The Gulf of Mexico (GoM) contains a variety oceanographic features including; the Loop Current, cyclonic/anticyclonic eddies, common water, and the Mississippi River Plume. The relationship these features have on the community assemblages of Families Lutjanidae and Serranidae has been of great interest from both biological and economic standpoints. These families represent some of the most economically important fisheries in the GoM. Identifying the role these features play in the transportation of larval and juvenile nearshore species to offshore environments is vital to resource managers. Using data collected shortly after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill via the NOAA Natural Resource Damage Assessment in 2011 as well as cruises conducted by the Deep Pelagic Nekton Dynamics of the Gulf of Mexico (DEEPEND) Consortium from 2015-2017, the faunal composition and abundance of these families were analyzed with respect to seasonality, oceanographic features, depth distribution, and time. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection