Newsroom
| Friday's News@Mote: 6-7-13 | | |
| Published Friday, June 7, 2013 |
by Hayley Rutger
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| Saturday Photo Op: World Oceans Day • Florida Takes Sustainable Seafood to 38th Annual NOAA Fish Fry in Washington D.C. • A Full House for Mote’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital |
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Saturday Photo Op: World Oceans Day Family Festival at Mote
Guests to The Aquarium at Mote Marine Laboratory will be celebrating World Oceans Day during a fun family festival Saturday, June 8.
NOTE: Please let Hayley know if you plan to cover the event. Event details:
- What: World Oceans Day Family Festival
- When: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, June 8
- Where: The Aquarium at Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway in Sarasota
- Cost: Free with admission to The Aquarium. Admission is $19 for adults, $18 for seniors over 65, $14 for youths ages 4-12 and free for children age 3 and younger. Mote Members always get in free.
- Web site: www.mote.org/worldoceansday
The event features a Dr. Seuss Theme along with games and crafts focused on green practices, marine science and conservation by Mote and other local organizations.
Participating organizations include: Longboat Key Turtle Watch, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program, Sarasota Bay Watch, Manatee County Natural Resources Department, The Sarasota YMCA, Stow It-Don't Throw It, Mote's High School Alumni Program, Mote's Education Division and Tampa Bay Watch.
Sponsors of this year’s event at Mote include: IBC (Insurance and Benefit Consultants), the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Sam's Club and Willis A. Smith Construction.
Official sponsors of World Oceans Day are Association of Zoos and Aquariums, The Ocean Project, Dr. Seuss and Random House Children's Book
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| Florida Takes Sustainable Seafood to 38th Annual NOAA Fish Fry in Washington D.C. |
| Homegrown seafood from Southwest Florida was recently featured during the 38th Annual NOAA Fish Fry in Washington D.C. This annual food-lovers event showcases sustainable seafood from various regions throughout the U.S. during an event that draws more than 1,200 guests, including scientists, government officials, congressional members and seafood enthusiasts. |
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(Pictured from left to right) Chip Hagan III (husband of U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C.), Charles A. Hunsicker, Director of Manatee County’s Department of Natural Resources, Ed Chiles of the Chiles Restaurant Group, Sen. Kay Hagan, Dr. Michael P. Crosby, President and CEO of Mote Marine Laboratory, Dr. Kumar Mahadevan, President Emeritus of Mote, and Dr. Kathryn D. Sullivan, Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Acting NOAA Administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
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The Florida showcase featured sustainable seafood produced by Mote Marine Laboratory on its 200-acre farm located in eastern Sarasota County, Fla. Mote’s Aquaculture Park is focused on developing and perfecting our ability to re-use water to grow fish for food in order to minimize our environmental footprint. Mote is demonstrating that unlimited water access is not needed — nor environmentally sustainable or desirable — for large-scale production of food and to grow marine fish species to replenish depleted wild stocks.
Mote partnered with the Chiles Restaurant Group (which includes the Sandbar, BeachHouse and Mar Vista restaurants), Anna Maria Fish Company and Lola Wines during the event. In addition to serving Mote’s Farm-Raised Caviar and Siberian sturgeon, the group’s booth featured bottarga, a delicacy made from locally caught striped mullet, and wine varietals from Lola Wines.
The local representatives attending the event included Dr. Michael P. Crosby, President and CEO of Mote, Ed Chiles and Seth Cripe. Chiles is the owner of the Chiles Restaurant Group on Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key. Cripe is the winemaker and majority owner of Lola Wines, where Chiles is also a partner. Chiles and Cripe also own and operate the Anna Maria Fish Company — the first in the U.S. that is certified to process bottarga. Bottarga is a delicacy made from the roe of the region’s Grey Striped Mullet that is salt-cured and sun-dried. The Anna Maria Fish Company also distributes Mote’s Farm-Raised Caviar.
“The event was a great opportunity to showcase Mote’s breakthroughs in sustainable, land-based aquaculture,” said Dr. Crosby. “Not only do the methods we use to grow fish for seafood relieve harvesting pressures on natural resources and support economic development that creates jobs, but we’re also developing and perfecting the tools needed to help natural ecosystems. We’re using science and innovation to develop technologies that can help feed the world and restore the environment.”
The event also gives visibility to local, sustainable seafood, Chiles said. “This a wonderful opportunity for us to further establish our area as a top seafood destination in the minds of political decision makers, potential supporters and future visitors. We were honored to be selected to promote our heritage, sustainable seafood and to have the opportunity to showcase Lola Wines.” |
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(Pictured from left to right) Charles A. Hunsicker, Director of Manatee County’s Department of Natural Resources, Dr. Michael P. Crosby, President and CEO of Mote Marine Laboratory, Ed Chiles owner of the Chiles Restaurant Group, Tina Fusaro, of the Chiles Restaurant Group, Mar Vista Restaurant Chef George Quattromani, Joan Galvin, Mote Legislative Liaison, Jim Michaels, Manager of Mote’s Commercial Sturgeon Demonstration Program, Sandbar Chef Ian Fairweather.
