ONE OF THE KEY PILLARS OF MOTE MARINE LABORATORY’S VISION FOR ITS FUTURE IS SECURING THE NEXT GENERATION OF MARINE SCIENTISTS DEDICATED TO RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP OF THE WORLD’S OCEANS. SUPPORTING THESE YOUNG SCIENTISTS IS A MAJOR GOAL OF MOTE’S 2020 VISION AND STRATEGIC PLAN AND IS KEY TO HELPING PROTECT OCEAN HABITATS AND SUSTAIN FISHERIES OF VITAL IMPORTANCE BOTH WORLDWIDE AND MUCH CLOSER TO HOME. “At Mote, we continue to strengthen our focus on the next generation of world-class �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� grand challenges facing our oceans today,” said Dr. Michael P. Crosby, Mote President and CEO. “Our Mote Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program is an innovative initiative to recruit, nurture and keep the next generation of the best and brightest minds in marine science, and it is funded entirely through philanthropy.” ACHIEVING ANOTHER 2020 GOAL ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� the world’s coral reefs from disease and the stresses of climate change. The work of four of these marine scientists highlights the profound worldwide effects possible if they can help Mote achieve another 2020 goal, which is to ensure its science and technology make a positive impact on society and the environment. Three of these young scientists are in Mote’s postdoctoral research program. It is no exaggeration to say as the oceans go, so goes the world. Three billion people worldwide rely on seafood as their primary source of protein, according to the World Wildlife Fund, and as populations rise, so will demand. The impact on Florida’s economic health ������������������������������������������������������������ Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries data shows the economic impact in Florida of commercial and recreational ���������������������������������������������������������� alone to be $25.8 billion in sales, 172,000 jobs, and $11 billion in value added impacts. SAVING SNOOK Mote postdoctoral scientist Dr. Ryan Schloesser’s main projects aim to make an impact on �������������������������������������������������������� under stress. Schloesser’s work is important because snook populations have been drastically reduced by two extreme cold events in 2001 and 2010 and by red tide. Commercial ������������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������������ strictly limited. He wants to understand the habitat preferences of juvenile snook and determine how to restore depleted snook populations responsibly. “We use passive integrated transponder tags to monitor the habitat ������������������������������������������������ we release in Phillippi Creek to determine what are quality habitats for this recreationally and commercially important ������������������������������������������������������ latest technology available to get all the information we can to improve release strategies and develop responsible guidelines.” Eight arrays set up along Phillippi Creek identify ���������������������������������������������������� to spend their time, comparing natural shoreline with mangrove and marsh habitat, clear areas of seawall, and seawall with aquatic plants. “We are using these �������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������ what habitat is used most commonly so we can support that,” Schloesser says. “One of the key ������������������������������������������������������ with shoreline, hardened or not, provides the best survival. If people are concerned about the impact of coastal development and wonder what they can do, promoting vegetation along hardened shorelines can help.” MAY 2017 | SCENE 45
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