Category Archives: Flats

Flats, Outreach, Research Programs, Visiting Scientists

Update on Acoustic Tagging Project: Grand Bahama Jan 2014

April 4, 2014 ceiblogger

A team of scientists consisting of Aaron Shultz and Malcom Goodman from the Cape Eleuthera Institute, David Philipp and Julie Claussen from the Fisheries Conservation Foundation, Karen Murchie from College of the Bahamas (Freeport), and Greg Vincent and Jason Franklin of H2O

Bonefishing from Grand Bahama gathered in Freeport in January to track bonefish movements. This project began in October 2013, when 30 bonefish from around the island of Grand Bahama were captured and implanted with acoustic tags. Electronic receivers were then placed in strategic locations throughout the island and recorded if a tagged fish swam nearby. Fish were also located periodically using a manual receiver.

The first goal of this trip was to retreive each of the receivers and download the data to determine if any bonefish had been recorded. January, however, is still early in the spawning season for bonefish, so that data recorded over the next few months is expected to be highly valuable in understanding bonefish movements and the habitats they use for spawning. The second goal was to use the manual tracking device to determine if bonefish were travelling to possible spawning locations around the new moon.

This early retrieval of data from the receivers was very encouraging, with several of the tagged fish being detected. Two fish with transmitters, likely travelling to spawning locations, were recorded
traveling from one side of the island around to the other and back again, one covering over 140 miles roundtrip. Greg and Jason from H2O Bonefishing were instrumental in finding schools of bonefish to see if tagged fish could be located using the manual receiver. Many fish were
located very near where they were tagged.

Scientist Karen Murchie will be analyzing the movement data from the project, and many thanks to her for providing housing and logistical support during the trip.

Flats, Research Programs

Sunscreen and Handling Experiments

March 17, 2014 ceiblogger

An estimated 4,000 to 6,000 metric tons of sunscreen washes off swimmers annually. This can affect the ocean in many different ways. This semester the Flats Research Program at CEI is looking at how different types of sunscreen affect bonefish. Bonefish are a very important fish commercially in the Bahamas. There is a common theory in the angling world that certain chemicals, including sunscreen, can discourage fish from biting flies. The flats team would like to test if sunscreen affects bite choice of bonefish.

We are capturing bonefish from the local tidal creeks in seines. These fish will then be fed shrimp to satiation. The next day we will come back with the shrimp coated in different types of sunscreen. We will record their behavior and the amount they eat again to see if sunscreen changes their feeding behavior.

To further look at the effects sunscreen has on the bonefish catch and release industry, we are going to perform an experiment where we will exercise the bonefish for 3 minutes to simulate the exhaustion from angling, and then we will have sunscreen on our hands when handling bonefish, as anglers possibly would. We will keep the fish in holding tanks in the lab for at least two weeks to observe any lasting effects. We are hoping to share these results with Bonefish & Tarpon Trust and other journals, and encourage better catch and release practices.

Flats, Outreach, Plastics, Research Programs, Sustainable Fisheries

CEI Researchers present at the 2nd Bahamas National Natural History Conference in Nassau

March 12, 2014 ceiblogger

CEI researchers were busy in Nassau over the past week. On March 4th, Aaron Shultz and Kate Kincaid attended an IUCN Red List Workshop, held at The Bahamas National Trust. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization (www.iucn.org). As an expert commission member for several IUCN groups, Kate is regularly involved in IUCN work. This workshop was open to scientists to come together and discuss plans for a National Red List for The Bahamas. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (www.iucnredlist.org) promotes conservation and is an assessment of the conservation status of species to highlight taxa that are threatened with extinction. Species are evaluated using set criteria; this catalogue of threatened species is an internationally recognized inventory and important for conservation, decision making and highlighting biodiversity loss.

Many species have not yet been assessed and many countries are conducting national Red Lists. A national Red List for The Bahamas can be used for conservation planning and to assess their progress towards the 2020 Conventional on Biological Diversity Aichi targets. At this workshop, Kate and Aaron expressed CEI’s interest to be involved in the planning process and in species focus groups for sharks, corals and turtles.

Following this workshop, CEI researchers Aaron Shultz, Kate Kincaid and Kristal Ambrose attended the 2^nd Bahamas National Natural History Conference. This was a 3 day conference from 5^th-8^th March led by the Bahamas National Trust (www.bnt.bs) that highlighted the importance of research, conservation, and environmental stewardship in The Bahamas. The conference began with an opening ceremony at Atlantis followed by 3 days of talks. Continue reading →

Educational Programs, Flats, Research Programs, SCUBA, Student Research

Spring Gap students are here!

January 29, 2014 ceiblogger

The Spring Gappers are on campus! Our first week was busy getting oriented to all the exciting opportunities that are waiting for us in the next two months.

While we’ve only started our Environmental Issues class we’ve already had so many opportunities to learn, attending Dr. Conrad Speed’s presentation on his work with sharks in western Australia as well as the presentations held by three soon-to-be departing researchers on their work with checkered puffers, bonefish, and personality in sharks and rays.

Team Gap learning to SCUBA dive with Ron

Aside from learning, we’re all training to compete in athletic events organized for the end of our semester. Two of us are training for a more traditional triathlon, with our first run-swim at 6:30 Wednesday morning. Not to be deterred, our very own Stef Tai is in training for the newly created “biathlon” (swimming and now, kayaking). Continue reading →

Educational Programs, Flats, Lionfish, Outreach, Plastics, Research Programs, Sea turtles, Sharks

CEI attends Abaco Science Alliance Conference 2014

January 22, 2014 ceiblogger

asac 1 — Stephen, Owen, Tiff, Meaghan, and Joce at the conference.

FRIENDS of the Environment hosted the 6th Biennial Abaco Science Alliance Conference (ASAC). The conference goals were to provide a forum for networking and information sharing for Abaco and Bahamas-based research projects, to encourage the use of research for local education and environmental management purposes and to stimulate further research in The Bahamas.

The research and educational programs team traveled from South Eleuthera to Marsh Harbour, Abaco to represent the Cape Eleuthera Institute. The team presented on various research topics currently conducted at the Institute. From mangrove restoration to deep water sharks, here is list of ASAC attendees representing CEI:

Stephen B Cone Jr, an outstanding 2013 summer flats intern, gave a talk titled “The mangrove action plan: an adaptive outreach and ecosystem rehabilitation initiative.”

Dr Owen OʼShea, research associate for CEI’s shark research and conservation program, gave a fantastic talk on deep water elasmobranch surveys. His deep sea videos caused much excitement!

Dr Jocelyn Curtis-Quick encouraged all to eat lionfish and talked about her study on the interactions between the Caribbean Spiny Lobster, Panulirus argus, and Invasive Lionﬁsh, Pterois volitans.

Kristal Ambrose gave a passionate talk on the spatial and temporal patterns in the abundance and diversity of plastic marine debris on beaches in South Eleuthera.

Megean Gary presented on her turtle research examining the spatial dynamics of immature Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas) within a foraging ground on the Atlantic coast of Eleuthera.

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!

Flats, Outreach, Research Programs, Sustainable Systems, Visiting Scientists

Watch this incredible bonefish spawning aggregation video!

January 3, 2014 ceiblogger

Check out this awesome video of a bonefish spawning aggregation, and then read on to learn more about bonefish research being done by CEI’s collaborator, the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuTN0Wj8J_A&feature=youtu.be

A message from the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust:

One of BTT’s top priorities is to learn enough about the biology of bonefish, tarpon, and permit so that we can focus conservation efforts on the most important aspects of these important gamefish. Which habitats and life stages are most critical? As you know from our monthly updates, identifying juvenile habitats, migrations, and adult habitat use are constantly in our crosshairs. Only with this information in hand can we propose effective conservation strategies like habitat protections, which we have long been pursuing in the Bahamas with collaborators Cape Eleuthera Institute, Fisheries Conservation Foundation and Bahamas National Trust.

Continue reading →

Flats, Outreach, Research Programs, Visiting Scientists

Wrapping up a successful bonefish tagging trip in Andros South

December 18, 2013 ceiblogger

Flats intern Stacey Dorman fishes from the bow of the boat.

Interns from the Flats Ecology and Conservation Program and Shark Research and Education Program at the Cape Eleuthera Institute (Stacey Dorman and Carl Treyz) and Zack Jud from the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust finished their four day bonefish tagging trip in South Andros, which was very successful! A total of 654 fish were tagged around South Andros, including the west side and the cays on the southernmost tip of the island. The overall goal was to tag bonefish in areas that are heavily fished by recreational anglers, so that they can be later recaptured, and information about bonefish population movement and growth can be collected. Continue reading →

Flats, Research Programs, Visiting Scientists

New acoustic tracking study on bonefish in Grand Bahama

December 12, 2013 ceiblogger

Throughout the islands of The Bahamas, bonefishing is not only popular sport, but also an important component of the tourism industry that contributes greatly to the economic health of many communities. For such a valuable fishery, surprisingly little is known about bonefish movements, particularly when it comes to migrations associated with their reproduction. A recently implemented joint study in Grand Bahama is designed to help provide that information. Continue reading →

Flats, Outreach, Research Programs, Student Research

Intern Bio: Kylie Bloodsworth

November 18, 2013 ceiblogger

Kylie grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She received in a Bachelor’s of Arts in French Language Studies and a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. More recently, she earned a Master’s of Science degree in Marine Science from the University of New England in Maine. Her research examined how river plume dynamics influence larval transport and more specifically the distribution of crab and mussel larvae. Beyond educational institutions, Kylie has gained experience working for State agencies such as the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, interning at aquariums, and teaching science and math in K-12 public schools and college-level courses in the Caribbean. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career in marine resource management and is particularly interested in science communication, K-12 education and outreach, and conducting applicable research. Continue reading →

Education, Research, Outreach