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This week in patch reefs research we began our long research block with a pirate march to one of Matt’s pirate ballads named “Haul on the Bowline.” Although we are still unsure of his reasoning for having such a song in his iTunes library, we all participated in marching around the class room to get in the right spirits to go explore more patch reefs and continue our data collection. Ironically enough, the song set the tone for the entire research class in that it was the first time that all of our patch reef researchers contributed to putting the anchor in and out of the water and handling other tasks associated with boat care, all essentially ‘hauling on the bowline’ to help out the group. Continue reading →

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Apex predators: powerful, majestic, misunderstood and we’re not just talking about the shark research team. In the past few weeks, we have strived to further our understanding of the importance of lemon sharks in the Bahamian ecosystem. Lemon sharks are essential to the marine ecosystems of The Bahamas because they balance the populations of other species and prevent trophic cascades. Our study focuses on the habitats that are most important to juvenile lemon shark survival and health. The main purpose of this study is to measure the relative abundance of the lemon sharks in three distinct ecosystems throughout Eleuthera, to gain a better understanding of their habitat preference and use. The three areas we are examining include mangrove creeks, flats and sandy beaches. Continue reading →

Congratulations to Aaron, Edd, and the many students who participated in the research that contributed to these papers!

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From Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

Impacts of dissolved oxygen on the behavior and physiology of bonefish: Implications for live-release angling tournaments

Aaron D. Shultz, et al.

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From Endangered Species Research

Validating the use of baited remote underwater video surveys for assessing the diversity, distribution and abundance of sharks in the Bahamas

Edward J. Brooks, et al.

Dr. Alistair Harborne, a researcher from the University of Exeter (UK), will lead a volunteer research expedition this summer at the Cape Eleuthera Institute. The expedition will focus on Mangroves and Reefs of the Bahamas, and is hosted by Earthwatch Institute, a global environmental organization that engages people in scientific field research and education in order to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment.

If you would like to sign up to join the expedition, or to learn more about Earthwatch, click here.

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“Lionfish don’t wear wetsuits. We are lionfish. Therefore, we don’t wear wetsuits,” the team established while preparing tanks for an underwater lionfish counting excursion. Nobody wore the binding suits that day except for Tarzan (Avery) and Black Fingers (Jessica). An epic series of three dives were ahead of us. After deploying the experimental clod card (what we use to measure currents), we set out, growing stronger as a team and improving our skills in lionfish surveying. A total of eight lionfish were counted, ranging in sizes from seven to twenty two centimeters. We then transitioned onto land for the next day. We went to a local farmer’s market in Rock Sound to inform locals about lionfish and encourage them to try a sample of our delicious ceviche, made with fresh lionfish, tomatoes, peppers, and lime juice. At first, people were hesitant to eat the lionfish, assuming that they are poisonous. We quickly used our newfound knowledge of the species to correct that thought, showing them that the scrumptious fish only has venom in its spines, and once those spines are removed, it is just like any other fish. As a team, we decided that this is also an issue, and we need to spend more time informing the locals on how good this harmful species is to eat and how important it is to help remove it from the reefs.

~Captain Cutch and Holly Pants