Mote Magazine - annual/winter 2016-2017

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UNDERWATER “RAINFOREST” MOTE SUPPORTERS MAKE HISTORY WHITE HOUSE RECOGNITION

Thousands of members, one amazing mission The entire Mote family sincerely thanks our members for their continued investment, dedication and support.

More than 9,500 Mote Members invest annually in the Lab’s mission of essential scientific research and educational outreach. Our members are a diverse group from 46 U.S. states and abroad, but one thing unites them: They are friends of the sea. These environmentally conscientious individuals believe is it vital to ensure the health of our oceans and the wildlife and people they support.

Mote Members: Thank you for making waves for marine science, and we hope to see you at our upcoming membership events!

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MOTE 2015 EVENTS CALENDAR

Mote Magazine (ISSN 1553-1104) is published by Mote Marine Laboratory, a world-class nonprofit organization devoted to the ocean and its future.

Through marine science stories, Mote hopes to enhance ocean literacy among the public and encourage conservation and sustainable use of marine resources.

PRESIDENT & CEO

Michael P. Crosby, Ph.D. ASSISTANT VP, COMMUNITY RELATIONS & COMMUNICATIONS

Stacy Alexander EDITOR

Hayley Rutger GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Alexis Balinski CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Kaitlyn Fusco, Dr. John Reynolds, Hayley Rutger

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CONSERVATION DREAM TEAM Mote Marine Laboratory and The Nature Conservancy partner for coral conservation and restoration.

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Alexis Balinski, Joe Berg/Way Down Video, Rich Carey, Jim Culter, dodes11/Adobe Stock, Marc Ellis/H2Opictures.com, Chris Fitzgibbons, Conor Goulding, Nancy Guth, King Abdulaziz University, Dr. Ken Leber, Dan Mele, Mote’s Manatee Research Program, Olivia Raney, University of Guam

Mote Magazine is proud to recognize Sarasota Magazine as its publishing partner.

For information on sponsorship, please contact Sarasota Magazine at 941-487-1109.

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COVER PHOTO

Demolition and construction on Summerland Key

16 A bird’s-eye view of red tide 21 Electronic fisheries monitoring 24 Coral reef education

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Hands on

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Issues & impacts

ANNUAL 2016-2017 • VOLUME 73 INFO: 941-388-4441 • M O T E . O R G

Reef renewal

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Coral replanting in Key West to become public snorkel trail

Understanding the status of endangered manatees

Seagrass puzzle

Water clarity model to assist with protecting seagrass

Underwater “rainforest” Vibrant coral reef ecosystem surveyed in Saudi Arabia

25 University of Guam partnership 27 Mote milestones 30 Special events 31 Education programs 32 Thank you members

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Historic campaign success

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Seafood champion

Mote shares big news at Oceanic Evening gala

White House recognizes Mote scientist

Coral reefs and reef species off the Saudi Arabian coast of the Gulf of Aqaba. There, Mote Marine Laboratory and King Abdulaziz University scientists conducted the most detailed survey of multiple coral reef species to-date during September 2016. Ropes mark transects surveyed

by Mote and KAU scientists during their joint expedition. Photo by: King Abdulaziz University

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES G. Lowe Morrison CHAIRMAN Robert Essner VICE CHAIRMAN Lt. Gen. Howard G. Crowell (USA Ret.) TREASURER Mickey Callanen SECRETARY Dr. Michael P. Crosby, PRESIDENT & CEO Arthur L. Armitage, Chairman Emeritus Eugene Beckstein, Immediate Past Chairman Mickey Callanen, Secretary Paul Carreiro Robert E. Carter, Chairman Emeritus Ronald D. Ciaravella Scott Collins Maurice Cunniffe John Dart Frederick M. Derr, P.E., Chairman Emeritus Rogan Donelly Richard O. Donegan Dean H. Eisner James D. Ericson Susan C. Gilmore Judy Graham, Chairman Emeritus Kirk Malcolm Penelope Kingman Trudo Letschert Elizabeth Moore Nigel Mould Rande Ridenour Alan Rose Howard Seider, Jr., M.D. Jeanie Stevenson HONORARY TRUSTEES Richard Angelotti, Chairman Emeritus Charles R. Baumann, CPA Pauline Becker Bob Cameron (President, Volunteer Board) Howard C. Cobin David Dickson (Chairman, Advisory Council) Sylvia Earle, Ph.D. William S. Galvano, Esq. Alfred Goldstein, DCS DHL, Chairman Emeritus Peter Hull (Mote Scientific Foundation) The Hon. Andy Ireland Edward H. Jennings Ronald A Johnson Elaine M. Keating J. Robert Long Kumar Mahadevan, Ph.D. (Mote Scientific Foundation) Jean Martin The Hon. Dan Miller Ronald R. Morris Helen L. Pratt (Mote Scientific Foundation) William Ritchie (Mote Scientific Foundation) Peter Rosasco, CPA (Chairman, Keys Advisory Council) Myra Monfort Runyan, Chairman Emeritus Beth G. Waskom William R. Mote • 1906-2000 Perry W. Gilbert • 1912-2000 Founder, Dr. Eugenie Clark • 1922-2015

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Letter From The President Dr. Michael P. Crosby This year Mote received an incredible and humbling gift. Mote supporters across the U.S. and beyond generously provided philanthropic contributions that exceeded the $50-million fundraising goal for our first-ever comprehensive campaign, Oceans of Opportunity.

This success will help us launch a new era for our Lab. You — 23,000 campaign supporters of all ages and backgrounds — are helping us attract, nurture and retain the best and brightest minds in marine science, technology and education. You are helping us conduct more world-class scientific studies, offer more education programs for underserved communities, provide additional science-based policy briefings, grow the endowment for Mote’s future, and attain other critical goals in Mote’s 2020 Vision & Strategic Plan to enhance the Lab’s positive impacts.

Those impacts are diverse and widespread, as you’ll see in this issue of Mote Magazine.

In our Florida home, we’ve been advancing multiple research and outreach goals around notable blooms of Florida red tide; restoring thousands of corals along a Key West state park, which will help countless visitors learn about the need to help reefs; developing increasingly sophisticated ways to restore key sport fisheries; and informing critical decisions such as proposed federal changes affecting manatee conservation. The sole “bricks & mortar” capital project in this campaign — our international coral reef research facility in the Florida Keys — is well on its way to opening in early 2017.

Further afield, we’ve been forging international partnerships — such as a research and education agreement with the University of Guam — while putting existing relationships to excellent use: for instance, working with Saudi Arabian partners to document the largely unexplored, stunningly healthy, coral reef ecosystems in their marine “backyard.”

Our 2020 goals, supported by Oceans of Opportunity, are stepping stones toward an even brighter horizon. Beyond the campaign and year 2020 goals, we envision transforming our Sarasota, Florida campus into a “Silicon Valley”-like, international marine science, technology and innovation park that will attract scientists and entrepreneurs from around the world — resulting in not only improved conservation and sustainable use of our oceans, but providing the catalyst to expand the blue economy in Florida and beyond.

We hope that you — our supporters, members and friends — will continue to be part of the Mote family, celebrating our positive impacts today and looking toward an even more exciting future.

Michael P. Crosby, Ph.D., FLS President & CEO

RENEWAL FOR THE REEFS: Demolition and construction on Summerland Key In Mote’s lab on Summerland Key, researchers break corals into tiny pieces to help them grow faster in the nursery, then they plant them into the wild to revive depleted reefs. Now, the Keys lab itself is undergoing a revival: demolition of old facilities and construction of a new, 19,000-square foot, LEED-certified facility that will more than double Mote’s research and education space on Summerland Key. At press time in October, construction was well under way — with help from supporters of Mote’s Lab-wide fundraising campaign, Oceans of Opportunity.

Read about the campaign’s success on page 18.

Mote’s research facility on Summerland Key supports the work of many Mote scientists and approximately 150 non-resident scientists from over 60 U.S. and international institutions. By 2016, its buildings were nearly 50 years old and new facilities were needed urgently.

Spring 2016 Mote began demolishing two residential and office buildings during a hard-hat kickoff ceremony on Feb. 18, 2016, at Summerland Key (right).

Initial demolition finished within weeks. Lab facilities remained intact and research continued.

Summer 2016 During summer 2016, all 178 foundation piles for the new facility were drilled, all pile caps installed, the nearby seawall extended and progress made with underground plumbing and electric work.

