April 19th , 2012 - The Lab Hosts a BBC Film Crew for Discovery Channel's Shark Week
Sharklab hosted the BBC film crew making a documentary for Discovery Channel's Shark week. It will feature Bimini's unique shark sanctuary and MPA. Look for the show "How Jaws Changed the World" this summer on Sharkweek!
March 26st, 2012 - The Lab Says Goodbye To Lab Manager Jim Barley
Jim first came to the lab as a course student with Coastal Carolina University and then in February 2008-March 2008 as a volunteer and was offered the Assistant Lab Manager position from April 2008 to July 2010. He then was offered the Manager position from August 2010 until March 2012. He participated in 3 Marquesas trips and 4 PITs in that time as well as keeping the Lab and Boats in working order. He also was our videographer for several film crews and college courses. We are going to miss you dearly Jim! Come see us again soon!
February 17th, 2012- Say Hello to Our New Principal Investigators!
Over the past 2 months our 3 new Principal Investigators have arrived at the lab. Lauran Brewster, Rob Bullock, and Jean Sebastien Finger will be here over the next 3 years conducting their research. Click on their names above and check out their staff profile pages for more information on what their projects are!
December 11th, 2011 - Social Media Outlets for the Lab
The Shark lab now has a Twitter page: @BiminiSharkLab. It is also linked to our facebook page: www.facebook.com/bbfs.sharklab. We want to keep everyone updated on what is going on at the lab as well as events and fundraising opportunities that occur.
November 16th, 2011 - The lab says goodbye to Principal Investigator Kristine Stump and Assistant Lab Manager Tyler Clavelle
Kristine Stump has concluded her data collection for her PhD thesis after 3 years of research in Bimini. Kristine came onboard in October of 2008 as the lone principal investigator studying the effects of nursery habitat loss on the juvenile lemon sharks. She has returned to just across the Gulf Stream to the University of Miami in Florida to write up her dissertation.
Tyler Clavelle has been Assistant manager at the lab since June of 2010 where he participated in the Marquesas Keys Lemon Shark Census Project, PIT 2011, the Jupiter Florida survey this past summer, and was a field assistant for Shark Defense chemical repellents. He has helped keep the boats for the lab in working order, and assisted with the installation of the new roof for the lab this past spring. He leaves the lab to begin the graduate school application process.
We wish the best to both Kristine and Tyler in their future endeavors and hope to see them again soon!
November 16th, 2011 - Tiger and Hammerhead Sharks Protected in Florida Waters
On Wednesday, November 16th, 2011 The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) in the first day of their 2 day meeting in Key Largo moved to prohibit the harvest of Tiger sharks, Great hammerheads, Smooth hammerheads, and Scalloped hammerheads from state waters. These measures also prohibit the possession, sale, and exchange of these species. These sharks can still be caught and released in state waters, so the FWC is working on a campaign to better educate people on the fishing and handling techniques that will increase the survival rate of sharks that are caught and released. This will go into effect starting January 1st, 2012. For more information on the regulations of shark fishing in Florida waters visit: http://www.myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/regulations/sharks/
October 1st, 2011 - Sharklab Helps Build Porgy Bay Park
Lanny and Dan plan a palm tree
On October 1st, the Sharklab team went up to North Bimini and helped build the new Porgy Bay Park. Commissioned by the Bimini Tourism Advisory Board, the new park is located on the edge of the lagoon at the south end of Porgy Bay. Arriving early in the morning, volunteers from across the community and representing Biminites, bone fisherman, Bimini Sands, The Bimini Quebec Project, Bimini Bay and the Sharklab gathered to make the park a reality.
The Sharklab team with our friends Katie and Grant of Bimini Sands
A swing set (complete with a tire swing), see-saw, pull-up bars, picnic tables, balance beam, and gazebo were all constructed and painted with donated materials. Trash and invasive plants were removed and replaced with coconut palms and other native species. Lab Manager Emily Marcus helped put on the finishing touches by hand painting the sign for the new park!
September 29th, 2011 -Help Fund the Sharklab While You Shop!
With the holiday season approaching, the Sharklab would like to invite anyone planning on doing some online shopping to do so through the fundraising website http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/bbfs By clicking on the preceding link and setting up an account, all purchases made through cooperating retailers will generate a donation to the Bimini Biological Field Station at no extra cost!
July 28th, 2011 - Sharklab Says Goodbye to Dr. Bryan Franks
Dr. Franks with a large lemon shark
The Sharklab is sad to announce that, after three and a half years, managing director Dr. Bryan Franks will be leaving to accept a faculty position at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. Dr. Franks originally came to the Sharklab as a volunteer in November of 2002 before serving as Principal Investigator from 2003-2005. As P.I., Bryan spent three years at the lab investigating the spatial ecology and resource selection of juvenile lemon sharks. Then, in January of 2008, Bryan returned and has since served as the lab’s managing director. Though we are sad to see him leave, the Sharklab is excited for Dr. Franks and wishes him the best of luck in his new position as visiting assistant professor in the biology department at Rollins College.
July 9th, 2011 - Lionfish Bash Update: Sharklab Wins!
Jim, Lindsay, Steph, Tyler, Emily, and CJ with the trophy
The Sharklab is proud to report that our team took home first place at the recent Bimini Sands Lionfish Bash! It was a long and tiring day against good competition, but, in the end, our 153 lionfish were enough to win. Additionally, lab manager Jim Barley won the prize for largest lionfish after spearing a whopping 31.3 oz specimen.
In total, the competition removed 318 invasive lionfish from Bimini’s reefs and wrecks, and raised over $15,000 for the Woody Foundation’s charity of choice, The Jackson Memorial Paramedical Trust. The Sharklab would like to thank Bimini Sands for hosting such a great event!
July 5th, 2011 - THE BAHAMAS BECOME PERMANENT SHARK SANCTUARY!!!!
Members of BNT and PEW observe the amendment to the Fisheries Act signed by the Bahamas Government
On July 5, 2011 the Bahamian government signed an amendment to the country’s Fisheries Resources Act prohibiting the commercial fishing of sharks, providing permanent protection for the more than forty species of sharks in the Bahamas! In addition, the new laws prevent the import, export, or sale of all shark products. The new legislation, which protects sharks within the entire 250,000 square miles of the archipelago nation, is the biggest victory for Bahamian sharks since 1993’s landmark ban on long ling fishing.
The Sharklab is very proud to have assisted the collaborative efforts of the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) and the Pew Environment Group, whose popular public service announcements and supportive petition (5,000 Bahamian signatures) were paramount in gathering support for the new legislation.
July 8 - 10th, 2011 - Bimini Sands' 2011 Lionfish Bash: Helping a Good Cause
On July 9th, a team from the Sharklab will compete in Bimini Sands Resort and Marina’s 2011 Lionfish Bash. The Lionfish Bash, intended as a friendly spearfishing event to help protect Bimini’s reefs from the invasive predator, is more than just a tournament. All proceeds from the Bash will be donated to The Jackson Memorial Paramedical Trust, a charity chosen by Woody Beckham and his family. The Beckham’s are condo owners at Bimini Sands who recently saw their son Woody paralyzed from the chest down in a tragic rugby accident. To learn more about the tournament and contact Bimini Sands, who are accepting donations on Woody’s behalf, click on the above photo.
