Overview

Prior to coming to Exeter, I worked as Global Environment Facility (GEF) Full Size Project (FSP) Coordinator for pilot demonstration 3 – “Sustainable Tourism and Coral Reef Health in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park” and Science Officer for the Bahamas National Trust. My research experience includes monitoring the health of coral reef, mangrove and seagrass habitats, assessing the impacts of invasive lionfish on native species and conducting Rapid Ecological Assessments (REAs) for proposed Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Examples of specific national research projects I’ve been involved with include the GEF FSP pilots 1-3, the Bahamas leg of the Global Reef Expedition funded by the Living Ocean’s Foundation, the Mitigating the Threats of Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean (MTIAISC) project and coral restoration under the Blue Project Foundation.

My PhD research aims to improve our understanding of population structure, dynamics and physiology of Nassau grouper spawning aggregations using molecular techniques. This information is crucial to advance conservation efforts and establish best management practices for a key fishery species in The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean. My long-term professional goal is to be actively engaged in designing and driving research that would improve conservation management for coral reef ecology and fisheries resources in The Bahamas.

Interests:

Free diving, SCUBA diving, traveling, dancing, exercising, rock climbing, water sports, music & reading

Broad research specialisms:

Fish physiology and ecology, coral reef ecology, conservation management, invasive species ecology, population genetics

Qualifications

MRes Ocean Science (University of Southampton, UK)
BSc (Hons) Marine Science with a minor in Spanish (Jacksonville University, USA)

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Research

Research projects

Project Title: Impacts of Nassau Grouper (Epinephelus striatus) Spawning Aggregation Losses on Reproductive Output & Population Abundances within The Bahamas

Supervisors: Charles Tyler, Jamie Stevens & Steve Simpson

Funding Body:

Shirley Oakes Butler Graduate Scholarship via Lyford Cay Foundation USD $7,500 per year (2014-2016)
Rotary Club of East Nassau USD $3,000 per year (2014-2016)
Save Our Seas Foundation USD $10,000

Selected Publications

Paris, J.R., Sherman, K.D., Bell, E., Boulenger, C., Delord, C., El-Mahdi, M.B.M., Fairfield, E.A., Griffiths, A.M., Gutmann Roberts, C., Hedger, R.D., Holman, L.E., Hooper, L.H., Humphries, N.E., Katsiadaki, I., King, R.A., Lemopoulos, A., Payne, C.J., Peirson, G., Richter, K.K., Taylor, M.I., Trueman, C.N., Hayden, B., Stevens, J.R. (2018) Understanding and managing fish populations: keeping the toolbox fit for purpose. Journal of Fish Biology 92:727-751

Sherman, K.D., King, R.A., Dahlgren, C.P., Simpson, S.D., Stevens, J.R., Tyler, C.R. (2017) Historical processes and contemporary anthropogenic activities influence genetic population dynamics of Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) within The Bahamas. Frontiers in Marine Science 4:393, doi:10.3389/fmars.2017.00393

Stump, K., Dahlgren, C., Sherman, K., Knapp, C.R. (2017) Nassau grouper migration patterns during full moon suggest collapsed historic fish spawning aggregation and evidence of an undocumented aggregation. Bulletin of Marine Science 93:375–389

Sherman, K.D., Dahlgren, C.P., Stevens, J.R., Tyler, C.R. (2016) Integrating population biology into conservation management for endangered Nassau grouper Epinephelus striatus. Marine Ecology Progress Series 554:263-280.

Sherman, K.D., Dahlgren, C.P., Brumbaugh, D.R., Knowles, L.C. (2013) Tourism and Coral Reef Health in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. Proceedings of the 65th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute GCFI 65:234-242.

Barbour, A., Allen, M., Frazer, T., Sherman, K. (2011) Evaluating the potential efficacy of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) removals. PLoS One 6(5):1-7.

Selected Oral Presentations

2014 MTIASIC Bahamas Lionfish Control Pilot Project: Findings and Management Implications (Policies, Strategies and Best Practices for Managing Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in the Insular Caribbean, Trinidad & Tobago)

2014 Building a Sustainable National Marine Protected Area Network: Controlling lionfish populations in the Marine Protected Areas (Policies, Strategies and Best Practices for Managing Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in the Insular Caribbean, Trinidad & Tobago)

2014 The Role of Rapid Ecological Assessments in Designating Marine Protected Areas (2nd BNHC Conference, Bahamas)

2014  Establishing Critical Resource Thresholds for Marine Habitats in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park (2nd BNHC Conference, Bahamas)

2014 Introducing a sustainable tourism model for the Exuma Cays: (Small Island Developing States “Tourism as a Key Sector for Development in Island States Conference, Bahamas)

2013 Advancing towards sustainability in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park: Implementation status of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Full-Sized pilot demonstration 3 project. (1st BNNHC, Bahamas)

2012 Tourism and coral reef health in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. (65th GCFI Conference, Colombia)

Selected Poster Presentations

Anderson, L., Sherman, K., Knowles, L., Dahlgren, C. (2014) The Role of Rapid Ecological Assessments and Participatory Planning to Design New Marine Protected Areas in The Bahamas. 67th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Proceedings – Barbados.
www.gcfi.org/Conferences/67th/GCFI_67th_Book_of_Abtracts_Final_Eng.pdf

Moultrie, S., Sherman, K. Hall, A. (2012) Sustainable Finance for the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park.

Miller, S., Akins, L., Green, S., Sherman, K. (2011) A Model for Collaborative Conservation: The Lionfish Research and Education Program at the Cape Eleuthera Institute, Eleuthera Bahamas. (www.gcfi.org/Conferences/64th/BooksOfAbstracts/Eng/fscommand/GCFI64thBookOfAbstractsEng.pdf)

Soligo, T., Stephen C., Sherman K., Neves F., Oronti, A., Danlychuk A. (2011) Changes in Fish Aggregations Around an Offshore Submerged Aquaculture Cage. World Aquaculture Society (WAS) Conference, Brazil. (www.was.org/WasMeetings/meetings/pdf/WA2011Posters.pdf).

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