have collaborated on projects across multiple countries, working with both public and private sector partners, and serving a wide range of clients.
Research Focus
Our research portfolio covers:
- Design of biopsy sampling tools
- Tissue biopsy sampling
- Pelagic fisheries interactions
- Bycatch mitigation strategies
- Post-release mortality outcomes
- Habitat preferences and movements of target and non-target species
We integrate laboratory assays with field studies to maximize both scientific impact and cost-effectiveness. We also continue to refine electronic tagging technologies and expand opportunities for innovative sampling in pelagic environments.
Recent Publications (please contact us for reprints)
- Musyl MK, Gilman E (2019) Meta-analysis of post-release fishing mortality in pelagic sharks & istiophorid billfishes. Fish and Fisheries. https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12358
- Mourato BL, Carvalho F, Bigelow K, Musyl M, Nunes D, Martins RS, Hazin H, Hazin F (under review) Modelling Pelagic longline Shoaling Using Surface Current Velocity and Gear Deployment Strategy in the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean. PlosOne
- Musyl MK, Gilman E (2018) Post-release mortality of blue shark and silky shark released from a tropical commercial longline fishery. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 28: 567–586.
- Gilman E, Chaloupka M, Musyl M (2018) Effects of pelagic longline hook size on species- and size-selectivity and survival Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 28: 417-433.
- Musyl MK, Moyes, CD, Brill RW, Mourato, BL, West, A, McNaughton, LM, Chiang, WC, Sun, CL (2015) Post-release mortality in istiophorid billfish. Canadian Journal Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 72:538-556.
- Chiang, W-C, Musyl, MK et al. (2014) Seasonal movements and diving behavior of black marlin (Istiompax indica) in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Fisheries Research DOI: 10.1016/j.fishres.2014.10.023
- Belkin IM, Hunt, GL Jr., Hazen EL, Zamon, JE, Schick R, Prieto R, Brodziak J, Hare J, Teo SLH, Thorne L, Bailey H, Itoh S, Munk P, Musyl MK, Willis J, Zhang W (2014) Fronts, fish, and predators. Deep Sea Research II 107:1-2.
- Barceló C, Domingo A, Miller P, Ortega L, Giffoni B, Sales G, McNaughton L, Marcovaldi M, Heppell SS, Swimmer Y (2013) High-use areas, seasonal movements and dive patterns of juvenile loggerhead sea turtles in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean MEPS 479:235-250.
- Mourato BL, Carvalho F, Musyl M, Amorim A, Pacheco, Hazin F (2013) Migration and habitat preference of sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) along the southeast coast of Brazil Neotropical Ichthyology DOI:10.1590/1982-0224-20130102
- Chiang W-C, Kawabe R, Musyl MK, Sun CL, Hung H-M, Lin H-C, Watanabe S, Furukawa S, Chen W-Y, Chen Y-K, and Liu D-C (2013) Diel oscillations in sailfish vertical movement behavior in the East China Sea. Journal of Marine Science and Technology 21:267-273.
- Swimmer Y, Empey Campora C, McNaughton L, Musyl M, Parga M (2013) Post-release mortality of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) caught in pelagic longline fisheries based on satellite data and veterinary diagnostics. Aquatic Conservation DOI: 10.1002/aqc.2396
- Mourato BL, Hazin F, Bigelow K, Musyl M, Carvalho F, Hazin H (2013) Spatio-temporal trends of sailfish catch rates in relation to spawning season and environmental factors in the equatorial and southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Fisheries Oceanography DOI: 10.1111/fog.12040
- Musyl MK, Domeier M, Nasby-Lucas N, Brill RW, McNaughton LM, Swimmer JY, Lutcavage M, Wilson SG, Galuardi B, and Liddle JB (2011) Performance of pop-up satellite archival tags. Marine Ecology Progress Series 433:1-28 (Editor’s choice for ‘Feature Article’)
- Musyl MK, Brill RW, Curran DS, McNaughton LM, Kikkawa B, Fragoso N, Moyes CD (2011) Post-release survival, vertical movements and thermal niche partitioning in five species pelagic sharks released from longline fishing gear in the central Pacific Ocean. Fishery Bulletin 109:341-368.
- Hoolihan JP, Luo J, Abascal FJ, Campana SE, De Metrio G, Dewar H, Domeier ML, Howey LA, Lutcavage ME, Musyl MK, Neilson JD, Orbesen ES, Prince ED, Rooker JR (2011) Evaluating irregular post-release behaviour of large pelagic fishes deployed with pop-up satellite archival tags. ICES Journal of Marine Science 68:880–889.
- Dewar H, Prince E, Musyl MK, Brill RW, Sepulveda C, Luo J, Foley D, Orbesen ES, Domeier ML, Nasby-Lucas N, Snodgrass D, Laurs RM, Block BA, McNaughton LM (2011) Movements and behaviors of swordfish in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans examined using pop-up satellite archival tags. Fisheries Oceanography 20:219–241.
- Chiang W-C, Musyl MK, Fu S-C, Huang T-L, Sun C-L, Chen W-Y, Liu D-C, Su W-C, Yeh S-Z (2011) Electronic tagging studies of sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) in eastern Taiwan to examine movement patterns, habitat preferences and fisheries interaction. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 397:129–135.
- Humphries NE, Dyer JRM, Queiroz N, Pade NG, Musyl MK, Schaefer K, Brunnschweiler JM, Doyle TK, Houghton JDR, Hays GC, Jones CS, Noble LR, Wearmouth VJ, Southall EJ, Sims DW (2010) Environmental context explains Lévy and Brownian movement patterns of marine predators. Nature 465:1066-1069.