June 26 - July 4th, 2011 - Inaugural Florida State University Shark Biology Course
2011 FSU Shark Biology Course Group in Aya's Spot
The Sharklab recently welcomed, for the inaugural year, a shark biology course from Florida State University. The course, entitled “From Corals to Sharks: Tropical Marine Biology in the Bahamas”, was led by Sharklab veteran and FSU research biologist Dr. Dean Grubbs. After spending a week focusing on general marine biology at the Cape Eleuthra Institute in Eleuthra, Bahamas, the students joined the Sharklab to learn about sharks and their relatives. The eight-day, field intensive course consisted of lectures by Dr. Grubbs, followed immediately by a variety of excursions which allowed the students to encounter their study subjects first-hand. Field trips, to name a few, included shark dives, mangrove nursery tours, long-lining, and gillnetting; allowing the students to encounter nearly all the sharks Bimini has to offer! The Sharklab would like to thank Dr. Grubbs, Cheston, and all our great volunteers for their hard work. We hope Nikkie, Kelly, Alexa, Kyra, Alecia, Lindsey, Patricia, Chelsea, Corine, Tyler, Andrew, and Kali enjoyed their stay!
May 26 - June 13th, 2011 - PIT 2011!
Kristine with a North Sound shark
Well, it's official, PIT 2011 is in the books. The past three weeks have seen a lot of action, including 209 sharks, one shark bite, 110 stomach eversions, two island forest fires, a Brazilian film team, crazy costumes, and of course, very little sleep. Despite being windy, the weather cooperated very well and 2011 was the first PIT in recent memory without a single rainstorm!
This year we are collecting two new important types of data – isotope samples and blood samples – which will provide us with even more information about the early life history of Bimini’s lemon shark population.
While the data is still being analyzed, here are some preliminary numbers from this year’s catch,
209 total captures - (117 Sharkland / 92 North Sound)
Stay tuned for a comprehensive summary of this year’s PIT results.
May 14-20th, 2011 - Coastal Carolina University Shark Biology Course
2011 CCU Crew
Joining us once again here at the lab, Coastal Carolina University (CCU) brought a group of seventeen students to Bimini for a field-intensive course on the biology of sharks and their relatives. Lead by Dr. Dan Abel of CCU, and joined by lecturing shark biologist and Sharklab alum Dr. Dean Grubbs, the students spent a week experiencing and encountering the variety of shark species Bimini has to offer. Fieldtrips included both horizontal and deepwater long lining, sharkdives, mangrove tours, gillnetting, and nurse and blacktip shark baiting. The highlight of the course was a large 352 cm male Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) that was caught and tagged off the west side of Bimini in approximately 700 feet of water. The Sharklab would like to thank Dr. Abel, Dr. Grubbs, Sam, Dave, and our great volunteers for all their help during the course. We hope Katrina, Meghan, Sarah C, Alexandra, Travis, Chad, Jeff, Zack, Sheila, Shannon, Jenna, Amanda, Ashley, Sarah R, Mariah, Anna, and Liz enjoyed their time here at the lab!
April 29th - May 1st, 2011 -Fundacion Albatros Media Film with BBFS
Recently, a Panamanian television crew from Fundacion Albatros Media filmed at the Sharklab as part of their educational TV campaign entitled “Visions of Hope”. Fundacion Albatros Media aims to promote conservation in order to improve the quality of life in Latin America. The film crew stayed at the lab for two days with the BBFS team, filming a variety of research activities such as gillnetting, long lining, and a dissection. The Sharklab will be included in the “Seas of Life” episode, a trailer for which can be viewed by following this link.
April 22-27th, 2011 - University of New Brunswick Shark Biology Course
2011 UNB Course
Returning for another year, students from the University of New Brunswick joined the Sharklab team in Bimini for a week long shark biology course. Escaping a snowstorm back in St. John, the students were treated to warm weather and sunny skies as they learned about sharks and their relatives through a variety of lectures and fieldtrips. By exploring the numerous marine habitats that Bimini has to offer, the students saw and, in some cases, handled lemon, nurse, blacktip, tiger, great hammerhead, and blacknose sharks. Highlights included tagging a 320cm mature male tiger shark caught on the vertical longline, and being in the water with a free-swimming great hammerhead. The Sharklab staff would like to thank Dr. Turnbull and our great volunteers for all their help. We hope Joel, Justin, Gary, Joe, Ashley, Nicole, Brenna, Monica, Tessa, Samantha, Dine, Jess, Erin, Ellen, Stephanie, and Logan enjoyed their time at the lab!
March 26-31st, 2011 - Eckerd University Shark Biology Course
2011 Eckerd Course Group
Returning for the fourth year in a row, Eckerd University joined Dr. Gruber at the BBFS for a weeklong shark biology course. Through multiple field trips, the students were treated to a variety of the shark species Bimini has to offer, including a 336 cm tiger shark (G. cuvier) caught on a deep longline, and a 233 cm bull shark (C. leucas) caught in the Alicetown channel. The BBFS staff would like to thank our volunteers, who helped immensely with the course, and we hope Noah, Brandon, Chris, Paul, Sarah, Alanna, Hey Hey, Emily, Mareth, Melissa, Elizabeth, Catharine, Kristin, Jordan, Ski, and Bob enjoyed their time at the lab.
March 21-23rd, 2011 - Guy Harvey Films At BBFS for Upcoming Tiger Shark Documentary
Guy Harvey and team with the BBFS staff and volunteers
As Guy Harvey said, “a documentary on tiger sharks would not be complete without a visit to Dr. Gruber and his world famous research facility!” After more than two years, Guy Harvey concluded filming for his upcoming tiger shark documentary in thrilling fashion at the BBFS. Dr. Harvey was joined by Dr. Mahmood Shivji (Nova Southeastern University/ Director, Guy Harvey Research Institute), as well as Dr. Brad Wetherbee (University of Rhode Island). Together with Dr. Gruber and the BBFS team, a 302 cm male tiger shark was caught off the west coast of Bimini. The shark was tagged with a Smart Position or Temperature Transmitting (SPOT) tag, allowing its future movements to be monitored by satellite and aiding the project's investigation of tiger shark movements in the western North Atlantic.
February 22nd - "Wild Kratts" Film at BBFS
Recently, the widely popular PBS children's program "Wild Kratts" spent the day filming with Dr. Gruber and the BBFS. Filming for an episode to be called "Stuck on Sharks", the Kratt Brothers followed Dr. Gruber into a protected area of Bimini's mangroves to learn about sharks and their usage of nurseries. While there is currently no official air date for the episode, "Stuck on Sharks" will be included in the current season of "Wild Kratts".
