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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
From time to time, as a courtesy, we provide you with news of environmental volunteer opportunities with other organizations that are also doing good work in the Keys and need assistance.
Item 1 : Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center: Volunteer greeters/docents/activity assistants are needed to assist the staff for half or full day shifts. For more information on volunteering at the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center Key West, contact Craig Wanous at 305-809-4750.
Item 2: Bleach Watch: FKNMS and Mote Marine Laboratory are monitoring the corals in the sanctuary for mass coral bleaching. What is coral bleaching? Coral bleaching occurs when corals become stressed and expel the algae living within them. The coral tissue becomes transparent and the observer can see through the tissue to the white calcium carbonate skeleton. The corals appear to have been bleached, but in fact can remain alive and recover if the stressor abates. SCUBA divers and free divers can help by reporting if they observe or do not observe bleaching after they return home by fax, mail or on the internet. To learn how to recognize coral bleaching, to view coral bleaching current condition reports or to work with Mote as an observer, go to http://isurus.mote.org/Keys/bleaching.phtml
Item 3: Friends And Volunteers Of Refuges (FAVOR): An all-volunteer organization supporting the 4 National Wildlife Refuges in the Florida Keys. Volunteers can benefit from the knowledge and experience gained, the wildlife and wildlands within the Florida Keys Refuges will benefit from their interest and care. Opportunities to help with habitat restoration, bookstore, trail guides and more! Check out our website at www.favorfloridakeys.com.
For information , contact: National Key Deer Refuge, Phone: 305-872-0774, E-mail: FAVOR_Floridakeys@hotmail.com
Item 3. NEW!!!!
Tarpon Data
Anglers from across the state are helping biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife conservation Commissions (FWC) Fish and Wildlife Research Institute and the Mote Marine Laboratory gather valuable information about tarpon.
Results from the Tarpon Genetic recapture Study yield new insight into how tarpon can survive catch-and-release angling and how tarpon move throughout Florida waters.
FWRI biologists analyze tarpon DNA samples submitted by anglers. Each sample identifies a tarpon's genetic "fingerprint," providing a unique and natural tag for that individual fish. Scientists compare new tarpon DNA samples with cataloged samples to determine if someone caught and sampled the tarpon previously.
So far, anglers have provided more that 3,000 DNA samples. Biologists have recorded 23 recaptured tarpon from locations across the state, including Miami, the Florida Keys, Fort Myers, Boca Grande, Sarasota, Tampa Bay and the Indian River Lagoon. Biologists welcome samples from tarpon caught regardless of capture location or fish size.
Anglers who would like to participate in this study can obtain a free, easy-to-use tarpon DNA sampling kit by emailing TarponGenetics@MyFWC.com or by calling 800-367-4461. Biologists will send participating anglers an annual newsletter with updates on the Tarpon Genetic Recapture Study. Anglers will also receive additional information about specific fish they caught as it becomes available.
Anglers who submit a tarpon DNA sample to this program are entered into random drawings for various prizes.
Item 4. PYTHON PATROL- See below for information on a new initiative called the "python patrol" provided by Anne Morkill of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; she is the Refuge Manager, Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges Complex, at 28950 Watson Blvd., Big Pine Key, FL 33043
· (305) 872-2239 Office
· (305) 872-3675 Fax
· (305) 304-4907 Cell
· Anne_Morkill@fws.gov
Anne or a USFWS staff member would likely be happy to answer any questions you might have about this initiative.
Item 5. New Tarpon Tagging Program Want to tag Tarpon?
There is little known about tarpon population and fishery dynamics, stock spatial distribution, spawning migrations or movements between fishing areas, despite the importance of this species as a premier game fish. In addition, information on the spatial ecology of tarpon is particularly sparse, and could help to fill important knowledge gaps for management. A lack of this kind of vital information hinders development of management practices to ensure sustainability of their fisheries.
In addition to our PAT tagging program (Satellite Tags) we are starting a new tarpon research program in South Florida using anchor tags to evaluate and quantify tarpon movements and aspects of population dynamics
Volunteers will received a tagging kit with specific tags for tarpon, a document containing tagging instructions and guidelines, mechanical pencils, and a waterproof data sheet. After volunteers caught a tarpon using hook-and-line gear, they used the tag-stick to insert a relatively thin, high-grade polymer plastic T-bar tag , please note that this tag is different than the bonefish tag) into an “anchored” position between the dorsal musculature and bone structures of the fish. At the time you tag a tarpon please record the date, location, fork/total length and girth length you can mail us the data to the address below or send it to us via our online tagging report.
