Eavesdropping on the Sea: USCB Researchers Listen to Life Around Pritchards Island
Pristine Pritchards Island and the waters around it give researchers from the University of South Carolina Beaufort the opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to study a relatively undisturbed environment and the organisms that live there.
Its tidal creeks, driftwood-dashed shores and shifting dunes offer a rare glimpse into a living barrier island ecosystem. Donated to USCB by Atlanta businessman Philip Rhodes in the 1980s, the island is used by the university for research and education.
Professor of Biology Dr. Eric Montie and his interdisciplinary team are taking advantage of the island's peace to eavesdrop underwater. Their project is called “Listening To and Remotely Sensing Marine Life Surrounding Pritchards Island, South Carolina." They use state-of-the-art underwater acoustic recorders to collect data about sounds made by fish, invertebrates and marine mammals. From the noises made by snapping shrimp to the complex communication of dolphins, the recordings hold stories about ecosystem vibrancy and resilience.
“Estuaries are naturally full of sound—from snapping shrimp and fish courtship calls to bottlenose dolphin vocalizations. By simply listening, we can learn about fish reproduction and dolphin foraging—amazing insights from sound alone!” Montie said.
Pritchards Island will serve as a natural “control” to help the team untangle how human activity shapes acoustic environments—and, by proxy, marine life behavior and health. It's a fantastic research site for Montie and his team because it provides:
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Low human-made noise – Minimal boat traffic, construction, and industrial activity means less “acoustic pollution,” so scientists can clearly detect and analyze natural sounds without interference.
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Healthy ecosystems – Pristine salt marshes and nearshore waters that support a wide variety of fish and marine mammals increase opportunities to record diverse vocalizations.
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Natural soundscapes – The area’s biological sounds (fish drumming, dolphin clicks) are easier to study when they’re not masked by engines or shoreline development.
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Baseline data potential – Recordings from such an environment can serve as a “before” reference to compare with noisier or degraded habitats in the future.
Montie directs the Marine Sensory and Neurobiology Lab and The Lowcountry Dolphin Conservation Program at USCB. Undergraduate and graduate students assist with fieldwork and work with lab manager Alyssa Marian.
This team has been monitoring estuarine soundscapes since 2013. In May 2025, they placed long-term sound recorders at two sites near Pritchards Island. The data will soon be compared with recordings from the busier May River and the bustling Charleston Harbor, where recreational boats and commercial vessels dominate the soundscape.
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CW 08/14/25