February 18th - Dr. Franks Featured on "The Today Show"
On February 18th, BBFS Director Dr. Bryan Franks was featured on NBC’s “The Today Show”. Serving as the shark expert, Dr. Franks shed light on the recent large aggregations of Blacktip (C. limbatus) and Spinner (C. brevipinna) sharks seen off Palm Beach. Dr Franks explained that, as ocean temperatures lower, the sharks migrate south to find warmer water and, while impressive, should not be considered a threat to beachgoers.
February 7th-10th - Enquête Exclusive Films at BBFS
Recently, the Sharklab hosted a French film crew who were preparing for an upcoming episode of the program Enquête Exclusive on French television’s channel M6. Before arriving in Bimini, the film team also joined the Sharklab crew for a day of shark tagging off Jupiter, Florida. The episode of Enquête Exclusive featuring the BBFS is expected to air around April 25th, 2011.
February 6th, 2011 - Bimini Mangroves Featured in Upcoming Book
In his upcoming book Let Them Eat Shrimp: The Tragic Disappearance of the Rainforests of the Sea, author Kennedy Warne describes the importance of mangroves and explains the very real threat facing these essential plants. During his journey Warne visited Bimini, and, in the chapter entitled “Bimini Twist”, he documents the island, its mangroves, the development by Bimini Bay Resort, and the Sharklab. The BBFS would like to take this opportunity to advertise Warne’s important book. For those interested, the book can be ordered by following the link below.
It’s no secret that the Bahamas have a lot of sharks. What is less commonly understood, however, is the importance of sharks to the Bahamas. Economically, it is estimated that shark-based tourism generates $80 million dollars in revenue for the Bahamas every year. Furthermore, as apex predators, sharks play an instrumental role in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems, upon which the Bahamas are very dependent. In a collaborative effort, the Bahamas National Trust and the PEW Environmental Group are leading the “Protect the Sharks of the Bahamas” campaign, in which they are seeking to make the Bahamas a shark sanctuary. To do our part, the Sharklab, along with our friends Katie & Grant of Bimini Sands, recently canvassed Bimini to meet with Biminites, spread the word about the campaign, and hang up informative posters. We are happy to report that Biminites were very supportive of the initiative, an encouraging sign for the future of the campaign.
January 16th, 2011 - Diving with Guy Harvey
Guy Harvey with Tyler, Jill, CJ, Jean, and Summer
On January 16th, Guy Harvey and his Big Game Outpost Resort invited the Sharklab to join them on the inaugural dive trip of their new dive vessel, “The Bimini Blue". Assistant managers Jill and Tyler, along with volunteers CJ, Jean, and our friend Summer Farrell, spent the day diving at Victory Reef and Tuna Alley, two of the superb dive sites visited by Big Game’s newly operational Neil Watson’s Dive Bimini dive center. The Big Game crew was very accommodating, and, in between dives, we had a chance to talk with Guy about his Ocean Foundation and their recent shark related projects. The Sharklab would like to thank Guy Harvey and his Big Game Outpost Resort for the wonderful experience and their continued support of the BBFS, and we encourage anyone interested in diving to check out this topnotch dive operation.
January 6-15, 2011 - University of Miami, MBF 514
University of Miami MBF 2011
On January 6th, the BBFS reopened its doors for the New Year and welcomed sixteen students from the University of Miami for a field intensive course in tropical marine biology. Students underwent lectures by Dr. Dean Grubbs from the University of Florida on the many types of tropical marine ecosystems. In an unparalleled learning experience, students explored natural and artificial reefs, sea grass beds, sandy and rocky intertidal zones, and mangroves within minutes of finishing a lecture. The BBFS would like to thank Dr. Grubbs and the course TA Sam for their hard work. We hope Safia, Trista, Ana, Kelly, Marisa, Sarah, Chelsea, Laura, Dorothy, Amanda, Natalie, Kyle, Ryan, Mo, G, and Andrew enjoyed their time at the lab!
November 26th, 2010 - BBFS Donates to Annual Bimini Toy Drive
Emily delivering the toys
With the holiday season fast approaching, the BBFS want to do our part to help make sure the kids of Bimini have a Merry Christmas. Collectively, the staff of the BBFS, Katie and Grant of Bimini Sands, and Eric Stroud of Shark Defense recently donated approximately thirty toys to the Bimini Toy Drive.
If anyone is interested in making a donation, contact Alethia Romer-Ellis in the administrative department by email (leth3gent@hotmail.com) or by phone (242 347 3222 / 4).
November 23rd, 2010 - Softball
Kristine getting ready to bat
On a recent day off, several members of BBFS and Bimini Sands joined in a friendly game of softball pitting the South island against the North. The score was close and, in the end, a little disputed, however everyone had a good time and plans are in the works for forming a permanent team to play in the local league.
October - November, 2010 - BBFS Catch and Tag Four Bull Sharks in Alicetown Channel
Tyler with a 257 cm bull shark (C. leucas)
During recent weeks, BBFS staff and volunteers, with the help of our friends and former lab managers Katie and Grant of Bimini Sands, have caught and tagged four large bull sharks (C. leucas) in the Alicetown channel. The first two sharks, both adult females, were 257cm and 259cm respectively. The second two, this time mature males, were nearly identical in size at 232cm and 233cm. Not uncommon in the winter months, bull sharks can be found patrolling the docks of Alicetown in search of scraps discarded by fishermen.
October 2-3 , 2010 — Marine Biologist and Shark Activist Gail Woon Visits the Sharklab
Gail and Candice
Recently, the Sharklab was pleased to welcome marine biologist Gail Woon and her daughter Candice to the lab for the weekend. Woon,
September 25 , 2010 — 25th Annual Ocean Conservancy International Coastal Cleanup
Saturday, September 25th was The Ocean Conservancy's 25th Annual International Coastal Cleanup. The Sharklab, along with teams from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Bimini Sands Resort and Marina, and the Bimini Sands Kids Club, spent several hours collecting trash on Bimini's beaches. A total of 600lbs (273 kg) of trash was collected on South Bimini alone, in addition to the efforts of a group on North Bimini.
Members of BBFS, Bimini Sands, and Bimini Sands Kids Club
The 600lbs of trash collected on South Bimini came from a stretch of beach less than 1.5 miles (2.4 km) in length. This
staggering figure is a reminder that we need to be better stewards of our island home and take pride in keeping our beaches and roads clean. Thus far in 2010, we have organized three road cleanups and one beach cleanup, doing what we can to give back to the community that allows us to conduct shark research in its backyard. The Sharklab is proud to be a part of the Bimini community and will continue to do its part to keep Bimini beautiful.
Come visit us soon!
September 6-17, 2010 — Marquesas Key Lemon Shark Census 2010
Lauran and Dr. Franks during a work-up
This past September, once again, the BBFS assembled a research team to sample the Marquesas Keys, a small mangrove lagoon 25 miles west of Key West, Florida. Similar to our PIT project in Bimini, the Marquesas lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) census involves a comprehensive population sampling by way of overnight gillnetting. This year, the team caught and tagged 44 total lemon sharks, including eleven sub-adults caught on rod-and-reel. Of these forty-four sharks, five were recaptures from previous years, including one shark originally caught in 2004 and another from 2002! These recaptures will provide a great deal of information and are invaluable additions to our database. The team also encountered bonnethead, blacktip, and nurse sharks in their sampling. The work was completed off of the R/V Dante Fassell, a NOAA vessel hailing from Key West. Thanks to the entire crew, Captain Adam Bryne, Captain Daniel Hogsted, Dr. Pat Rice (for making the arrangements for the vessel), team memebers Dr. Gruber, Dr. Franks, Dr. Kessel, Jill, Tyler, Alec, Andy, Lauran, Jojo, and Tami for a great effort in making the Marquesas 2010 Lemon Shark Census a great success!
