GCRLs Center for Fisheries Research and Development Receives Donation

For the third consecutive year, a portion of the proceeds from the Spraberry-Schankin Memorial Trout Tournament has been donated to the University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL) to support fisheries research. 

Tournament organizers John Rea and Andy Hermetz of MS Gulf Coast Fishing Tournaments, Inc. recently presented a $2,000 check to Read Hendon, director of GCRL's Center for Fisheries Research and Development. 

The donation will help fund research on spotted seatrout (a.k.a. “speckled trout”) and other important recreational fishery species in Mississippi coastal waters.  The Trout Tournament, which Rea and partners started in 2001, not only makes monetary donations to the GCRL but has also donated several large spotted seatrout specimens to the lab over the years to assist with its research studies on the popular coastal sport fish. 

“Johnny and Andy have done an excellent job of promoting recreational fishing on the Mississippi Gulf Coast through this tournament, and we are fortunate that they have continued to support fisheries research at GCRL through these generous monetary donations as well as providing large trout for our biological database,” said Hendon.    

The Spraberry-Schankin Memorial Trout Tournament, held annually at The Dock Bar & Grill in Gulfport, Mississippi, has become a popular stop on the Gulf Coast fishing circuit, and 127 anglers participated in this year's event.  In addition to GCRL's fisheries research, tournament proceeds also support the Dr. Chris Spraberry Endowment Fund at the University Medical Center and the Raymond Schankin Golden Eagle Scholarship Fund at USM. 

For more information about the tournament,  http://www.msgulfcoastfishingtournaments.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/MsGulfCoastFishingTournamentsInc.