Category Archives: Conch

Conch, Lionfish, Research Programs, Student Research, Sustainable Fisheries, Visiting Scientists

Sustainable Fisheries team is busy in the wet lab!

September 5, 2014 ceiblogger

This past summer was a busy time for the sustainable fisheries team, with numerous conch and lionfish lab trials.

Students and interns observing lionfish in the lab

On the lionfish side of things, Helen, one of the visiting Newcastle students, is looking at prey density as well as whether or not it benefits lionfish to hunt in groups. She does this by adding 1 (or more) lionfish to a tank containing varying densities of prey fish (grunts) and observing the rate at which the grunts are eaten. Emily (another student from Newcastle University) is exploring prey preference in lionfish. She ran a series of trials to determine whether lionfish are more likely to attack a grunt or a damselfish if given the choice. She is now determining if lionfish rely more on visual or olfactory signals when hunting.

Oli, a third student from Newcastle, was running behavioral trials on conch. A fisherman’s tale suggests that the declining numbers of conch available is due to the fact that the animals run away from knocked shells that have been thrown back into the water by other fishermen (as opposed to overfishing). Oli is testing this explanation by dropping empty conch shells (as well as rocks as a control) in a tank with a live conch and monitoring its movement for 4 hours. We will keep you updated on the results of these trials as they progress!

Conch, Educational Programs, Research Programs, Sea turtles, Sharks, Student Research

Oceanside and Camden Hills- visiting programs at CEI

July 30, 2014 ceiblogger

Earlier this month was the return of Camden Hills Regional High School for their sixth visit to CEI, and Oceanside High School’s second trip alongside Camden. It was another stellar year of exploration, science, research and reflection.

Students focused on research during their time at CEI. They were not only getting out there and assisting our resident scientists with their data collection, but also coming back to the lab, sifting through video footage, % cover of seagrass and trying to work out where all the conch have gone. For these students science came alive. They were able to see what goes into real research, where time, weather, tide, and sharing resources play factors into every minute of every day.

Two students IDing some seagrass out in the field

The students final presentations were outstanding. With only three – four field days and approximately 10 hours of data analysis and thought time, they provided the community with well-rounded projects. Not only did they analyze data, they were able to offer thoughtful insights into why their research matters. Continue reading →

Conch, Research Programs, Sustainable Fisheries

Sustainable Fisheries team out in the field with conch surveys

July 10, 2014 ceiblogger

Queen conch are an important animal in The Bahamas, both economically and ecologically. Conch reproduce via internal fertilization and females lay extensive egg masses that hold hundreds of thousands of eggs. However, recent years have shown a marked decrease in conch populations, in the greater Caribbean region, and in The Bahamas.

Robin Bater (Newcastle undergraduate researcher) records size categories of conch from Taylor Witkin and Lisa West (CEI Interns) during a tow

In 1993, dive and tow surveys were conducted that assessed the breeding populations of conch off Cape Eleuthera. This summer we are reinvestigating this area to determine whether conch are still utilizing the same breeding grounds as they did in the 90s, and if their population is undergoing any variation or decline.

To accomplish this, CEI is running a series of conch tows and dives to assess conch population density. This involves either pulling researchers behind a boat or diving in small groups and noting how many conch are present as well as the size category of those conch (either adult, subadult, or juvenile). These size categories have to do with the age and sexual maturity of the conch and are determined by the presence and thickness of a flared lip on the conch’s shell. We will continue to update you on our findings throughout the summer.

Conch, Lionfish, Outreach, Sustainable Fisheries

CEI hands out free lionfish at Deep Creek’s Conch Fest

June 30, 2014 ceiblogger

Prepping lionfish to hand out as samples

This year, CEI had a booth at Deep Creek’s Homecoming, called Conch Fest, that was geared towards promoting sustainable fisheries. The team was frying up lionfish samples, so local community members can sample the invasive fish that is abundant on the reefs, but also delicious to eat. The team was also promoting the “You slay, we pay” campaign, where fishermen can bring in lionfish, fillets or whole fish, to sell to CEI. The goal is to create a market for lionfish on Eleuthera.

Aside from free fish, the team also had a board with conservation trivia, hoping to dispel some common misconceptions. For example, do green turtles eat conch? The answer is no! Green turtles eat plant material like turtlegrass, and their serrated jaw is perfect for this type of diet.

