| Mazatlan, Mexico April 7 – 12, 2014 ABSTRACT SUBMISSION IS NOW OPEN! |
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For online abstract submission and registration information, go to:www.wdmeeting2014.wordpress.com/abstracts/ For general information on the symposium, go to: www.fishconserve.org For information on becoming a sponsor, e-mail Sponsorship Contact Questions? E-mail us at info@fishconserve.org This symposium is being held in conjunction with the |
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Bonefish tagging has been taking place on a large scale in the south of Andros this week. Zack Jud from the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust and Stacey Dorman and Carl Treyz from the Cape Eleuthera Institute with the support of Andros South aim to tag, measure and release as many bonefish as possible within a four day period. This tagging study is part of a Bahamian wide project that is investigating the movements and growth rates of bonefish. In addition, clients and guides from Andros South (i.e., Deneki Outdoors) and fishing lodges throughout the country will contribute to this study by re-capturing tagged bonefish in the future..
Before lunch time on the first day, Stacey and Carl had helped tag over 200 bonefish, with the total reaching around 600 by the end of the second day. The largest bonefish caught to date is just over 24 inches or 610 millimeters. Between netting bonefish, dodging storms, sighting turtles and dolphins and kicking back at the fishing lodge, Stacey and Carl are having a great time exploring the ecosystems on Andros. By the end of this research excursion we hope to tag over 1,000 bonefish, stay tuned!
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On Friday, September 27, students from Deep Creek Middle School (DCMS) met with staff from the Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI) at Paige Creek to discuss mangrove ecosystems. Tiffany Gray, lead outdoor educator for CEI, led the eighth grade science class through an interactive lesson covering mangrove identification, their importance and threats to the ecosystem.
Stacey Dorman and Kylie Bloodsworth, CEI Flats Ecology interns, also gave the students an overview of research carried out by the institute and how mangrove ecosystems might be affected by climate change. The students then snorkeled up the creek system, taking note of important biota residing in the mangroves, such as juvenile barracuda, schoolmaster snapper, checkered puffer and juvenile lemon sharks. The DCMS students happily came away from class with the knowledge that mangroves are important ecosystems worth researching and protecting!
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Last weekend, Bahamas National Trust (BNT) made headway in their Rapid Ecological Assessment of Cross Harbour, Abaco. This REA will gather important ecological data to help establish a baseline for long-term monitoring activities and the creation of the proposed Cross Harbour Protected Area. A group of volunteers headed out on Friday, August 20th, to tag and recapture previously tagged bonefish. Tiffany Gray, lead outdoor educator for Cape Eleuthera Institute, helped in the tagging of 199 bonefish on Friday. The rest of the tagging crew continued through Sunday with at total number of 578 bonefish tagged!
by Students from the US and Puerto Rico came to the CEI campus for a week of working with researchers in the Shark, Flats, and Turtle Programs. Here is an update from each group.
Flats Team: Campers working the with flats team got a crash course in learning about flats ecology, mangrove ecosystems, and the economic and ecological importance of one target flats species, the bonefish. They gained experience seining, where they caught bonefish and lemon sharks and were able to practice tagging and releasing. Campers also got to try their hand at fly fishing on the flats, and each group caught a few bonefish. Continue reading
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The program started out on Tuesday, August 13th, with an informational presentation on bonefish and flats ecology. Zack and Justin also spent a bit of time that first day teaching students the basics on flyfishing where they had the chance to practice casting, some of them for the first time! That afternoon we headed over to Great Cistern to do an introduction on methodology and how to use the seine net. We saw lots of turtles, a shark, and caught some shad (mojarra), crabs, shrimp, and other fun stuff in the seine net.
The second day we tagged 20 bonefish around Crossing Rocks, about 12 miles south of the Marls. Clint Kemp from Black Fly Lodge in Schooner Bay took us out with two of their flats boats for a beautiful day on the water. After tagging and doing a little fishing, he took us over to the Black Fly Lodge to check out their facilities. It was very quaint and personal lodge, right on the newly developed Schooner Bay. Clint provided a wealth of information on not only what it’s like to be a top notch fly fishing guide, but also some of the background on the development of the unique “Live, work, and play” community of Schooner Bay.
Check out their website:
Black Fly Lodge - http://www.blackflylodge.com/
Schooner Bay - http://www.schoonerbaybahamas.com/
by This blog was written by the 18 incredible students visiting us from Maine.
Campus Life
The Island School/CEI is located in Cape Eleuthera. The campus faces the water with exotic beaches and fish-filled boat launches as a part of its grounds. Everything about the campus is energy efficient, from its compost at meals to their homemade biodiesel for the vans. The food waste is fed to the pigs on campus and the rest is composted and used for their gardens. The gardens are then used for meals creating the basis of permaculture. We’ve already become aware of the energy we waste every day and can’t wait to put our new energy efficient methods to use at home.
Research
A big part of our experience here on Eleuthera has been conducting research through the Cape Eleuthera Institute (CEI). Our Camden Hills students have been split into three different research groups, led by CEI researchers: conch, bonefish (field), and another bonefish team (lab). The Oceanside-Medomak students are studying patch reefs, and the effects of their complexity on the abundance of fish. All four groups will be presenting their findings to an audience of peers, interns, researchers, graduate students, and staff next week. Continue reading
by The first day started out with a snorkel and sustainable systems scavenger hunt to get everyone acquainted to campus and life at The Island School. Later, they got to do some kayaking, Bahamian dance, and attend a presentation from our plastics research enthusiast, Miss Kristal Ambrose.
On their second day, they had a chance to go on a discover scuba dive! This is for youngsters who are not certified yet but still want to try their hand at breathing underwater. Even Gwyndolyn Domino, who is already open water certified, got a chance to get another full dive under her belt. The day continued with a reef snorkel and presentation on shark ecology.
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This week we said ‘bon voyage’ to an amazing group of students, staff and crew from Seatrek Fathoms. They graced us with their presence for 10 days of science, fun, research, snorkeling, and much much more.
A new experience for the education team with the group staying aboard their 65ft sailing schooner named the Avalon. Each day the group made it to land and delved into our program. The focus of this trip was for the students to really get an idea of how a remote field station functions, all the differing aspects of research at CEI and the reality of setting reachable research goals.
We began our trip with a day sharking out with Owen and his team. It was quite the day long-lining with both the Dave & Di and the Avalon, giving all the students an opportunity to be first hand part on the long-lining crew, switching out with the observers stationed on the Avalon. The day was successful, hooking one Reef Shark, all the students were able to see how shark research works out in the field, and it was a great day had by all. Continue reading
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