August 15-22, 2010 — University of Minnesota, Tropical Marine Biology Course
Students from the University of Minnesota attended the 3rd annual Tropical Marine Biology Course held at the Bimini Biological Field Station. Dr. Peter Sorensen and Dr. Dean Grubbs instructed sixteen students for the weeklong course, which explored the variety of marine ecosystems that Bimini has to offer. Students attended lectures, labs, peer presentations, and were taken around the islands of Bimini on numerous field trips. The students were treated to a wide array of marine life, including some amazing encounters with the multiple shark species around Bimini, and even a Manta ray! . Many thanks go out to Dr. Sorensen and Dr. Grubbs, along with all the students: Ben, Michael, Tyler, Nick, Liz, Maddy, Marilyn, Laura, Betzy, Sanna, Bryna, Steve, Sean, Wally, Tom, and Brian
University of Minnesota 2010
August 13th, 2010 — Scientific American
In a recent article, Scientific American has featured Doc and the Sharklab while discussing modern advancements in elasmobranch research. The article highlights Doc's work on the learning capacity of sharks, and explains the importance of scientifically backed conservation efforts. Follow the link below to read the article and view the included slideshow.
August 6th, 2010 — Discovery News article features research by former P.I. Tristan Guttridge
The doctoral research of BBFS Principal Investigator Tristan Guttridge has been featured in an article on the Discovery News website. Guttridge, who served as a P.I. from 2006-2008, conducted social behavior studies on both wild and captive juvenile lemon sharks. To read the article, follow the link below.
The staff and volunteers of the Sharklab, joined by our friends Katie and Grant of Bimini Sands, collected trash along the roads leading from the Sharklab and South Bimini Airport (BIM) to the South Bimini ferry dock. These two roads are the most trafficked on South Bimini and provide the first views of Bimini to tourists arriving at the airport. Im total, nearly twenty-five full bags of trash were removed from the area.
Staff and volunteers of BBFS with Grant from Bimini Sands
April 15-16, 2010 — Yap Films Inc.
Dr. Samuel Gruber returned to the Sharklab to host a Canadian film team, Yap Films Inc. Yap is producing a show for the ScFy Channel called Beast Legends. The working title of this episode is Daku Wanda. The show looks at the sensory system and behaviour of sharks. It is set to air on ScFy in September of 2010 and on History Television in Canada.
April 5-8, 2010 — Shark Defense
Eric Stroud, Patrick Rice and Craig O'Connell from Shark Defense returned to Bimini to carry out some shark repellent testing. The crew worked with some of our juvenile lemon and nurse sharks. Shark Defense has been working with the Sharklab since the early 2000s. The continue to work towards creating an effective shark repellent for the reduction in shark bycatch on commerical long line fisheries.
March 27 - April 1, 2010 — Eckerd College, FL
The 3rd annual Eckerd College Shark Biology course took place at the Bimini Biological Field Station. The students were treated to several different species of shark in just a few days. The were able to observe caribbean reef sharks, tiger sharks, nurse sharks, great hammerheads, blacktip, lemon sharks, blacknose and possibly a few others. Daily field trips were done in the often not so ideal weather conditions. With the help of Grant and Katie at Bimini Sands Resort and Marina, the class was able to watch a deep water long line hauled up from 750' of water near the edge of the gulf stream. The long line netted us two tiger sharks with just 6 baited hooks. The class was also witness to one of the more crazy and exciting activities, a lemon shark chase down. 5 Sharklab skiffs full of students and staff scoured the lagoon flats in search of large lemon sharks. Two sharks were captured, tagged and released while the class observed. The final night was our traditional night out to the Beach Club for a meal and a few drinks with everyone. Thanks goes out to our Sharklab volunteers who helped immensely with the entire course, including preparations and cleanup. We hope Ben, Victoria, Lauren C., Abi, Lindsay, Allison, Michelle, Kristen, Lauren M., Stephanie, Sarah, Emily, Maxine, Fabio, Lauren V, Tom and Ski enjoyed their time in Bimini.
March 8-10, 2010 — What's Up Films
In conjunction with the Bahamas Tourism Department and Bimini Sands Resort and Marina, the Sharklab played host to a French film team for a program entitled "New Paradises Bahamas". It is set to air on ARTE in France and Germany in August/September of 2010. While detailing the importance of mangroves and the lemon shark, the production goes beyond just Sharklab activities. They filmed Mr. Ansil Saunders, a famous bone fisherman and boat builder in North Bimini. They also took trips to film dolphins, the Bimini Road, Sapona, The Dolphin House owned by Ashley Saunders and other notable tourist destinations in and around Bimini. The Bahamas Tourism Department is actively promoting the Bahamas in conjunction with their direct flights from France to Nassau.
February 19, 2010 — Lemons Sharks Gain Protection in Florida
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have approved a rule that prohibits both commercial and recreational harvesting of lemon sharks in Florida waters. In 2009, the Bimini Biological Field Station along with many concerned citizens and groups took a stand to protect the lemon sharks, which are known to aggregate in Florida waters. The groups approached the FWC to request a ban on the harvest of these sharks. The general life history of the shark (low fecundity, high juvenile mortality, slow growth and age needed to reach sexual maturity) lends its selves to being over harvested. Any commercial or recreational harvesting in the aggregations could lead to a total depletion of the stocks in a short time. For these reasons the FWC has ruled in favor of protecting the lemon shark in Florida Waters, for which it has jurisdiction. We can only hope that the federal waters will soon follow Florida’s lead. The rule takes effect on March 23, 2010.
February 7&12, 2010 — South Bimini Roadside Cleanup
The staff and volunteers of the Sharklab participated in a couple roadside cleanups on South Bimini. The cleanups were carried out from the South Bimini Airport (BIM) to the South Bimini Ferry Dock over two separate days. The stretch of road being the most visible to all tourists arriving and departing the Bimini Islands by plane. An estimate 40+ garbage bags of trash was removed from the area.
Staff and volunteers of BBFS
January 6-15, 2010 — University of Miami, MBF 514
The Sharklab reopened its doors on January 6th, to host the University of Miami MBF 514 Tropical Marine Biology course. Fifteen students spent 9 days studying the marine life around the Bimini islands. Field trips were carried out in a variety of habitats including sea grass beds, sandy shorelines, rocky intertidal zones, artificial reefs, mangrove forests and several others. The Sharklab would like to thank Dr. Dean Grubbs for lecturing and the TA for the course, our very own Kristine Stump. We hope Drew, Jacquelyn, Tara, Alexandra, Jamison, Marc, Phillip, Paige, Sam, Margarita, Julia, Brendan, Fletcher, Ari and Kasia enjoyed their time with us and learned a little something along the way.