The booth was open for two nights, and hundreds of lionfish samples were handed out. Thanks to everyone who participated, and the team enjoyed the opportunity to spread the word about the invasive lionfish and what we can do to help (Eat them!).

Members of CEI promoting sustainable fisheries at Conch Fest 2014

Conch, Flats, Lionfish, Research Programs, Sea turtles, Sharks, Student Research, Sustainable Fisheries, Visiting Scientists

CEI and Island School Research Symposium a big success

June 16, 2014 ceiblogger

Students on the lionfish team discuss their project with Dr. Stephanie Green.

Congratulations to all of the Spring 2014 Island School students who gave oral and poster presentations at the Research Symposium. This event is a culmination a semester-long research class, where students become involved in all aspects of research. It is a chance for them to showcase the data that they collected, along with real world implications of the work.

We had many special guests in attendance this semester:

David Knowles, Director of Parks, Dr. Ethan Freid, Chief Botanist, and Camilla Adair Deputy Preserve Manager at Leony Levy Preserve, the Bahamas National Trust

Dr. Andy Danylchuk, past Director of the Cape Eleuthera Institute and currently Assistant Professor of Fish Conservation at UMass Amherst, collaborator with Flats Ecology program at CEI

Dr. John Mandelman, Director of Research and Senior Scientist at the New England Aquarium, collaborator with Shark Research program at CEI

Dr. Brian Silliman, Associate Professor of Marine Conservation Biology at Duke Marine Lab

Dr. Jeanette Wyneken, Associate Professor at Florida Atlantic University

Dr. Mike Salmon, Research Professor at Florida Atlantic University

Dr. Stephanie Green, Postdoctoral Researcher at Oregon State University

Thank you to all of our guests, and congratulations again to the students for a job well done.

A group photo of the Spring 2014 Island School students.

Students on the flats project discuss their poster with Dr. Andy Danylchuk.

Conch, Flats, Lionfish, Research Programs, Sea turtles, Sharks, Student Research, Sustainable Fisheries

Island School students present their research at Parent’s Weekend

May 28, 2014 ceiblogger

Last week, the Island School campus was inundated with the parents of the Spring 2014 students. Aside from campus tours and a breathtaking art gallery, parents also got to witness the students give scientific research presentations pertaining to the research projects they have been involved with all semester.

The Deep Water research group giving their presentation.

Each presentation was ten minutes long, and followed the format of a professional scientific presentation, explaining background on the topics, the current problem, the methods used to collect data, data analysis, and interpretation of results, ending with why the project matters and what can be done in the future. Parents were thrilled to see the young scientists give their first real talk in front of a large audience. Each student group also fielded questions from the parents.

Click on the link to see a list of research topics. Continue reading →

Conch, Research Programs, Sustainable Fisheries

Deep Creek Middle School students host town hall meeting on Sustainable Fisheries

May 21, 2014 ceiblogger

DCMS students Dimitri Rolle and Siddhira Johnson discuss the need for sustainable fisheries in The Bahamas.

A town hall meeting was held on May 15 at the South Eleuthera Mission. This meeting was organized by Deep Creek Middle School students who formed a Sustainable Fisheries team: Dimitri Rolle, Oriana Carey, and Sidhira Johnson. Dimitri was the leader of the group. He is particularly passionate about overfishing and sustainable fisheries, and he decided, with the group, that gathering community members to talk about the issue would be a great way to learn about the issues and explore some solutions.

The meeting was the culmination of their DCMS community outreach project. These students took the initiative to plan this meeting, and there was a great turnout, with over 30 young people attending.

Claire Thomas talks about conch overfishing.

The night started with a presentation from Claire Thomas, who manages the Queen Conch Research Program at the Cape Eleuthera Institute. She talked about the problem of conch overfishing, specifically in the Bahamas, and then addressed some potential solutions to overfishing. After the presentation, Oriana and Sidhira divided the audience into three groups, and each group discussed a potential solution: a closed season for conch, a marine protected area, and a lionfish fishery. The idea for the discussion groups came from the DCMS Sustainable Fisheries team, and the discussions were lively, with a lot of participation from the audience. Continue reading →

Conch, Educational Programs, Flats, Research Programs, Student Research, Sustainable Fisheries, Visiting Scientists

Monmouth University students continue ongoing research projects at CEI

January 21, 2014 ceiblogger 1 Comment

January at the Cape Eleuthera Institute is an exciting time: a new year, new interns, and a heap of new students visiting during their university’s January term!