Fall 2016 During late summer into early fall, a 100-ton capacity crane and multiple precast concrete panels were delivered, and vertical construction began. In September Hurricane Matthew blew through eastern Florida — a reminder of why Mote chose to construct a hurricane-resistant facility on Summerland Key. The construction process continued safely and smoothly. By mid-October, one of the building’s six bays (structural sections) was installed and the second was in progress. The precast concrete components were manufactured in Fort Myers.

Spring 2017 Construction is on track and the new facility is expected to open in May 2017. See photos of progress at: www.mote.org/motebuilding MOTE MAGAZINE | ANNUAL 2016-2017

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Curious about coral restoration?

Stop wondering

and start swimming!

BY KAITLYN FUSCO

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rab your mask and snorkel and get ready to experience Mote Marine Laboratory’s coral reef restoration efforts firsthand at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park in Key West, Florida.

For the first time in Mote’s history, the Lab has launched a coral restoration project at a public park to educate visitors about coral reefs and demonstrate current restoration strategies.

Starting in June 2016, scientists and volunteers planted about 200 or more live coral fragments per day in waters 10-12 feet deep off Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park. Just two months later, the team had planted about 5,500 corals to complete this summer’s project.

"Within a

Mote scientists raise and restore reef-building corals using their cutting-edge technique called “re-skinning,” which enables small fragments of reef-building species such as brain, mountainous star and great star coral from Mote’s land-based nursery to rapidly fuse back together over dead coral skeletons. couple of years,

the coral fragments that were planted for this project will grow into each other and form a living reef that will be beautiful for people to enjoy as a snorkel trail"

“Within a couple of years, the coral - Dr. David fragments that were planted for this project will grow into each other and form a living reef that will be beautiful for people to enjoy as a snorkel trail, and the reef will help prevent erosion of this beautiful beach,” said Dr. David Vaughan, Executive Director of Mote’s Florida Keys campus.

Corals planted at the State Park were rescued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from the same

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general area and propagated by Mote scientists at their land-based coral nursery on Summerland Key.

Vaughan

The new public restoration project is a collaboration among Mote, the Florida Park Service, NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the Monroe County Tourist Development Council. All work is conducted under permits from NOAA and the Park Service.

“This is a new, fantastic opportunity for the public to see this coral restoration project happening right here without even having to take a boat,” said Sean Morton, Superintendent of NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. “Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park is such a unique place, and this is a unique partnership we have continued through the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center. We encourage everyone to come out and see what is being done right in our own backyard.”

Above: Fragments of mountainous star coral being outplanted by Mote scientists at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park.

Above: Dr. David Vaughan, Executive Director of Mote’s Florida Keys campus, outplanting fragments of coral at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park.

“The Florida Park Service is very proud to be part of such an incredible project with Mote and NOAA,” said Anthony Knott, Park Manager for Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park. “It is a great opportunity to have our visitors be able to experience something like this.”

Coral reef ecosystems provide critical habitat for a wide range of fish and invertebrates, such as crabs, shrimp and lobster.

Reefs also help protect shorelines during storms.

This restoration project exemplifies Mote’s growing efforts to restore reefs. Using re-skinning, Mote aims to restore large areas of reef-building corals in just one to three years – instead of the hundreds of years that slow-growing corals might need for natural recovery.

“With this project, we’re using a unique technique to replant the underwater ‘forest.’ With the help of our partners and citizen scientists, we were able to move toward that goal,” Vaughan said.

“We at Mote are incredibly grateful to the Tourist Development Council, whose support helped to make this project possible, and those at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park and NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.”

Coral reefs fuel the economy by supporting fisheries and other resources of recreational and commercial value, including beautiful sites for diving and snorkeling. In southeast Florida alone, coral reefs are estimated to value $8.5 billion and support over 70,000 jobs.

Visitors to the Florida Keys can learn much more. Educational signs at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park and NOAA’s Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center in Key West will share information about corals, reef restoration, conservation and how to help reefs survive for years to come.

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ISSUES & IMPACTS

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ee t a n a em r a ” , d re e g n a d “en t er? g o n n a f I d in

All photos by: Mote’s Manatee Research Program

BY DR. JOHN REYNOLDS AND HAYLEY RUTGER

After more than 40 years as an endangered species, the West Indian manatee might be reclassified to threatened — a less dire status under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) proposed the reclassification in January 2016, noting that manatee populations have grown in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The agency cited multiple scientific analyses, mathematical models and expert input, concluding that threats to manatees and their habitats are being “addressed and reduced throughout the species’ range.”

An estimated 6,500 manatees inhabit Florida waters today, based on the January 2016 synoptic aerial survey designed to count manatees over a short time, statewide. Scientists don’t know how many manatees lived around Florida historically, but manatee population growth has been documented over the past couple

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of decades statewide, with annual estimates of survival based on photo-identification. To help understand trends, Mote Marine Laboratory, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the U.S. Geological Survey jointly maintain a statewide catalog of individual manatees.

As population studies grow more sophisticated, some researchers have pointed to new data and conservation challenges not represented in the USFWS proposal, suggesting that — despite considerable scientific advances and some major management initiatives — the future of manatee populations remains murky.

Dr. John Reynolds — Manager of the Manatee Research Program at Mote Marine Laboratory and former Chairman of the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission — is one of several science and conservation professionals in the U.S. and Caribbean citing evidence that a change from endangered to threatened may be premature.

The best approach, Reynolds says, might be what careful boaters do in manatee zones: Slow down and take a closer look.

Q&A with Dr. John Reynolds What would reclassification mean for protection of manatees?

An endangered species is in danger of extinction throughout all or much of its range, and a threatened species is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future.

West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) would retain federal protection if reclassified to threatened, but protections are implemented in complex ways involving local to national agencies, leaving some room for uncertainty. USFWS representatives have said they will not weaken existing federal policies or regulations protecting manatees, but it is not yet clear whether state, county and municipal agencies will make the same formal commitment.

Is reclassifying manatees a good choice?

Sublethal stress — which does not kill manatees outright but may weaken them and hinder population growth — was not considered in formulating the USFWS proposal. For example, recent research

by Mote scientists and their colleagues showed that exposure (or repeated exposure) to cold temperatures and the toxins from

This is a complex decision for government agencies and the

Florida red tide algae can negatively affect manatees’ immune

communities they represent to make using the best-available

systems in the long term. However, to the best of our knowledge,

scientific data.

the important population-level implications of these studies were

Some notable, recent data appears to be absent from the USFWS

not part of the USFWS decision.

proposal, but it may well affect the outlook for manatees’ future.

Threats to manatees and their habitat may well grow, as the

Without the best-available scientific data represented, it may be

human population of Florida is projected to increase from around

premature to propose changing manatees’ status.

For example:

20 million in 2015 to 26 million in 2030. Despite this, sources consulted by USFWS envisioned a stable level of threats into the future.

The newest data on manatee deaths are not represented in the analyses USFWS consulted, but they are notable. Since 2010,

These are just a few examples. Without accounting for these

more than 3,600 manatees have died in Florida — many during

and certain other factors, the mathematical models consulted by

unusual mortality events due to cold, red tide in southwest Florida

USFWS might be unduly optimistic — underestimating the risk of

or unknown causes in the Indian River Lagoon.

extinction. This necessitates caution.

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If manatees are reclassified to threatened, should there be any follow up?

If manatees are reclassified, federal resource managers could consider follow-up goals such as: gathering crucial data that are currently lacking; working closely with other levels of government to coordinate ongoing protections for manatees; providing competitive funding for independent manatee research; enhancing and implementing tools to assess manatee populations more thoroughly; and having contingency plans to return manatees to endangered status in a timely manner if warranted by population declines.

When will we find out the decision?

We don’t know. The final decision will presumably take several months, possibly occurring sometime in 2017. Please contact USFWS with any requests for updates. Read the proposal and public comments at www.regulations.gov, by searching for “12-Month Finding on a Petition to Downlist the West Indian Manatee, and Proposed Rule to Reclassify the West Indian Manatee as Threatened” or searching for its ID: FWS-R4-ES-2015-0178-0001.

The comment period closed April 7, 2016.

More from the Marine Mammal Commission The need for caution was echoed this year by the Marine Mammal Commission, an agency that provides independent oversight of U.S. government actions on marine mammal issues.

In an April 2016 letter to USFWS headquarters, the Commission reasserted concerns originally expressed in their 2014 letter, which said: “…the Commission finds that FWS has not conducted all the analyses necessary to justify the proposed action to reclassify West Indian manatees as threatened throughout their range.”

The Commission, and Reynolds as an independent scientist, have said that the proposal would reclassify both subspecies of West Indian manatee — the Florida

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manatee and Antillean manatee — but the two subspecies face different circumstances and should be considered separately.

The Commission’s letter noted: “In particular, improvement in the status of the Florida subspecies and reduction in the threats it faces, should have no bearing on a listing decision for the Antillean subspecies unless it too is showing similar increases in abundance and reduction in threats.”

Currently, scientists suspect that Antillean manatee numbers are stable in just three of the 19 range states that this subspecies inhabits in the wider Caribbean.

With unique challenges facing each subspecies, and new challenges emerging, cautious management may be the best life preserver for these iconic marine mammals.

Clearing up a seagrass puzzle

Photo by: Rich Carey

BY HAYLEY RUTGER

harlotte Harbor holds a priceless, green jewel: more than 62,000 acres of seagrass beds that shelter and feed shellfish, sport fish, manatees and more.

C

Maintaining this Florida treasure requires care: Seagrasses may decline if poor water clarity obscures their sunlight. Fortunately, Charlotte Harbor resource managers recently gained new tools to keep water clarity on target, thanks to a study by Mote Marine Laboratory and Janicki Environmental, Inc.

and clarity and resulting changes in seagrass coverage. Clarity describes how much light reaches a given depth without being absorbed, scattered or otherwise made unavailable to seagrasses.

Clarity is critical but tricky to monitor in shallow estuary waters, where the changing angular distribution of light can challenge even high-quality measuring gear.

To address this challenge, the new study presents an Optical Model, which translates water quality sampling results — water

The peer-reviewed study was funded by the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program (CHNEP) and published summer 2016 in Florida Scientist. It provides new mathematical modeling tools that are helping CHNEP and partners produce a Water Clarity Report Card for resource managers, scientists and the public.

color, turbidity (cloudiness from particles), and chlorophyll from

Resource managers track the health of Charlotte Harbor’s 14 estuary segments, in part, by monitoring changes in water quality

from Janicki Environmental, Inc. compares present clarity with

algae — into water clarity values, describing how much light will be blocked from seagrasses at a given depth. The model can estimate clarity more consistently than available instruments can measure it in the field. The related Water Clarity Reporting Tool a past reference period.

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Above: Under reduced lighting, Mote Chemist Susan Launay measures a sample for chlorophyll filtration and analysis.

“We’ve provided a way to model water clarity more reliably at depths where we want seagrasses to be, to determine if the criteria for light are being met,” said Dr. Kellie Dixon, the senior scientist at Mote who developed the new, Charlotte Harborspecific optical model. “If seagrasses are retreating, we need to know if that is due to a change in water clarity — for instance, from freshwater with brown color or runoff carrying fertilizer and other nutrient sources into Charlotte Harbor.”

Dixon continued: “If you’re trying to monitor water clarity by measuring light in the field, a lot can go wrong — for instance, your boat can tip sideways and reflect unwanted light where you’re trying to measure. However if you collect a jug of water, then laboratory analyses can accurately detect color, chlorophyll and turbidity, and we can use that to model light.”

To create the new Optical Model, Dixon analyzed years of the most reliable water quality and light-sensor data from Charlotte Harbor.

Now Charlotte Harbor-based scientists can plug in their own water quality data into the model to calculate clarity with more accuracy and precision than ever.

“This is a wonderful tool for monitoring water clarity,” said Judy Ott, program scientist with CHNEP. “Kellie fine-tuned existing modeling work to account for the details of how light is absorbed as it goes around the water column, for waves distorting the light and for the angle of the sun. This is the first time we’ve had a good enough tool to go back in time, to use our water quality data going back to the ‘60s and calculate water clarity historically.”

Dixon’s model is also the first to represent how Charlotte Harbor’s water quality affects the individual wavelengths within sunlight, such as blue, green and red. That’s important: seagrasses need specific wavelengths of light.

Ott said that fine-tuning water clarity information helps to finetune management. “Seagrass growth depends, in part, on the percentage of light available; they may grow deeper if the water is clear enough. In Charlotte Harbor, our targets for seagrasses and estuary health are based on water quality and clarity. If we anticipate changes in water flow or quality, we can use the optical

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Above: Mote Intern Thije Zuidewind collects a water sample from the surface for later laboratory analyses.

model to estimate how that will affect water clarity, which will let us focus on projects most protective and restorative of our resources.”

To see how water clarity fares from year to year, the public can visit the Water Clarity Report Card on the Charlotte Harbor Water Atlas website presented by CHNEP and the University of South Florida: www.chnep.wateratlas.usf.edu/water-clarity/ Water quality data, used to model clarity, are collected each month by the Coastal Charlotte Harbor Monitoring Network. Partners including CHNEP, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, City of Cape Coral, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Lee and Charlotte counties collect and analyze about 65 randomized samples each month across Charlotte Harbor, from Lemon Bay through Estero Bay. Field scientists continue to monitor light in the water with increasingly sophisticated gear, which in turn, helps to check and refine models such as Dixon’s.

Dixon has previously calibrated the Optical Model for other Florida estuaries. Next, she hopes the model will shed more light on water clarity trends in Mote’s underwater “backyard,” Sarasota Bay.

Beside the Saudi Arabian desert, an underwater “rainforest”

Desert photo by: dodes11/Adobe Stock. Reef photo by: King Abdulaziz University

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Photo by: King Abdulaziz University

BY HAYLEY RUTGER

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s news stories lament the declines of coral reefs worldwide, it may be hard to imagine that some reefs remain dense with vibrant corals showing few visible signs of stress.

acidification due to excess carbon dioxide from human activity. To understand these threats and help conserve reefs, scientists need more baseline data — in this case, a lot more.

However, that is what U.S. and Saudi Arabian scientists found when they launched the most extensive baseline survey to-date of coral reef ecosystems along the Saudi coast of the Gulf of Aqaba.

Off its hazy, brown shore lies a colorful, underwater world where bright anemones sway, neon fish dart like birds, large corals branch like trees, and comprehensive research studies of reef ecosystems have been lacking — until now.

“I’ve had the good fortune to lead comprehensive, multi-year studies with colleagues in the northern Gulf of Aqaba since the mid-1990s, and the Gulf is known for its beautiful coral reefs.

However, the Saudi Arabian portion is largely unexplored — in particular, comprehensive studies of reef biodiversity and coral health down the length of this coast are lacking,” said Dr. Michael P. Crosby, President & CEO of Mote and leading U.S. partner in the expedition. “With this expedition, we’ve initiated the first in what we expect to be a continuous time series of multi-discipline data acquisition and analyses spanning from the northern border with Jordan south along the Saudi Arabian coast of the Gulf and into the Straits of Tiran. We’re excited to partner with the outstanding marine science faculty and students of King Abdulaziz University to gather these baseline data, which are necessary for understanding and addressing emerging challenges to their coral reefs.”

In September 2016, Mote Marine Laboratory in Florida and King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, partnered for their initial, two-week expedition in Saudi waters of the Gulf of Aqaba. They documented coral abundance, diversity and stress, and the abundance and diversity of butterflyfish, sea urchins, seagrasses and other possible health indicators for this critical environment.

Preliminary results suggest that some life forms may be healthier or more diverse in the southern Gulf, near sparser human populations. More data and analyses are needed to verify the possible significance of trends. The researchers aim to return in summer 2017.

The Gulf of Aqaba touches Egypt to the west, Israel and Jordan to the north, and Saudi Arabia to the east. Though relatively small — about 111 miles long (180 kilometers) and 12 miles wide (20 km) — the Gulf hosts an estimated 210 hard coral species and 120 soft coral species, comprising one of the northernmost living reef systems on Earth. Coastal development and industry are denser in and around the northern-Gulf cities of Eilat, Israel, and Aqaba, Jordan, while the Saudi Arabian coast is far less populous.

Reefs in the Gulf of Aqaba may be vulnerable to pollution from the developed northern coast, fishing, oil spills and tourism impacts.

Worldwide, reefs are challenged by climate change and ocean

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Saudi Arabia has committed to protecting its marine resources through agreements and consortia such as PERSGA, the Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. This intergovernmental body is dedicated to conserving marine and coastal environments of the Red Sea, Gulf of Aqaba, Gulf of Suez, Suez Canal and Gulf of Aden surrounding the Socotra Archipelago and nearby waters.

“Scientific research has become an essential and effective contributor to understanding and addressing the various environmental impacts on the marine environment of the Gulf of Aqaba,” said Dr. Ali M. Al-Aidaroos, Professor at KAU and Saudi Arabian lead for the expedition. “International cooperation among scientists is aimed at understanding the risks and challenges of the Gulf environment in order to find innovative and sustainable management strategies. Mote Marine Laboratory is perfectly suited to help take on the challenges of the Gulf of Aqaba marine

environment, which will benefit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the world in general.”

September’s research expedition, funded by a grant from KAU, covered four Saudi Arabian sites from north to south: Haquel, Ras Dhabrah, Maknah and Ras Alsheikh Hamid. At each site, the researchers surveyed four transects at 5, 10 and 20 meters deep, gathering samples, observations, and photos to document multiple species and environmental conditions.

Some samples have yet to be processed. So far, preliminary results include: HEALTHY CORALS: Of 6,751 coral colonies examined, 6,652 appeared healthy, reported Mote Staff Scientist Dr. Erinn Muller. Only 1.5 percent showed visible signs of stress — often from predators or other natural causes of tissue loss, plus some bleaching, harmful interactions with algae, and minimal disease. Corals tended to be healthier in deeper waters and at sites further south.

The researchers collected 59 coral samples and extracted DNA to identify their resident bacteria – a first for Saudi Arabian corals in the Gulf of Aqaba. Some bacteria will be cultured to test whether they fight coral disease or even produce compounds useful for human medicine.

CORAL COVER: Reefs surveyed were in good condition, with more than 60 percent living coral cover at the best sites, said participating KAU scientist Dr. Abdulmohsin Abdullah M. Al-Sofyani.

The best reefs surveyed were at 5 and 20 meters deep, averaging 40 percent and 60 percent coral cover, respectively POSSIBLE BUTTERFLYFISH TREND: Butterflyfish species that feed on corals respond to subtle changes in coral communities, making them excellent indicators of reef health. Preliminary data from September’s survey indicate that the richness of butterflyfish species increases from north to south, reported Mote CEO Crosby.

This correlates with human populations, which are densest in the north. This trend appears statistically significant, but to better understand it, the researchers aim to increase their sample size and examine trends over time.

SEAGRASSES: Seagrasses were more common toward the southern end of the Gulf. The invasive seagrass Halophila stipulacea was found at the two southern sampling sites and the native species Thalassodendron ciliatum was found at the southernmost site, near the confluence of the Gulf and Red Sea. INVERTEBRATE ANIMALS: Mote Senior Scientist Jim Culter noted Tridacna giant clams, but he said mollusks and crustaceans were few overall. Tiny polychaete worms dominated the sediment.

Culter sampled sediment patches, which KAU staff will analyze for grain size, organic and carbonate content.

Mote Senior Scientist Dr. Dave Vaughan noted that Diadema sea urchins, which feed on algae and help prevent its overgrowth on

Above: Left to right: Jaffar Baomar and Dr. Abdulmohsin Abdullah M. Al-Sofyani of King Abdulaziz University, Dr. Erinn Muller, Dr. Michael P. Crosby and Dr. Dave Vaughan of Mote Marine Laboratory.

Far Left: Coral reefs and reef species off the Saudi Arabian coast of the Gulf of Aqaba. Ropes mark transects surveyed by Mote and KAU scientists.

reefs, decreased from north to south. Though Culter noted very few visible macroalgae on reefs studied, close examination of reef surfaces and sediment showed sparse, closely cropped algae and microscopic cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). These results may be explained more clearly when water quality data are processed.

Vaughan noted one possible, but unconfirmed, explanation: The upper Gulf near human population centers might have more nutrients, which might support more algae to feed the urchins.

WATER QUALITY: The team collected water samples that will be analyzed for metals indicative of pollution, for pH, organic carbon, phosphorous and nitrogen compounds — all of which may affect reef health. They also sampled for chlorophyll from marine algae and for tiny plankton, which play important roles in the marine food web.

Mote scientists have focused on the Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba since the Lab’s founder, Dr. Eugenie Clark, began studying the region’s fishes in the 1950s. Later in her career, Clark advocated preserving the Ras Mohammad area of the Red Sea, home to stunning coral reefs. Her voice provided crucial support and the area became Egypt’s first national park in 1983. Today, the Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba remain major areas of focus for Mote.

Mote CEO Crosby has championed marine science and conservation in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba since the mid1990s. He worked with international partners to lead the Red Sea Marine Peace Park Cooperative Research, Monitoring and Management Program — an effort to protect coral reefs that support thousands of species in the Gulf of Aqaba. During 2002 in Jordan, Crosby organized a Middle East Regional Marine Science Symposium and Workshop on Butterflyfish, with participating researchers from 16 countries.

Said Crosby: “For us at Mote, this is an opportunity to carry forward what Dr. Eugenie Clark started — which has been a major focus for me over the past 20 years — building international marine science partnerships with outstanding researchers in the Middle East to study these crucial ocean resources so they can be conserved and sustainably used for future generations.”

MOTE MAGAZINE | ANNUAL 2016-2017

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Florida red tide: A bird’s-eye view

BY HAYLEY RUTGER

THIS YEAR’S BLOOM OFF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

CITIZEN SCIENCE FOR BETTER BEACH DAYS

Florida red tide blooms start 10-40 miles

Mote’s Beach Conditions Reporting System

offshore. On Aug. 22-23, Mote’s offshore

(www.visitbeaches.org) provides real-time

survey found what appeared to be the early

updates on Florida red tide impacts —

stages of the bloom: low but consistent levels

respiratory irritation and dead fish — and

of the naturally occurring Florida red tide

other conditions at 27 Gulf-coast beaches,

algae, Karenia brevis, at surface and at depth.

thanks to trained volunteer observers.

Also conditions weren’t optimal for diatoms, algae that may compete with K. brevis.

By the end of 2016, Mote’s Environmental Health Program aims to release a citizen-

Like other K. brevis blooms, this one is

science app that will allow any iPhone

patchy — very dense in one area and nearly

or Android user to contribute their beach

undetectable a few yards away — which

observations, helping more people find the

complicates red tide monitoring and research.

best beach on a given day.

Higher levels of Florida red tide can color the water rusty orange, brownish, reddish or even greenish. However, blooms can exist without obvious color.

concentration:

HIGHER

In September and October, water samples revealed very low to high levels of K. brevis algae along southwest Florida, especially Sarasota, Manatee and Pinellas counties. With Florida red tide toxins in the water and air, some beachgoers experienced respiratory irritation and saw dead fish on shore.

Did coastal pollution affect this bloom? Florida red tide blooms start offshore, away from coastal runoff, but they may drift to the coast, where they can use natural and humansupplied nutrients derived from watershed runoff. Blooms can also use nutrients from the sediments, other algae or bacteria, and decomposing fish. It is difficult to pinpoint the specific impacts of any one nutrient source.

16 MOTE MAGAZINE | ANNUAL 2016-2017

Red tide coloration

vs

LOWER

TECHNOLOGY TO TURN THE TIDE More than a decade ago, a Mote scientist developed the optical phytoplankton discriminator, nicknamed BreveBuster, to detect Karenia brevis red tide at sea.

RED TIDE SAMPLING 2.0

Today Mote’s Ocean Technology Research Program is working on a new tool to detect red tide toxins, which can kill fish and cause

During the fall-to-winter 2015

respiratory irritation in people. This test, called

red tide bloom, Mote scientists

high-performance liquid chromatography, is

analyzed more than 500 water

already used with red tide toxins in labs, and

samples for K. brevis concentrations

Mote hopes to equip it for deployment at sea

along southwest Florida. Samples from

– where it could enhance real-time, public

Mote and others contribute to weekly,

information on the toxicity of blooms.

statewide red tide reports from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

urf hei gh n: s io

dit

dit co n

co n

r o wd s

co n

n: c io

h

dit

ead fis

at www.myfwc.com/redtidestatus.

t

n: d io

Today, researchers are working on a new smartphone app that will use facialrecognition software to identify K. brevis in water samples right on the beach. This will allow trained beach observers with smart-

SHELLFISH SAFETY

phone microscopes to upload video of water samples for automated evaluation — providing real-time updates on the

Eating shellfish contaminated with red

presence or absence of K. brevis algae.

tide toxins can cause neurotoxic shellfish

The project is funded by NASA and

poisoning. The Florida Department of

includes scientists from the National

Agriculture and Consumer Services closes

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

regulated shellfish-harvest areas affected by

the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean

red tide. Shellfish from stores and restaurants

Observing System, Mote Marine

are safe, but the public should not harvest

Laboratory and the Florida

shellfish recreationally during a red tide.

Department of Health.

Ongoing research by Mote’s Ecotoxicology Program suggests that whelks — shellfish some people harvest recreationally — may accumulate red tide toxins from their prey and retain them for months. In future work, Mote will focus on sunray venus clams, another Florida shellfish of emerging commercial interest.

Photos by: Mote’s Manatee Research Program

MOTE MAGAZINE | ANNUAL 2016-2017

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Mote makes history with success of Oceans of Opportunity

BY KAITLYN FUSCO

Surrounded by shimmering blues evoking the mystery and wonder of our oceans, guests at Mote’s Oceanic Evening celebrated the success of Mote’s first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign, Oceans of Opportunity.

Thanks to Mote’s champion supporters, the campaign surpassed its goal of $50 million in donor commitments — attaining $51,736,582 — before concluding on Oct. 29 at Oceanic Evening, Mote’s annual fundraising gala. This amazing support will advance the Lab’s critical mission and vision, outlined in its 2020 Vision & Strategic Plan.

“Our family values the importance of preserving our oceans and the marine life within, and through research and education, the dedicated staff at Mote is greatly benefiting the health of our oceans locally and beyond,” said Mary Uihlein, campaign supporter. “We are also proud of the advances of Mote’s cancer and biomedical research using sharks, skates and rays. Having been touched by this disease ourselves we support these scientists in their effort to discover new therapies for human cancer. All of us in Sarasota are so fortunate to have this unique facility in our own backyard.”

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Our oceans face devastating challenges – increasing water temperatures due to climate change, ocean acidification, coral bleaching and more – that could shape our future. However, thanks to Mote’s innovative science and those who support it through efforts like Oceans of Opportunity, solutions are on the horizon.

Mote supporters and campaign contributors Hobart and Janis Swan, are proud to support the advancements Mote is able to make because of the campaign.

“Janis and I enthusiastically support the work of Mote, in part because of exciting initiatives in fish stock enhancement, coral restoration and bio-medical research, among many others, that are producing real, positive results now,” Hobart said.

Mote publicly announced Oceans of Opportunity in January 2015. Now, the campaign’s success marks a pivotal moment for the Lab’s science and education missions, and will no doubt advance the evolution of its current City Island campus and Florida Keys campus.

“This campaign has given Mote the opportunity to expand its research and education enterprise,” said Dr. Michael. P. Crosby,

President and CEO of Mote. ”As Mote’s programs grow and prosper, we will be looking beyond the 2020 goals supported by the campaign, ultimately working to transform Mote’s Sarasota campus into an international marine science, technology and innovation park that will bring together Mote scientists and other scientists and entrepreneurs from around the world. This is really just the beginning of many more positive changes to come.”

Impacts of the campaign are already visible — for instance, the ongoing construction of Mote’s new coral research and restoration facility in the Florida Keys, which will be fully operationally in early 2017.

The Keys building is supported entirely by philanthropy – particularly that of its founding donor, The Gardener Foundation, and several significant supporters: the Rick and Nancy Moskovitz Foundation, Elizabeth Moore, the Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation and others.

Attorney George H. Mazzarantani, a Director for The Gardener Foundation, said, “The primary reason we became involved is because of the world-class scientific research being conducted at Mote’s laboratory in the Florida Keys. As a result, we felt that Mote needs to have a facility that matches their level of research and technology. By leveraging The Gardener Foundation’s donation, we hope to help Mote continue their present work, and go on to do even greater world-class work.”

include all three,” said Keith Monda. “Mote is creating an environment where young people are exposed to things that they might not otherwise be exposed to and while doing so, they are learning in engaging way how and why it is important for us to conserve our marine environment. Educating the next generation is the key to long-term success of marine conservation and we are thrilled to be involved with an organization like Mote that is making a difference.”

Mote’s Leadership Circle During the campaign, Mote’s Leadership Circle members made 11 gifts of $1 million or more. This special group comprises community members who understand and wish to address the urgent challenges facing the oceans.

Members include five anonymous supporters and: •

Carol and Barney Barnett

•

Rick and Nancy Moskovitz Foundation

•

Elizabeth Moore

•

James D. and Pati Ericson

•

Robert and Anne Essner

•

Maurice and Carolyn Cunniffe

Philanthropists Carol and Barney Barnett have donated $3 million to help Mote launch a major Fisheries Conservation & Enhancement Initiative focused on tagging and releasing thousands of hatchery-reared snook into the wild to replenish and enhance wild snook populations.

“I grew up in Florida and joined Publix,” said Barney, who today is Vice Chairman of the company. “Everyone in Florida lives close to the oceans and it’s our most valuable asset.”

As a scuba diver and angler, Carol has first-hand knowledge about ocean changes — for better and worse. “It really hit me when I learned what Mote was doing, that it was so much more than a little family activity. Mote is worldwide and making sure that we take care of the ocean environment. We have to be knowledgeable about what’s going wrong and what’s going right.”

And of course, Mote shares its discoveries by providing marine science education to hundreds of thousands of children in southwest Florida per year with a particular focus on reaching underserved, underrepresented populations.

Mote supporters Linda and Keith Monda see the value in education.

“We devote a lot of our philanthropic efforts to support children, education and conservation, and Mote’s education programs

Above: Carol and Barney Barnett, philanthropists and members of Mote’s Leadership Circle.

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Above: Mote offered a special thank you to the members of the Mote Leadership Circle, who all received a special custom gold shark pin made by Diamond Vault. Back Row (from left to right): Bob Essner, Anne Essner, Dr. Rick Moskovitz, Nancy Moskovitz and Jim Ericson.

Front Row (from left to right): Elizabeth Moore, Dr. Michael P. Crosby, Maurice Cunniffe and Carolyn Cunniffe. Photo by Nancy Guth Courtesy of Scene Magazine.

Left: Dr. Michael P. Crosby, Mote President and CEO, thanks the many supporters who made it possible to surpass the goal of Oceans of Opportunity.

Above: U.S. Congressman Vern Buchanan with wife Sandy and Diana and Matt Buchanan.

Top Right: Event Chair Judy Graham with Mote President & CEO Dr. Michael P. Crosby.

Bottom Right: Bob Essner, Chair of the Oceans of Opportunity campaign and Leadership Circle member, took the stage to give his thanks during Oceanic Evening. “I am continually amazed and humbled by the generosity of the community,” said Bob Essner, Chair of the Oceans of Opportunity campaign and Leadership Circle member. “Through this campaign Mote received support from all over the country and internationally from a wide variety of donors. I don’t only think of this as a financial success, but as a huge success in connecting our local community with others around the world who all believe in one goal, to save our oceans. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, for allowing us to incite change. It would not have been possible without each and every one of you, and I really mean that.”

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Scientists and fishers come together to learn more about Gulf of Mexico fisheries

BY KAITLYN FUSCO The Gulf of Mexico is home to 42 species of groupers, snappers, tilefish and other reef fishes, many serving as vital resources to Gulf economies and some restricted or prohibited to help their populations survive.

How can scientists and resource managers keep track of all these fish — and help protect the livelihoods of future fishers? Enter electronic monitoring.

To sustain fisheries, it is important to accurately document the targeted fish caught as well as the accidental catch, called “bycatch” that is discarded. Many fishing vessels host an observer who logs this information, but that is not feasible for every vessel and logbooks don’t always provide the detailed and consistent data ideal for fisheries management.

Incorporating electronic monitoring, such as using video cameras that film the fish caught, will help more fisheries provide necessary data.

In September, scientists at Mote Marine Laboratory received a grant for more than $500,000 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to continue advancing electronic monitoring of fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico. Mote will match more than $500,000 from private donations and in-kind support, to be shared by Mote and project partners.

“Electronic monitoring will help to document and provide a permanent record of the type and number of species caught, location of capture, the observed condition, and even sex (for adult sharks) of species discarded, which are key factors in managing fisheries sustainably,” said Carole Neidig, Mote staff scientist.

The Ocean Conservancy led the first study of electronic monitoring in the Gulf of Mexico in 2011 with Mote and other project partners to determine if electronic monitoring tools could be effective for fisheries monitoring and management. That pilot study showed that electronic monitoring could be applied successfully aboard bottom longline and bandit (vertical line) vessels fishing for snapper and grouper. Study partners decided to shift leadership of the project to Mote, an ideal organization to interface with fishers and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Additional support from NFWF, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Foundation (SFPF), the Environmental Defense Fund, and NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service have contributed to this new technology in the Gulf of Mexico.

Above: Mote-trained volunteer Tim Taccardi views and analyzes catch-andrelease data from a vessel in the Gulf of Mexico.

Thanks to the NFWF grant to Mote, the newest phase will launch in January 2017 when electronic monitoring equipment is installed on commercial longline vessels based in Florida’s southwest region and panhandle, Louisiana and Texas. Scientists will provide each vessel with training and equipment, including closed-circuit video cameras that will operate during fishing, gear sensors to detect fishing activity, a GPS to help detect where fish are caught and a monitor and computer control center with a portable hard drive that will later be returned to Mote for viewing and data analysis.

Neidig is working with commercial fishers and other partners to improve the collection of accurate catch and release data from the Gulf of Mexico reef fish fishery.

“This work would not be possible without the immense support of our partners, including technical support, the fishing community which includes fish house owners, commercial fishing groups, vessel owners and their captain and crews, and our Mote volunteers,” Neidig said. “It is a team effort to help find a way to monitor catches and bycatches now so we can guarantee more fish for the future.”

Project partners plan to expand these efforts over the long-term to increase electronic monitoring Gulf-wide, with consistent monitoring and data analysis based at Mote.

“Carole and her team are doing a wonderful job in establishing Mote Marine Lab as a Center for Gulf-wide Electronic Monitoring to quantify the commercial catch by bottom longline fishing vessels — with the aim of serving as an independent Center for providing this kind of data to NOAA for use in their fishery management models,” said Dr. Ken Leber, senior scientist at Mote.

MOTE MAGAZINE | ANNUAL 2016-2017

21

White House declares Mote scientist a sustainable seafood champ

BY HAYLEY RUTGER

M

ore than half the world’s seafood is supplied by aquaculture, with many wild fish stocks overfished and declining, but U.S. marine aquaculture — fish farming — produces far less seafood than aquaculture in Asia, Europe, Canada, Central and South America.

More than 91 percent of U.S.-consumed seafood is imported.

Main has led Mote Marine Laboratory’s aquaculture research efforts since 2001, guiding development of inland, re-circulating systems that raise marine fish while recycling 100 percent of the salt water and using fish wastes to fertilize salt-loving plants.

Mote Senior Scientist Dr. Kevan Main is working to change that.

In October 2016, the White House recognized Main’s tremendous efforts.

“U.S. aquaculture has faced tremendous hurdles due to concerns about environmental impacts,” Main said. “In the mid-1990s, it became clear that we need sustainable, water-recycling technologies at a cost our aquaculture producers can afford.”

Main was named one of 12 White House Champions of Change for Sustainable Seafood. These Champions hail from sea to shining sea across the U.S. and promote sustainable seafood through commercial enterprises, conservation, management and research.

Below: From left: Bun Lai of Miya’s Sushi, Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, Undersecretary of NOAA, Jason DeLaCruz of Wild Seafood Co., Chris Brown of Seafood Harvesters of America, Richard B. Robins, Jr. of Bernie’s Conchs Seafood Market and Ocean Perfect Seafoods, Inc., Robin Alden of Penobscot East Resource Center, Brad Pettinger Oregon Trawl Commission, Luka Mossman of the Conservation International Hawaii program, Monica Jain of Fish 2.0, Alan Lovewell of Real Good Fish, Dr. Kevan Main, senior scientist at Mote Marine Laboratory, Byron Encalade of the Louisiana Oysterman Association, and Dr. Jane Lubchenco, former Undersecretary of NOAA.

22 MOTE MAGAZINE | ANNUAL 2016-2017

Main — one of just two Champions working in aquaculture — is Director of the 200-acre Mote Aquaculture Research Park and is Past President and a current member of the World Aquaculture Society.

She has more than 30 years’ experience with fish aquaculture in the U.S., Asia and beyond, and she has published seven books and more than 50 peer-reviewed publications. In 2016 she received the Fellow of the World Aquaculture Society Award.

Over the past 15 years at Mote, Main and her team have conducted research to develop innovative and sustainable technologies for raising red drum, Florida pompano, greater amberjack, common snook and red snapper to support enhancement of wild stocks and produce juvenile fish for landbased recirculating and offshore cage farms.

Main’s work is especially significant now: In January 2016, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced the publication of a groundbreaking rule implementing the Fishery Management Plan for Aquaculture in Federal Waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Offshore farms have the potential to generate significant quantities of marine fish to meet the growing demand for high-quality, domestically farmed seafood. To help this happen, much more work is needed to develop sustainable, land-based hatchery production technologies for Gulf marine fishes – the forte of Main and her team. Main has been instrumental in Mote’s efforts to translate and transfer innovative aquaculture technology to the commercial sector and help fuel a new economic engine of sustainable U.S. aquaculture.

Main connects regularly with chefs and seafood marketers in southwest Florida and elsewhere. Several gourmet restaurants have used and praised the quality of seafood and salt-tolerant vegetables from Mote’s marine aquaponics prototype system.

Main also shares knowledge to support national and international policy discussion — for instance, she served on an aquaculture panel for Capitol Hill Ocean Week during June 2016 in Washington, D.C. By finding sustainable ways to produce domestic seafood and decrease pressure on wild fisheries, Main has truly served her community, country and planet as a Champion of Change.

An Oct. 4 White House news release underscored why these Champions matter: “The United States fishing industry is critical to the economic health and well-being of communities across the country, supporting 1.8 million jobs and contributing over $200 billion to the economy in 2014. However, our marine ecosystems are under threat from multiple stressors, including climate change and ocean acidification. The need for innovation in sustainable fisheries has never been greater. Local leaders serve as the backbone of our communities, working to build resilient coasts and striving to protect the at-risk towns whose future depend on the recovery of our fisheries. The administration applauds the hard work, collaboration and sacrifice by many across the country to become responsible stewards and safeguard our seafood security. These Champions of Change are ensuring the United States is a global leader in sustainable seafood management.”

“Dr. Main’s accomplishments run the gamut from innovative research to demonstrated impact and insightful contribution to sustainable seafood discussions at all levels,” said Dr. Michael Crosby, President & CEO of Mote. “We are incredibly fortunate to have her at Mote Marine Laboratory, an independent institution that proudly provides her the freedom to effect positive change.”

Above Left: Dr. Kevan Main stands beside an aquaculture tank at Mote Aquaculture Research Park in Sarasota County, Florida. Center: Main with Gil Sharell, of Aquatic Plants of Florida, in a marine aquaponics greenhouse at Mote Aquaculture Research Park. Right: Main participates in an coastal restoration effort in Sarasota County, Florida, using some of the plants grown in sustainable aquaponics systems at the nearby Mote Aquaculture Research Park.

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Summer vocation for St. Croix students

BY HAYLEY RUTGER High-schoolers from the U.S. Virgin Islands had a science-y summer, helping conduct coral reef research with a Mote Marine Laboratory mentor in the Florida Keys.

From Aug. 12-18, 2016, six students from St. Croix and one from the Florida Keys collected coral-related data and explored Keys ecosystems with Mote Staff Scientist Dr. Erinn Muller, who received a five-year National Science Foundation grant in 2015 to study threatened staghorn coral. This grant is from NSF’s Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program, which offers prestigious awards to exemplary teacher-scholars through the integration of excellent education and outstanding research.

Muller is studying staghorn coral’s potential to be affected by, and rebound from, major environmental stressors: disease, high water temperatures and ocean acidification.

So far, preliminary results show that some genetic strains of staghorn coral resist stress better than others.

Above: Students Faith Snow (from U.S. Virgin Islands), Jack Kramer (Florida Keys), Laila Sall, D’artagnan Christensen, Narius Louis (all U.S. Virgin Islands) and Mote Staff Scientist Dr. Erinn Muller work together at Mote Marine Laboratory’s research facility on Summerland Key, Florida.

With this project ongoing at Mote’s Summerland Key facility, the high-school visitors had plenty to do.

“The students learned techniques to measure coral health and physiology, to take water quality measurements of tanks holding the coral, to measure growth rates by looking at the buoyant weight of coral, and to quantify photophysiology — processes involving the symbiotic algae that the corals need to survive,” Muller said. “They were collecting data for the NSF research project, and they took the responsibility seriously and understood how important this research is. They did an amazing job.”

“My favorite part of the trip was getting to meet full-time scientists who do things that I see myself doing in the future,” said Narius Marc Louis, a 16-year-old student attending the St. Croix Educational Complex. “I believe the work being done with the corals is just amazing.

The amount of corals being grown and taken care of at the lab just amazes me and makes me excited to know that someday all those corals will be outplanted back onto the reefs, making them as beautiful as they were before.”

These high-schoolers are part of a Research-based After-school Program, which is overseen by Muller and the St. Croix nonprofit EARTHANGLE, led by Daina King-Sall. Mote hosts a complementary program for lower-Keys students, designed by Muller and Aly Busse, Mote’s Assistant Vice President for Education. This Florida program, coordinated by Sean Russell, and the group from St. Croix allow students to conduct their own research projects throughout the year.