MBF Class of 2010
December 15, 2009 — Sharklab closes for the Holiday Season
The staff of the Sharklab would like to wish everyone a happy holiday season. December 15th marks the only time during the year that the Sharklab is not in operation. The lab shuts down, the science stops and we all depart to visit our families. An individual or two look over the Sharklab during our absence. It will be back in business as usual in early January when we prepare for our annual MBF 514 course with the University of Miami. Wishing everybody all the best in 2010!
December 7, 2009 — Mangrove Destruction
It has been almost 1 year since the announcement by the Government of the Bahamas that the Bimini Marine Protected Area has been established. Yet the boundaries for the MPA have yet to be determined, rules and regulations have not been established and the question of how the MPA will impact the construction plans for Bimini Bay Resort and Marina are unanswered. As we look forward to having many of these issues addressed, we cannot loose sight of the impacts that development is having on the mangroves around the tiny islands of Bimini. A recent article by Jillian Morris reminds us of the importance of the Mangroves in Bimini. Within the article is a photograph that speaks to the problems of development in Bimini. This particular photograph by Matthew Potenski was a recent winner of the Ocean In Focus Conservation Photo Contest. It must be pointed out that, while the picture in the article states that it was taken in the North Sound, the photo is actually of construction on South Bimini.
To Download Jillian's Mangrove Destruction article, click here.
Photo by Matthew Potenski
November 30, 2009 — Piante Mare, Italian Television Program
An Italian film team spent 3 days at the Sharklab to film an episode for a program called Pianeta Mare. The host of the program, Tessa Gelisio tries to overcome her fear of sharks while learning about our research from Sharklab PI, Kristine Stump. Two separate episodes were being filmed. One documents the importance of the mangroves and lemon sharks in Bimini along with the dangers both face by the construction of a local resort. The second episode touches on the lure of the Road to Atlantis (Bimini Road).
Pianeta Mare will air the lemon shark episode on January 24 or January 31 of 2010 on Rete 4 in Italy.
Piante Mare
October 31, 2009 — Bimini Sands: Shark-Free Marina
Bimini Sands Resort and Marina is the first to sign on as a shark free marina. As part of the Shark-Free Marina Initiative sharks cannot be landed in any manner nor fished from Bimini Sands marina. The aim of the SFMI is to reduce worldwide shark mortality. To read more about the SFMI or to view of listing of marinas that have signed on please visit Shark-Free Marina Initiative
October 10, 2009 — Petition to protect the Lemon shark in Florida
A petition has been started to protect the Lemon shark in Florida waters. This is due in large part to the aggregations of adult lemon sharks observed each winter off Jupiter, Florida. The Bimini Biological Field Station from January to March each year is studying these natural aggregations. They are also important to local dive groups who first discovered them. There is evidence that commercial shark fishers are targeting the aggregations. Without proper protection, we are leaving the sharks prone to being wiped out. If you will be in Florida on October 19th - 20th, please attend one of the FWC Public Lemon Shark Workshops. Oct. 19th - Fort Myers, FL - 6pm - 8pm - Joseph P. D'Alessandro Office Complex, 2295 Victoria Ave.
Oct. 20th - Dania Beach, FL - 6pm -8pm - IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum, 300 Gulf Stream Way. Please sign the petition by clicking here Urgent Help Needed to Protect Lemon Sharks!
September 16, 2009 — Lemon sharks hang out with friends
PlantetEarth online Environmental Research News has posted an article on the social aspect of lemon sharks. This is based on field work conducted by former Sharklab PhD student, Tristan Guttridge and published in the journal, Animal Behaviour To read the full article click here Lemon sharks hang out with friends
September 11, 2009 — Sharklab YouTube Account Active
The Sharklab has recently subscribed to YouTube where a number of our videos have been posted for all to see. To see our selection of videos go to: Sharklab YouTube Account
September 10, 2009 — French TF1 Film Shoot Now Online
French TF1 shot some promotional footage of Sharkwater’s Rob Stewart at the Sharklab in February of 2008. Recently the production was released on the Internet. The 16 minute French clip is titled L’homme Requin. The video can be found by clicking here Rob Stewart and BBFS
September 15, 2009 — Marquesas Key Lemon Shark Census 2009
A small team from BBFS spent almost two weeks out in the Marquesas Keys, a small mangrove lagoon 25 miles west of Key West, Florida. Each summer the BBFS carries out their annual lemon shark census, similar to our PIT project in Bimini. The team caught and tagged 41 total lemon sharks in this lagoon, including 7 sub-adults which marks a significant increase over the 2007 and 2008 census. The team also encountered bonnethead, blacknose, nurse and spinner sharks in their sampling. The work was completed off of the R/V Dante Fassell, a NOAA vessel hailing from Key West. Thanks to the entire crew, Captain Jeff Kelly, Dr. Pat Rice (for making the arrangements for the vessel), team memebers Dr. Gruber, Dr. Franks, Sean, Jim, Matt, Kat, Jill, Brian, Jade, Alec, Rad, Amanda, and Helena for a great effort in making the Marquesas 2009 Lemon Shark Census a great success!
The team on the R/V Dante Fassell in Key West
August 26-27, 2009 — National Geographic “Hooked” Film Shoot
The National Geographic Channel spent two days filming with the Sharklab for the television series Hooked. The Sharklab was demonstrating a series of techniques we have for capturing sharks by hand. Several sharks were captured by hand for the purposes of collecting genetic samples and placing identification tags on the animals. Look for it coming soon to the National Geographic Channel. For a listing of media events from the Sharklab please click here Sharklab Media
August 16-23, 2009 — University of Minnesota, Tropical Marine Biology Course
Students from the University of Minnesota attended the 2nd annual Tropical Marine Biology Course held at the Bimini Biological Field Station. Dr. Peter Sorensen and Dr. Dean Grubbs instructed a course of 11 students for the weeklong course. Students attended lectures and lab, presented student projects and were taken around the islands of Bimini for a variety of field trips. The final days of the course were spectacular with the students swimming with a Tiger Shark and Manta Ray. Many thanks go out to Dr. Sorensen and Dr. Grubbs along with all the students: Arielle, Kara, Halie, Jake, Jens, Lydia, Hannah, Brandon, Megan, Isaac and Allen.
University of Mineesota 2009
July 22-27, 2009 — American Elasmobranch Society Meeting
The 25th annual meeting of the American Elasmobranch Society (AES) was held in Portland, Oregon for 2009. Representing the Sharklab were Dr. Samuel Gruber, Dr. Bryan Franks, Kristine Stump and Steve Kessel. Also in attendance were many Sharklab alumni. Presentations were given by Dr. Bryan Franks, Kristine Stump and Steve Kessel. Next year’s meeting will be held from July 7-12 in Providence, RI.