Monmouth University joined CEI for the 9^th consecutive January, with two weeks packed full of research. Among other tenets of tropical marine ecology, students continued their investigations of the carbon cycling potential of mangroves, the benthic macroinvertebrate distribution within mangrove flats, and the age and life stage distribution of various conch middens. During their time in the flats, students experienced the full range of Bahamian winter biodiversity, including sharks, turtles, bonefish, and more!

Research of various middens in the Cape Eleuthera area found that newer middens include a high concentration of juvenile shells, affirming the fact that immature conch are being harvested at an increased rate. This is often an indication of a struggling fishery, and students will continue to analyze potential protective measures for queen conch in years to come.

Samples of mangrove roots, leaves, and stems returned to NJ with the students for further analyses in hopes of better understanding the carbon sequestration occurring within mangrove flats. A strong correlation between certain types of mangrove environments and high carbon sequestration may lead to increased protection of such areas.

Professor John Tiedemann talking to students out in the mangroves

Led by Dr. John Tiedemann and Dr. Pedram Daneshgar, and supported by Ph.D. candidates Elizabeth Wallace and Christopher Haak, the students logged countless hours of field time investigating various elements of flats ecology.

Dr. Tiedemann was also instrumental in coordinating a visit from Todd Pover and Stephanie Egger, conservation biologists from New Jersey’s Conserve Wildlife Foundation (http://www.conservewildlifenj.org/). The two scientists gave a campus-wide presentation on the international work they’ve been doing with the piping plover, a shorebird who breeds along the New Jersey shoreline and winters in the Bahamas. CEI is excited about the possibility of partnering in CWF’s educational initiatives in years to come!

Conch, Educational Programs, Research Programs, Student Research

Visiting program from Exeter University visits Schooner Cays for juvenile conch surveys

January 16, 2014 ceiblogger

This weekend saw visiting Exeter students and professors heading to the Schooner Cays with the CEI Queen Conch team. A 30-minute ride and short swim allowed us to conduct shallow water surveys around the relatively remote and seldom-visited islands. Since they were last surveyed in 1993, little data has been collected on population densities around the island. Recent questions regarding changing larval supplies and reduced reproduction as a result of fishing pressures meant that collecting new data was particularly important.

The group split into two teams of undergrads to complete surveys in two different areas of the shore. Calipers, measuring tapes, and snorkel gear were distributed and lines of observers began advancing through the surf. Forty minutes later, one group had found only 2 live juvenile conch. Just down the beach, the second group found almost 350.

Continue reading →

Conch, Educational Programs, Lionfish, Outreach, Plastics, Sharks, Student Research

Update on recent visiting programs!

November 4, 2013 ceiblogger

Fall is off to a fantastic start in Educational Programs! CEI jumped back into the academic year with two amazing weeks of programming. Along for the ride were our students from Round Square, a collaborative group of 17 young adults from Canada and Massachusetts, followed by Palm Beach Day Academy of Florida.

The Round Square group dropping the Medusa

Round Square ambassadors spent time on Eleuthera before heading to the annual Round Square conference. Students focused on their “IDEALS of learning: Internationalism, Democracy, Environment, Adventure, Leadership and Service” while at CEI, and investigated the concept of what it means to live and travel well. Round Square students had the once in a lifetime opportunity of launching the Medusa with the Shark Research team, along with dissecting a lionfish, conducting shuttle box experiments, and surveying the local beaches for marine debris.

Round Square group playing with kids at the resource center.

To emphasize the international element of the program, CEI organized and launched a Round Square-DCMS Plastics Seminar! The day began by pairing each Round Square student with a DCMS student, and quickly launched into round table discussions on plastics pollution and its impact on environment and our bodies. All DCMS and the Round Square students were insightful and reflective on plastics in daily life, and each left with recycled plastic jewelry to remind them to keep continue thinking about plastic’s role in our world. Continue reading →

Education, Research, Outreach