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| A Full House for Mote’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital |
On an overcast morning on Anna Maria Island, “Tyler” the sea turtle was released by Mote staff back into Manatee County waters, where he was found stranded nearly three months earlier.
On March 16, 2013, the sub-adult loggerhead turtle was rescued after being found floating and lethargic and with extreme barnacle growth on his neck and flippers and brought to Mote’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital by members of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch. Likely suffering from lethargic loggerhead syndrome — an illness of uncertain origin that immobilizes loggerhead sea turtles – the turtle responded well to fluid therapy and antibiotics during its months of treatment.
On Monday, the 120-pound turtle eagerly swam free when it was released off Coquina Beach, as a small crowd of onlookers gathered to watch. |
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Tyler the sea turtle is released from Anna Maria Island on Monday, June 3. Three more sea turtles were released on Florida's east coast on Friday, June 7 — great timing because Mote's Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital is at near-capacity.
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On Friday, three other turtles — Grinch, Turbo and Brutus — were returned to the wild from Mote’s hospital after officials from Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission transported them to the east coast, where they initially stranded. The recovery and release of these turtles was especially timely — Mote’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital is at near-capacity so having Tyler returned to the wild will help keep the hospital available for other sick animals.
“Because of the nature of strandings, you never know when the hospital might be full,” Rehabilitation and Medical Care Coordinator Lynne Byrd said. “A month and a half ago, we had two animals — the lowest we’ve been in years. And all of a sudden we’re at maximum capacity, so it can happen overnight.”
At any one time, the hospital may be treating a variety of turtle species with an array of diagnoses. Additionally, Mote is one of only three in the state that can provide care and treatment for turtles with fibropapilloma, a virus that causes tumors.
“Turtles with fibropapillomas usually need to be hospitalized for four to six months and they must stay isolated from other sick turtles without the disease,” Byrd said. “We’re one of only three places in the state that has made the commitment to creating the facilities needed to provide this care. That means we take in turtles with this virus from all over the state.”
In addition to treating turtles suffering from illnesses, Mote staff often rescue and rehabilitate turtles found entangled in various types of fishing line.
On May 22, a female loggerhead nicknamed “Farfalle,” was rescued by Mote staff after being found with line from a crab trap tangled around her neck. Then on Memorial Day, a male loggerhead, nicknamed “Murph,” was found severely entangled in four types of line, including fishing line, which had wrapped tightly around his neck and flippers. The entanglement became so severe that it cut through skin all the way to bone.
According to Gretchen Lovewell, Manager of Mote’s Stranding Investigations Program, which rescued Murph, sea turtle entanglements are very common in the area. That’s why the Program tries to encourage local residents to report any entangled marine mammals and sea turtles they see and it’s why Mote tries to rescue these animals whenever possible. “These species are threatened and endangered and it’s important that we try to support their populations — especially if they’re being affected by humans,” she said. “That’s why we try to explain to people the importance of making sure they take their trash home with them and why they should make sure used fishing line goes back to shore and is thrown away in a closed container — that way, it can’t blow back into the ocean.”
You Can Help
- To report a stranded dolphin, whale, manatee or sea turtle within coastal Southwest Florida waters, please call Mote’s Stranding Investigations Program's 24-hour pager: 941-988-0212.
- Make an online donation to support Mote’s rescue and rehabilitation programs at mote.org/donate.
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Founded in 1955, Mote Marine Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)3 research organization based in Sarasota, Fla., with field stations in eastern Sarasota County, Charlotte Harbor and the Florida Keys. Donations to Mote are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. 
Mote is dedicated to today’s research for tomorrow’s oceans with an emphasis on world-class research relevant to conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity, healthy habitats and natural resources. Research programs include studies of human cancer using marine models, the effects of man-made and natural toxins on humans and on the environment, the health of wild fisheries, developing sustainable and successful fish restocking techniques and food production technologies and the development of ocean technology to help us better understand the health of the environment. Mote research programs also focus on understanding the population dynamics of manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks and coral reefs and on conservation and restoration efforts related to these species and ecosystems.   Mote’s vision includes positively impacting public policy through science-based outreach and education. Showcasing this research is The Aquarium at Mote, open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 365 days a year. Learn more at www.mote.org.
Contact: Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236. (941) 388-4441 or info@mote.org. |
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