June 1, 2009 — PIT 2009 Lemon Shark Census Project Begins
It is that time of year again. In the last two months the mother lemon sharks have come into the lagoon and dropped their litters of pups. BBFS will go out and intensively fish the Bimini lagoon in an attempt to catch and census all the juvenile lemons residing there. This will mark the 15th straight year the lab has conducted a yearly census in what is the longest continuous and focused study on a shark species anywhere in the world. You can follow along with our PIT Project Census via the PIT 2009 web journal.
Click on the image to see the 2009 PIT Web Journal
May 2009 — Kristine attends mangrove restoration course in Nassau
Last month, Sharklab Principal Investigator Kristine Stump attended a three-day course on Mangrove Ecology, Restoration and Management at the College of the Bahamas in Nassau. The workshop, led by Mr. Robin Lewis of Lewis Environmental Services, was sponsored by the Bahamas Ministry of the Environment. Attendees included representatives from such entities as the Bahamas National Trust; The Nature Conservancy; Bahamas Environment, Science and Technology (BEST) Commission; Bahamas Reef Environmental Education Foundation (BREEF); College of the Bahamas; and Bimini Bay Resort, among others. The course was designed to help explain the most successful and cost-effective means of restoring damaged mangrove forests to functional ecosystems, and included both lectures and site visits near Nassau. A portion of Bimini’s mangrove forests which serve as nursery grounds for many species has already been lost, and more habitat continues to be threatened due to coastal development in the North Sound. Lessons learned from this course may help managers mitigate impacts by employing strategies that promote healthy mangrove growth over time. For more information on the course, visit http://www.mangroverestoration.com
Kristine at the mangrove course in Nassau
April 11-14, 09 — Tigress Productions films for National Geographic Channel
A crew of four spent a few days at the Sharklab filming lemons sharks around Bimini. They were delighted to come across a pregnant female lemon in the inner lagoon.
Doc with juvenile lemon.
The show is part of the "Wild" Series and is set to air on Channel 5 in the UK and National Geographic Channel in the US.
Filming was also done with Eric Stroud and Craig O'Connell of SharkDefense with his chemical shark repellents both in Bimini and Seton Hall University. See SharkDefense.com by clicking here: SharkDefense.
Look for the program sometime in late 2009.
March 13-18, 09 — Eckerd College Shark Biology Course
A group of 16 spent just under a week at the Sharklab as part of their shark biology course with Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, Florida. The course was blessed with terrific weather and lots of sharks throughout the duration of the course. The students were treated to one of the largest Tiger sharks caught on our long lines in many years. A 370cm Tiger was hooked sometime in the morning while the students were busy watching several nurse sharks being fed by the staff of BBFS. After getting the radio call, the crew quickly departed to see this larger predator being worked up by the tagging team. Eckerd was one of the few courses lucky enough to be treated to an up close look at several free swimming Great Hammerheads. In the past couple of months the staff has been having great success with baiting in a number of hammerheads, the success continued on this course with at least four sharks.
Nurse Shark Ledge
During the busy schedule packed into such a short course the students were able to see Caribbean Reef sharks, Nurse sharks, Tiger sharks, Great Hammerheads, Blacknose, Blacktip, Lemon and a Bignose shark. Activities included 48hrs of long line fishing, 2 vertical deep water long lines, 2 shark dives, nurse shark feedings, stingray feedings, snorkeling an artificial wreck, chase down and tagging of lemon sharks, gillnetting for juvenile lemon sharks as well as videos and lectures. Thanks to course instructor Bill Szelistowsk (aka: Ski) and the 15 students (Lilly, Michelle, Mike, Allan, Pat, Alex, Dan, Ariel, Alastair, Mad Mike, Leah, Benji, William, Nathan and Bryan)
February 10, 09 — Sharklab goes Primetime
Earlier news articles mentioned a major filming event happening at the Sharklab. We are now in a position to release more information about this film shoot. Original Productions, makers of the hit television series Deadliest Catch, Ice Road Truckers and America's Toughest Jobs, spent two months filming on location at the Sharklab. The production follows the Sharklab staff and volunteers as they carry out their everyday activities and shark related projects around Bimini and other locations. The show, currently named Shark U on Original Production's website is set to air on Primetime NBC during the summer of 2009. Stay tuned for more updates on the show's debut. The Sharklab would like to thank all of Original's production crew that made this show possible: Justine, Jerry D, Cameron, Mark, Brian, Andy, Katy, Jamie, Rosie, Dawson, Gavin, Chris, Michaela, Tracy, Caroline, Robyn, Jason, Jerry, Matt, Wade, Scott, and Jeff
February 2-4, 09 — Oceana Films at Bimini
Oceana is the largest international ocean protection & restoration environmental advocacy group dedicated to protecting and restoring the world's oceans. They recently sent a team to shoot a video which will be used in their efforts to protect and restore shark populations. The video was taken by long time Sharklab friend, Neil Andrea and Sharklab alumni Tim Calvier. The video featured a celebrity spokesperson. For more information on Oceana please take a moment to visit their website www.oceana.org and to read about their efforts to protect sharks visit www.oceana.org/sharks/
January 25, 09 — Swimming with Hammerheads
A few individuals from the Sharklab were treated to a terrific ending to a day off. Just off the western shore from South Bimini a total of three Great Hammerhead sharks were attracted towards the Sharklab boat. Initially a lone 11' individual arrived on scene to check things out. The shark cautiously approached numerous times, but seemed to remain relatively shy of the free divers. Just as the divers started to get restless from lack of photographic and video opportunities a 9' shark boldly came towards the bait. For the next hour the shark swam among the divers allowing for some terrific video to be taken of the event. Towards the end, two 9' sharks were hanging out in the area and were often seen together making it a total of at least three hammerheads sighted.
January 23-24, 09 — Dr. Nic Holland looks for a very rare animal
Dr. Nicholas Holland from UCSD in California returned for the second time in as many months in search of Asymmetron, a very tiny animal that is found near Bimini. The Sharklab assisted in his successful quest. The Asymmetron were found in the same general location as they were during his previous visit in November of last year. For more information on Asymmetron please see the news article dated November 15-18, 08 below.
January 18-24, 09 — Make a Wish
The Bimini Biological Field station was humbled to be asked to make a dream come true for fifteen year old Elizabeth (Lizzie) Sautter. Lizzie's wish was to have the opportunity to work with shark biologists and participate in some of the activities that would have her up close with her favorite animals.
Lizzie and Dr. Gruber
The island of Bimini was very gracious to help make this wish happen. Accommodations where provided courtesy of Bimini Sands Resort and Marina. Transportation was provided courtesy of Small's Golf Cart Rental. Island tours and snorkel excursions provided courtesy of Grant and Katie at Bimini Sands Resort Leisure and Recreation Department. The Sharklab provided all that weather would permit in terms of shark excitement. Lizzie was fortunate in seeing 8 species of shark (tiger, bull, great hammerhead, caribbean reef, lemon, nurse, blacktip and blacknose sharks) during her week long visit. She swam with caribbean reef sharks and helped collect data on and tag a pair of tiger sharks. Everyone at the Sharklab was thrilled to be part of this event and we truly hope that Lizzie and her family had a great time playing with the sharks!
