Mark Morales’s research interests lie at the intersection of basic and applied marine ecosystem studies. Using state-of-the-art quantitative methods, his work attempts to disentangle the influence of physical oceanographic forcing on marine ecosystems dynamics with a particular focus on coastal pelagic ecosystems. For his CCCR Postdoctoral Fellow project, Mark is applying hierarchical Bayesian state-space models to forecast the spatial distribution and abundance of Dungeness crab along the U.S. West Coast. In collaboration with a larger CCCR team, the spatial overlap of harmful algal blooms and Dungeness crab will be assessed to better inform climate-ready fisheries decisions in California.