24 MOTE MAGAZINE | ANNUAL 2016-2017

Photo by: University of Guam

Mote and University of Guam partner for research, education

Above: Dr. Terry Donaldson, UOG Marine Laboratory Director; Dr. Michael P. Crosby, Mote Marine Laboratory President and CEO; Dr. Robert Underwood, UOG President; and Dr. John Peterson, UOG Assistant Vice President of Graduate Studies, Research, and Sponsored Programs.

BY KAITLYN FUSCO Mote Marine Laboratory and the University of Guam Marine Laboratory forged a new partnership in August 2016 to benefit scientists, students and faculty while enhancing collaboration in marine research and science education.

Mote President and CEO Dr. Michael P. Crosby and UOG President Dr. Robert Underwood celebrated the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at UOG’s campus in the heart of Mangilao, Guam.

Under this agreement, Mote and UOG will explore exciting opportunities to partner in teaching, introduce more undergraduate students to the cutting-edge coral reef science at Mote’s research facility on Summerland Key and share research and education facilities and infrastructure.

The UOG was founded in 1952 as a two-year teacher-training school known as the Territorial College of Guam. In 1960, the college moved to the present campus in the village of Mangilao on the island of Guam as a four-year land-grant institution. It is dedicated to the search for and dissemination of knowledge, wisdom and truth and its mission is to enlighten, to discover and to serve.

The University has recently been collaborating with Mote through the UOG Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, for which Mote CEO Crosby has served as an External Advisory Board member.

The new MOU provides a framework for future collaboration serving the common missions and goals of both institutions, with attention to:

“Mote is pleased to enter into a partnership with the University of Guam, which will facilitate advancements in marine science and strengthen our ability to conduct world-class marine research while enhancing the knowledge and broadening the experiences of the next-generation of scientists for both of our institutions,” Crosby said.

• Joint grant proposals and research activities;

Mote, an independent nonprofit marine science institution established in 1955, has five campuses stretching from Sarasota, Florida to Summerland Key. Mote’s 25 diverse research programs advance marine science around the world to enable conservation and sustainable use of marine resources.

• Access of faculty and students to share and utilize each party’s respective research infrastructure, based on available space and funding;

“Partnering with a prominent institution like Mote Marine Laboratory is an amazing opportunity to continue building our research network,” said Dr. Robert Underwood, UOG President.

• Seeking sponsorship from various local, national and international funding sources in support of collaborative activities; • Exchange of research, faculty and students;

• Participation in research workshops and academic meetings; • Providing strategic review, advice and recommendations for institutional-level science and research initiatives (i.e., National Science Foundations’ and Science and Technology Centers).

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Conservation dream team sets million-coral goal

BY HAYLEY RUTGER Mote Marine Laboratory and The Nature Conservancy are joining forces for unprecedented coral conservation and restoration across reefs of the Caribbean and Florida Keys.

The two signed a memorandum of understanding in September 2016 for one year of planning and preparation — including growing 50,000 coral fragments — for a proposed 15-year initiative.

The initiative aims to restore more than one million corals, share science-based coral restoration and conservation practices among U.S. and international Caribbean partners, and construct necessary facilities such as coral gene banks, which preserve genetically diverse coral tissue and help researchers find strains resilient to environmental change.

Coral reefs help provide shoreline resiliency that protects coastal communities and create vibrant, healthy oceans for the people that depend on them. Ocean acidification, increasing ocean temperatures as a result of climate change, overfishing, unplanned coastal development and associated stressors have damaged or decimated reefs around the world. Floridian and Caribbean coral cover has declined by 50-80 percent in some areas in the last three decades.

Mote has developed innovative technologies to grow staghorn, brain, boulder and star coral fragments and planted approximately 20,000 onto depleted reefs in the Florida Keys. In early 2017 Mote plans to open a new coral reef research and education facility at its Summerland Key campus, where Mote scientists have already pioneered groundbreaking methods to restore reef-building corals at accelerated rates and begun to genetically identify staghorn coral strains for potential resilience against environmental change.

The Nature Conservancy is an international conservation organization working to protect the lands and waters on which all life depends. Throughout the Caribbean and Florida, the Conservancy has worked with partners to advance science-based conservation actions, including establishing coral nurseries and planting over 15,000 coral colonies from nurseries onto reefs over the past 12 years in the Florida Keys, Dry Tortugas and U.S. Virgin Islands. These coral nurseries span from the Florida Keys down to Grenada and are part of the largest restoration project of its kind.

Together, Mote and the Conservancy hope to help coral reefs survive and deliver ecological and economic benefits to future generations.

Top Left: From left: Michael Kowalski, The Nature Conservancy Caribbean Board of Trustees Chairman; Dr. Michael P. Crosby, President & CEO of Mote Marine Laboratory; Dr. Luis A. Solórzano, Executive Director of The Nature Conservancy’s Caribbean Division; G. Lowe Morrison, Mote Board of Trustees Chairman. Top & Bottom Right: Dr. Crosby discusses the importance of the partnership before signing the memorandum.

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MOTE MILESTONES Nesting turtles are breaking records and taking names!

Nesting sea turtles have outdone themselves again. Two months into the 2016 sea turtle nesting season, Mote Marine Laboratory scientists reported a record-breaking number of nests along Mote-monitored beaches from Longboat Key through Venice.

At press time in late October, this year’s preliminary counts were 4,525 loggerhead sea turtle nests plus nine green sea turtle nests and one nest requiring genetic testing to confirm its species. This year’s preliminary total, 4,535 nests, far surpasses Mote’s record count of 2,475 nests in 2015.

The 2016 nesting season marked year 35 of Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program coordinating conservation of endangered sea turtles along 35 miles of Sarasota County beaches. Mote’s Sea Turtle Patrol — a group of scientists, interns and volunteers — monitor these beaches daily throughout nesting season, May 1 – Oct. 31.

Preliminary 2016 nest count (loggerhead) by beach: Longboat Key

577

(Manatee County)

Longboat Key

606

(Sarasota County)

Lido Beach Siesta Key

2016 Total: 4,535 nests

174 485

2082

Casey Key Venice

(plus nine green sea turtle nests, and one requiring genetic testing)

628

Meet Mote’s new veterinarian Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium recently welcomed veterinarian Dr. Adrienne Atkins to oversee the care of its diverse collection of resident animals. Atkins will also be involved in the care of sick and injured dolphins, small whales and sea turtles at Mote’s Dolphin & Whale Hospital and Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital.

An experienced zoo and wildlife veterinarian born and raised in Florida, Atkins has worked with a range of species from fish to elephants, participated in conservation field projects locally and abroad and assisted with cetacean (dolphin and whale) strandings.

Before coming to Mote, Atkins worked at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens for the past 6.5 years. She earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in May 2003 from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville and then completed a rotating, small animal internship in Arizona and a zoo and wildlife internship then at Oklahoma State University and the Tulsa Zoo. In 2009, she completed her residency in Zoological Medicine at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, where she worked with the Lubee Bat Conservancy, Santa Fe Teaching Zoo, St. Augustine Alligator Farm, Central Florida Zoo, White Oak Conservation Center and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

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Immerse yourself in Florida’s coral reefs at Mote Aquarium Mote Aquarium invites you to marvel at Florida’s coral reefs and learn about the many threats they face today in the new exhibit “Florida’s Coral Reefs,” which opened to the public on Aug. 13.

Guests will see 15 different species of Florida corals, many species of fish and other colorful creatures. Enjoy this snapshot of a beautiful, Florida Keys reef, learn how coral reefs are doing in the wild, and discover how Mote scientists are working on restoration projects that aim to help bring them back from the brink.

Coral reef restoration is a priority of Mote’s world-class research focused on the conservation and sustainable use of our ocean’s natural resources. Today, coral reefs are threatened by widespread and diverse coral disease, increasing ocean temperature, ocean acidification, coral bleaching and other challenges. Learn more, including how to help, by visiting “Florida’s Coral Reefs” at Mote Aquarium, open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. every day in Sarasota, Florida.

This exhibit would not be possible without the support of Mote Trustees Mickey Callanen, Susan Gilmore-Clarke and Judy Graham.

Rising star of PR The Rising Star Award recognizes passionate and enthusiastic professionals who make positive impacts through FPRA service and their careers.

“From day one, Kaitlyn has been an exemplary representative for Mote; through FPRA, we know she will extend her talent, diligence and heart to benefit the broader community of nonprofits, businesses and individuals that make Sarasota and Florida’s west coast a place of thriving culture and good works,” said Stacy Alexander, Assistant Vice President for Community Relations and Communications at Mote. “We firmly support her as FPRA’s Director of Special Events and we are sure she will progress in this role with the same alacrity she shows in translating marine science and conservation for the public.”