February 16, 09 — Bimini Town Meeting - Bimini Bay & MPA
A town meeting was called in North Bimini to update Bimini residents and interested parties on the status of the Bimini Bay Project and the impacts on the North Sound lagoon. The meeting was hosted by the Bimini Town Counsel and the Minister of the Environment, the Hon. Dr. Earl Deveaux. In attendance were many of the parties involved in the ongoing debate over the project such as the Bahamas National Trust (BNT), the BEST Commission, Department of Marine Resources, Department of Tourism, Bimini Bay (RAV Bahamas Ltd.) representatives, Bimini's District Counsel, Bimini residents, Bimini Biological Field Station, and Black & Veatch.
The Hon. Dr. Earl Deveaux spoke about the ongoing controversy that the Bimini Bay project has created, of the many questions which need answering and of how to best go forward with the development.
Andrew Byers, Black & Veatch, spoke of their report findings, which he stressed was not an EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment). It was a review of what had been done to date by Bimini Bay. The take home statement from Mr. Byers was that proper EIA's and EMP's (environmental management plan) had not been done and that the development should not go further until such reports are done.
Phillip Weech, the BEST Commission spoke to the audience next and announced that as of December 2008 the Bimini MPA (Marine Protected Area)
Bimini MPA
was official, surprising the crowd. The boundaries of the MPA extend from just southwest of the northern tip of the North Sound around to encompass the eastern portion of North Bimini, including many of the islands just east of the Alice Town channel. The MPA therefore extends over a portion of Bimini Bays original planned development, including the area set out by Bimini Bay to house their 18 hole golf course. Consultations still need to be had with local government and interested parties on the exact rules of the MPA, but Mr. Weech did state quite matter of fact to the audience that limited development could take place as long as it had zero impact the MPA and surrounding wetlands and could only be done on "hard land".
Please visit the Bahamas National Trust website for more information on the importance of the mangroves found along the western edge of the Great Bahama Bank. The Bahamas National Trust's position on the Bimini Bay Project is that the development should not extend into that portion of Phase 2 which includes plans for the golf course. They point out the direct conflict of the government's plans for a MPA and the plans by RAV Bahamas for the golf course.
January 6-15, 09 — University of Miami MBF 514
The Bimini Biological Field station played host to students from the University of Miami. MBF 514 is a Tropical Marine Biology course that is held at the Sharklab each January. The course takes students on a variety of field trips around the island of Bimini. Students participate in species collection from rocky intertidal zones, mangrove forests, artificial reefs, coral patch reefs, seagrass beds and others. Specimens are held in aquariums maintained on site where students are tested on species identification. The specimens are released back into the wild at the conclusion of the course. The course was administered by Dr. Dan DiResta with the teacher's assistant being our very own Kristine Stump, who participated in this same course several years ago. A big thank you goes out to the students of MBF 514: Lauren, Marina, Lisa, Sandra, Roberto, Jonathan, Kalah, Chelsey, Kevin P, Kevin I, Emily, Monique, Karen, Estrella, and Katrina.
Additional course information can be found by clicking here BBFS Courses.
December 5, 08 — Call for 09' Volunteers
The Bimini Biological Field station is looking for volunteers to assist in research at Bimini, Bahamas throughout the year in 2009. Volunteer positions assisting field research on population dynamics and behavior of aggregating adult lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) off Jupiter, Florida, are available starting mid January to March of 2009. Diving to depths of 30 m will be done to both observe the aggregations and to service the VR2 monitors in Jupiter. Experience with SCUBA (and particularly use of re-breathers) is an advantage, although not essential. Help with the extensive logistics will be needed for all collecting and diving trips.
If you are interested in applying to volunteer at either Bimini, Bahamas or Jupiter, Florida please contact Kat Gledhill at bbfssharklab@gmail.com. Additional volunteer information can be found by clicking here Volunteer Info.
December 4, 08 — Manatee visits Bimini
For almost a week, the docks around Alicetown have had a new and rarely seen visitor. A manatee was first reported on November 28th near the wreck of the Gallant Lady off North Bimini. The Sharklab located it again on November 29th. It has now become a regular sight off the docks in Alicetown. Manatees have been observed in Bimini waters before, perhaps not for almost a decade by some reports.
Manatee
Plans are underway by US federal agencies, Florida state agencies, Bahamas federal agencies, the Bimini Biological Field Station, and the Dolphin Communication Project to transport the individual to the eastern coast of Florida.
Some manatees are found on Grand Bahama Island, and possibly small populations elsewhere in the Bahamas but they are not common to Bimini. The highest populations are found just 50 miles away from Bimini along the coast of Florida where they have plenty of food and fresh water.
November 26, 08 — Bull Sharks
After hearing rumors of bull sharks present in the Alicetown channel and having witnessed one large bull off Bimini Blue Water Resort, the Sharklab crew set out to capture, tag and release one of these large sharks.
Bull Shark
It could not have gone better. Moments after arriving on the North island, two large individuals were observed in the area. Shortly thereafter we had our first hookup using a baited gangion and ball float. The shark was allowed to swim away, towing the float behind it. After a short period of time a team set out to capture the shark by boat. The shark was measured, tagged, sexed and a small DNA sample was taken.
The shark was then released in the vicinity of where it was caught. Our team was elated with the success. This procedure was carried out 3 times, yielding 3 large bulls measuring in at 254cm, 255cm and 262cm.
November 19, 08 — Sharklab says goodbye to Principal Investigator, Tristan Gutridge
Tristan Gutridge has concluded the data collection side of his PhD thesis after almost three years of research in Bimini. Tristan started his project in January of 2006 and was a constant face at the Sharklab since that time.
Tristan Gutridge
Tristan was Co-Principal Investigator with Steven Kessel, who also recently departed Bimini. Tristan has returned to Leeds University in the UK to put the finishing touches on his project.
With the departure of Tristan and Steve, the Sharklab has welcomed its newest Principal Investigator, Kristine Stump. Kristine will be leading the science side of the lab for the next 3 years.
Good luck Tristan. We hope to see you back here soon.
November 15-19, 08 — NHK Film Production
Japanese Television, NHK, visited the Sharklab to film mangrove and lemon sharks around Bimini. NHK is the national television channel in Japan. The 4 member crew spend 3 days filming in the shallow water lagoon of Bimini in one of several Bahamian stops for their produciton
November 15-18, 08 — Dr. Nic Holland looks for a very rare animal
Asymmetron, a very tiny animal that was found near Bimini and reported 115 years ago, was again found by Dr. Nicholas (Nic) Holland from UCSD in California, with assistance from the Sharklab. Around 20 individuals were discovered after sifting through sand for a period of 2 days between North and South Bimini. Asymmetron is a small marine invertebrate in the subphylum Cephalochordata. It is found buried in the sand with its head protruding out. It moves quickly by a springing action. Cephalochordates are an important link to the phylum Chordata. Cephalochordates have a nerve cord like the Chordates, but this nerve cord is protected by a notochord instead of bone. The staff of the Sharklab enjoyed having Dr. Holland, and are pleased with his great find.