If you or anyone you know are interested in participating in the Anchor Tag Tarpon research program, please contact us:
Item 6. TEAM OCEAN - cleanups (must be a Sanctuary Volunteer)
If you are interested in volunteering with Team Ocean and are not a Sanctuary Volunteer contact::
Lilli Ferguson
Sanctuary Advisory Council and Volunteer Coordinator DOC/NOAA/NOS/ONMS Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
33 East Quay Rd., Key West, FL 33040
SCHEDULED CLEANUP DATES WITH TEAM OCEAN
· Boca Grand Beach Cleanup Sunday March 22
· Woman Key Beach Cleanup Saturday April 4th
· TBA Kayak Cleanup (Geiger Key or Western Sambos Ecological Reserve)
· Saturday April 11th
· Long Key State Park Kayak Cleanup April 25th
· International Coastal Cleanup locations TBA Saturday Sept 12th
· Team OCEAN Public Lands Day - Boca Grand Cleanup October 4th
· 5th Annual Western Sambos Ecological Reserve Cleanup October 17th
Item 5) Shark management workshops scheduled
Contact: Lee Schlesinger, 850-487-0554
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has scheduled a series of public workshops this month to receive comments on the management of sharks. The FWC is seeking feedback on options for amending its shark management rules that would comply with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Coastal Sharks.
The Commission wants to hear public comments regarding the recreational and commercial harvest of sharks in state waters of Florida, including possible changes to shark bag and size limits, the prohibited shark species list, and shark landing requirements and gear rules.
The FWC encourages interested persons to participate in the workshops, which will take place from 6-8 p.m. local time, as follows:
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Monday, June 15
Gulf Coast Community College
5230 W. U.S. Hwy. 98
Social Science Building, Room #201
Panama City
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Wednesday, June 24
City of Key Colony Beach
City Hall Building
Mile Marker 53.5
600 W. Ocean Drive
Key Colony Beach
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Monday, June 22
Brevard Agricultural Center
3695 Lake Drive
Cocoa
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Thursday, June 25
Punta Gorda City Hall
326 W. Marion Ave.
Punta Gorda
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Tuesday, June 23
IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum
300 Gulf Stream Way
Dania Beach
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Anyone requiring special accommodations to participate in the workshops should advise the FWC at least five days prior to the workshop by calling 850-488-6411. If you are hearing- or speech-impaired, contact the FWC using the Florida Relay Service at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or 800-955-8770 (voice).
Item 6) Bleach Watch Program
Dear divers and snorkelers,
Summer is here and the water is growing warmer. With rising water temperatures and calm seas comes an increased chance of coral bleaching. Members of the public are encouraged to become trained as volunteer observers and participate in the Mote Marine Laboratory’s BleachWatch program. Help be an extra set of "eyes on the water" this summer; your observations better enable the Sanctuary and its partners to respond to issues such as bleaching events.
If you are interested in becoming a BleachWatch volunteer, the following trainings are being held in the coming weeks:
June 30, 2009 at Key Largo Library @ 6:30 pm
July 1, 2009 at Eco-Discovery Center @ 7:00 pm
July 7, 2009 at Marathon Library @ 6:30 pm
If interested in attending a training, please RSVP to cwalter@mote.org
Bleach Watch is a volunteer program managed by Mote Marine Laboratory and supported by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, whereby divers, snorkelers and water enthusiasts can be “eyes on the water” helping with early detection of coral bleaching. Volunteer observations can be submitted via email or web forms and the information aids researchers in rapid detection, assessment and response to bleaching.
“The weekly reports collected from the BleachWatch observers not only assist in early detection, but also help determine where and when bleaching is occurring, what species are more vulnerable, the duration of an event, and recovery and resilience potential,” says BleachWatch coordinator and Mote Staff Biologist, Cory Walter.
Bleaching is a stress response that results when the coral-algae relationship breaks down. Coral bleaching can be caused by a wide range of environmental stressors such as pollution, oil spills, increased sedimentation, extremes in sea temperatures, extremes in salinity, low oxygen, disease, and predation. The corals are still alive after bleaching and do not necessarily always die. If the environmental conditions return to normal rather quickly, the corals can regain or regrow their zooxanthellae and survive. If the stressors are prolonged, the corals are more susceptible to disease, predation, and death because they are without an important energy source.
For more information, visit http://isurus.mote.org/Keys/bleaching.phtml. or call 745-2729 ext. 301.
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