The Big Fish Lab
Shark and Fish Ecophysiology
Dr. James Sulikowski's Shark and Fish Ecophysiology Lab is a part of The Big Fish Lab, housed within Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station at Oregon State University
The lab’s research is dedicated to the study of charismatic fish such as sharks, skates and rays. By studying movement patterns, growth rates, reproductive biology, resiliency to climate change and fishing pressure, Sulikowski and his team of student researchers discover ways to more effectively manage, conserve and utilize fish populations.
Our group is diverse and promotes equity and inclusion. Undergraduate and graduate students are critical to the lab’s research. The involvement of dedicated, responsible, and motivated students is not only essential to advance understanding of the ecology of fishes, but it also provides a stepping-stone for the training of future marine scientists.
About James Sulikowski
In addition to being the Director of the Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station, Dr. James Sulikowski is a marine biologist and professor at Oregon State University. He has 25 years of experience working with cartilaginous and bony fish. He has more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and his research has garnered more than $13 million in external grant funding.
James has appeared on numerous local and national television shows including the Today Show, Ocean Mysteries, the BBC, Discovery Channel, and National Geographic. Dr. Sulikowski has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Denison University, masters’ degrees in marine biology (Nova Southeastern University) and physiology (Depaul University), as well as a Ph.D. in Zoology (UNH).
In The News
‘I’m happy we’re not killing them any more’: Ireland’s last basking shark hunter on the return of the giants
“It’s astounding,” says Alex McInturf, a coordinator for the Irish...
OSU-Cascades to host science pub talk on sharks
Oregon State University-Cascades will host a science pub talk Nov. 14 on sharks and research at the Chapple Big Fish Lab at the university's...
Humans are not on sharks’ ‘menu’ despite sighting surge: Dr. James Sulikowski
Shark expert Dr. James Sulikowski joins ‘Cavuto: Coast to Coast’ to discuss the surge of shark sightings and its impact on Northeast beaches...
Did you know...
In Alaska, salmon sharks have been estimated to take 12-25% of the total annual run of Pacific salmon
(Nagasawa, 1998)
Salmon sharks are the largest apex predator among fish in the epipelagic zone of subarctic and temperate North Pacific waters
(Goldman and Musick, 2008)
Spiny dogfish in the Northeast Pacific are among the slowest growing and longest living (80-100 years old) of all elasmobranchs, with a gestation period of 22-24 months
(Gertseva et al., 2021; Tribuzio et al., 2005)