Mote’s Public Relations Manager, Kaitlyn Fusco, was honored in August 2016 with the Rising Star Award from the Central West Coast Chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA). She was also inducted then as the chapter’s Director of Special Events.

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Fusco is Mote’s primary contact for news media queries at the local to international level, and she helps the Lab fulfill a key goal in its guiding 2020 Vision & Strategic Plan: translating and transferring Mote’s scientific discoveries to help inform and benefit the public.

Snook science, conservation and fisheries enhancement advance In 2016, Mote scientists have tagged and released about 2,175 juvenile common snook born and raised at Mote Aquaculture Research Park (MAP) into the wild. They are studying and testing aquaculture-based technologies and responsible guidelines to enhance fisheries, which could help sustain snook populations in the future. These efforts are just the beginning.

Earlier this year, 2,175 released snook were coded-wire tagged and released into Hudson and Whitaker Bayous at the same time so scientists can compare their survival rates. If snook fare better at one site, the researchers can investigate why.

A sister project on the horizon involves documenting which shoreline habitat types juvenile snook prefer along Phillippi Creek, a 7-mile, estuarine tidal creek system that offers diverse habitats for young snook.

Scientists are investigating whether the fish prefer and survive best in tidal creeks along natural shoreline such as mangrove and marsh habitat, clear areas of human-made seawall, seawall with aquatic plants or a combination of those. Results will help reveal how well the creek shorelines supports native fishes and how resource managers might enhance creek benefits.

Mote will monitor the released snook in Phillippi Creek using passive integrated transponders (PIT tags) similar to the microchips for cats and dogs. Mote researchers are placing eight special antenna arrays along Phillippi Creek to detect tagged snook within range.

Above: Mote staff release hatchery-reared common snook.

As part of Mote’s fisheries enhancement partnership with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and a new, privately funded Fisheries Conservation and Enhancement Initiative at Mote, scientists will tag and release 10,000–15,000 hatcheryreared snook in several locations in Sarasota and Manatee counties, including Bowlees Creek, Whitaker Bayou, Hudson Bayou, Phillippi Creek, North Creek and South Creek. By dividing fish among different pilot release experiments, Mote scientists can learn more about the local snook population.

At time of press, Mote scientists have already placed five of the eight antennas along Phillippi Creek and PIT tagged over 1,000 fish, which they plan to release gradually, a few hundred at a time.

About 6,000 more juvenile fish are growing in tanks until they are big enough to tag and release.

This research is funded in part through Mote’s Fisheries Conservation and Enhancement Initiative, which has received tremendous support from philanthropists Carol and Barney Barnett, leadership donors to Mote’s Oceans of Opportunity campaign. That project is coupled with Mote’s partnership with FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, which also helps fund this research.

A major goal is to document how snook releases may impact the fishery, now that Mote scientists have identified optimal release strategies based on many years of research. By tagging most of the fish with coded wired tags, Mote scientists can identify Mote-raised fish recaptured later and know where and when they were released.

Scientists are then able to identify how hatchery-reared fish impact the fishery and how often they are caught by fishers. Mote’s William R. Mote Memorial Snook Shindig, a catch-and-release research tournament, is one method Mote uses to recapture snook and evaluate the success of releases.

Snook may take a few years to grow large enough to be caught, so Mote scientists have also designed snook releases to learn more about the fish as they grow. For example, Mote scientists study which habitats and locations the snook prefer and where they experience the best growth and survival.

Above: One of eight planned antenna arrays built along Phillippi Creek.

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2017 Special Events For Mote Marine Laboratory events throughout the year, including event details to-be-determined, visit: www.mote.org/events JANUARY

JUNE

Jan. 11 n COFFEE WITH A SCIENTIST / Dr. Jim Locascio, 9 a.m., Mote’s Boca Grande Office

June 3 n WORLD OCEANS DAY will feature games, crafts and educational booths from Mote and others highlighting science, conservation and green practices from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. at Mote Aquarium.

Jan. 25 n SCIENCE CAFÉ, Boca Grande

FEBRUARY Feb. 6 n SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATION opens for Mote Members and former campers.

Feb. 8 n COFFEE WITH A SCIENTIST / Dr. Michael P. Crosby, 9 a.m., Mote’s Boca Grande Office

June 18 n FATHER’S DAY SPECIAL: Dads get free Mote Aquarium admission with paid child’s ticket

JULY Date TBD n SARASOTA LIONFISH DERBY at Mote in Sarasota.

Feb. 13 n SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATION open to public.

Dates TBD n SHARK DAYS at Mote in Sarasota.

Feb. 16 n LEGACY SOCIETY BRUNCH celebrating those who support Mote through planned giving, time TBD, Mote’s Emily and Roland Abraham New Pass room

SEPTEMBER

Feb. 18 n YOGA AT MOTE, 8–10 a.m. in Mote Aquarium courtyard, Sarasota Feb. 27 n MOTE’S SPECIAL LECTURE SERIES sponsored in-part

by Robert and Jill Williams. Lecture starts at 6:30 p.m. in Mote’s WAVE Center, Sarasota.

MARCH

Saturdays in September n $6 MOTE AQUARIUM ADMISSION for Florida residents Date TBD n ELECTRIFY THE ISLAND, celebrating electric vehicles at Mote in Sarasota.

OCTOBER Date TBD n NIGHT OF FISH, FUN AND FRIGHT, at Mote Aquarium in Sarasota. Check: www.mote.org/halloween Oct. 28 n OCEANIC EVENING black-tie fundraising gala, 6:30 p.m., The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota

March 6, 13, 20, 27 n MOTE’S SPECIAL LECTURE SERIES sponsored in-part by Robert and Jill Williams. Lectures start at 6:30 p.m. in Mote’s WAVE Center, Sarasota.

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER

March 8 n COFFEE WITH A SCIENTIST / Dr. Noam Josef, 9 a.m., Mote’s Boca Grande Office

Dates TBD n SANTA JAWS, Mote’s shark mascot dressed for the holidays, will be at Mote Aquarium.

March 24 n PARTY ON THE PASS, a casual evening of food and fun, supporting vital programs at Mote, 6:30 p.m. in Mote Aquarium courtyard, Sarasota

Nov. 11 n Veteran’s Day: Mote Aquarium extends free admission to all veterans and their dependents with valid ID’s on Veteran’s Day each year.

APRIL April 1 n 31st ANNUAL RUN FOR THE TURTLES, sanctioned 5K and 1-mile run benefiting Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program, 6:30 a.m. on Siesta Key Beach April 22 n SARASOTA BAY CUP: MOTE MARINE LAB REGATTA coordinated by Bird Key Yacht Club April 27 n TEA FOR THE SEA, uniting women in philanthropy for science, 2 p.m., Sarasota Yacht Club

MAY May 14 n MOTHER’S DAY SPECIAL: Moms get free Mote Aquarium admission with paid child’s ticket

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Coming 2017!

View & download all Mote event photos online at:

motemarinelab.photoshelter.com

Education for all ages

Above: Sava Shelton examines a sea critter she found during Aqua Kids, one of the several summer camps offered by Mote’s Education department. For more information and a complete listing of available camps, visit mote.org/summercamp.

Right: Kayaking doesn’t get much cooler than this. Participants, aged 18 and older, can join trained Mote educators for an evening paddle to explore Sarasota Bay at dusk. All kayaking equipment is provided, and class begins with basic kayaking instruction. To learn more and to register, visit mote.org/kayaking.

Above Left: Mote Public Programs Senior Coordinator Mandy Wrobel leads a group of children and their favorite adults through a Mommy & Me lesson.

Mote Digital Programs Senior Coordinator Kasey Gaylord-Opalewski joins the lesson remotely via SeaTrekTV, Mote’s distance learning technology. To learn more about these programs, visit mote.org/mommyandme or mote.org/seatrek.

Above Right: Elaina Todd, Community Engagement Coordinator for Mote, works with Treyvon Stanford, a student from Robert L. Taylor Community Complex. Todd’s program focuses on expanding marine science education in the community. To learn more visit more.org/education.

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1600 Ken Thompson Parkway Sarasota, FL 34236-1004

NON PROFIT ORG. U.S. Postage PAID Lebanon Junction, KY Permit #698

(941) 388-4441 www.mote.org

Show your Florida colors.

Get your tag today!

www.motereefplate.com By purchasing a Protect Our Reefs license plate, you will be supporting Florida’s underwater treasure. Each plate sold in the state of Florida provides a $25 donation to Mote Marine Laboratory and helps fund coral research, coral reef restoration, education, grants and outreach programs.