November 6&10, 08 — Vertical long lines score big
Our long line fishing has for the most part been confined to the shallow waters of the Bahama Bank. There have been a few occasions that have seen the lines set on the drop off to the Gulf Steam just west of Bimini. Those occasions were met with considerable highs and lows. Our equipment was not set up to haul in bottom lines from 500-600 ft of water.
Jim with Tiger Shark
Enter Dr. Demian Chapman, a Sharklab alumnus, who carries out shark research in Belize and Florida. Dr. Chapman and his wife Debbie, another Sharklab alumnus, use a single line vertical drop in the deep waters around Belize. The single line reduces the chance of the line getting hung up on the bottom which was the typical problem faced when using the standard bottom line.
In recent times the Sharklab has put this method to good use. The first vertical line yielded 2 large 3m+ tiger sharks which were filmed during our recent "major" production. The next vertical line came up with 1 tiger shark in the same location. Then for the BBC production we set another vertical line, again in the same location. This set came up with 2 more tiger sharks, one of which was a recap from the first time we tried this method. The Sharklab would really like to thank Demian and Debbie for getting us "hooked" on this great technique.
November 4-8, 08 — Dr. John Williams conducts shark repellant trials in Bimini
Dr. John Williams from Temple University in Philadelphia, returned once again to the Sharklab to carry out trials of his shark repellant. Trials were carried out on semi-captive Nurse sharks and wild Caribbean reef sharks. Dr. Williams treated us to a presentation on the chemistry behind his repellant, which has evolved from the Moses sole. The Moses sole has long been known to repel sharks. We hope to see you back here soon.
November 15, 08 — BBC "Deadly 60" Filming at Tiger Beach
BBFS recently hosted a team from the BBC natural history division to film a program on sharks for their series "Deadly 60". After a few days of filming here in Bimini with lemon and Caribbean reef sharks, the film crew and a BBFS team boarded the M/V Indigo. The 90+ foot vessel headed north of West End to the sand banks at Tiger Beach. The team spent several days filming adult lemon sharks, tiger sharks, and a great hammerhead. Underwater reciever units were retrieved to determine if any transmittered adults had visited the area. Additionally, a 270+ cm adult female was caught and fitted with both an acoustic transmitter and a pop-off satellite telemetry tag.
Duncan films a large tiger shark
BBFS, BBC, and M/V Indigo Crew
October 23, 08 — Sundance Boats
Sundance boats has been added as one of our major sponsors. Sundance announced today that they will replace our fleet of flat bottom skiffs.
Sundance K16
With 3 new 16ft skiffs and 2 new 17ft skiffs we will be in great position to continue our field work in the shallow water lagoons around Bimini for years to come. It couldn't have come at a better time with Mercury Outboards and Davey Marine set to replace our 25HP and 50HP outboards engines. Things should be running smoothly on the water for a long time. Check out the awesome line of skiffs at Sundance Boats.
October 18, 08 — Change of our Principal Investigators
October 18th marked the end to 3 years of research for PhD student, Steve Kessel. After a brief stop in the USA, Steve will head back to England where he will put the finishing touches on his thesis. While he may no longer be a permanent fixture in Bimini, Steve will still be working with the Sharklab to continue his research on the Lemon sharks of Jupiter, Florida. As Steve leaves us, we have a new PI arriving at the lab to start her PhD field research. Kristine Stump from Boca Raton, FL joined us on October 15th. She will be working on her thesis for the next 3 years in Bimini. Kristine is no stranger to the Sharklab, and has been volunteering since the summer of 2005.
October 17, 08 — It's a wrap
Filming from a Helicopter
After 8 straight weeks, filming has wrapped at the Sharklab. While we cannot yet officially announce the production we can say that it has by far been the largest that the Sharklab has been a part of. Stay tuned for more information on this production including of course when and which channel it airs. BBFS would like to thank all that were involved from start to finish. We are excited to see the final product in 2009.
September 27, 08 — Two large Tiger sharks caught West of Bimini
On September 27th, BBFS staff along with Dr. Demian Chapman set a vertical long-line in almost 700 feet of water and caught two large male Tiger sharks. Both of these "big boys" measured almost 12 feet in total length. All personell from the lab were on hand to watch the workups and snorkel with the Tigers. The day culminated when Lab manager Kat swam the second Tiger shark to a successful release. Everyone at the lab was thrilled to experience the size, power and beauty of these magnificent fish.
12 foot Tiger shark alongside Twin Vee
September 4, 08 — Hurricane Hanna & Ike
Those of you following this active Hurricane season and those concerned about the welfare of the Sharklab and its people, know that we are monitoring the storms daily. We escaped Hanna with little more than the occassional wind gusts. Ike is a different story.
Hurricane Ike's Predicted Route
Currently Ike is due to make its way to Bimini on Tuesday. The current track has the storm passing directly over Bimini. Ike has the makings of a devasting storm. Preparations are already underway for securing the lab and equipment. Evacuation plans for volunteers, staff and film crew are underway should they be needed. Staff in Flordia are prepare to deal with all the logistics of moving our people off the island. All we can do is hope and wait.
Two months of filming have started on an upcoming mini series set to air in 2009. The show will be following the Sharklab crew on their many shark adventures in Bimini, Marquesas, Jupiter and Tiger Beach. It also follows the daily routine of life at a field research station, and the people that make it all happen. Stay tuned for more details on this major filming event.
August 17-24, 08 — University of Minnesota Course
Students from the University of Minnesota spent a week at the Sharklab learning and studying the variety of marine plants and animals that are found in the many different marine habitats around the island of Bimini. The course was hosted by Dr. Samuel Gruber, Dr. Dean Grubbs and Dr. Peter Sorensen. Field trips were done on rocky shore lines, intertidal pools, mangroves lagoons, sea grass beds, artificial reefs, coral patch reefs and others. The students finished their field trip with an identification exam followed by a shark dive with Caribbean Reef Sharks. The Sharklab would like to thank Dr. Peter Sorensen and all his students for an enjoyable, though windy week of field activities.
July 29, 08 — Sharklab undergoes renovation
Sharklab Construction Crew
In the heat of July staff and volunteers were busily tearing out the old deck and building a new one. It took the better part of a week to construct, and even longer to plan.
The Finished Deck
All the supplies were purchased in Florida, shipped to South Bimini, cleared through Bahamas Customs then delivered to the Sharklab with the help of our friends at Bimini Sands. The finished product looks great. It was a much needed renovation.
July 23-28, 08 — The American Elasmobranch Society Meeting
Many of the Sharklab staff were away in Montreal, Canada for a meeting of The American Elasmobranch Society. AES was founded by Dr. Gruber in 1983, and 2008 marked its 24th annual meeting.
Sharklab Alumni
The meeting offers a chance for our scientist to present some of their work to other shark and rays scientists. It also offers a chance to meet and talk to others about work going on in the field of elasmobranch research. Each year there is a Sharklab group dinner hosted by Doc & Marie. Past and current Sharklab alumni enjoy a chance to catch up with old friends and talk about past adventures. Next year’s meeting is scheduled for July 22-27 in Portland, OR.
July 6, 08 — Wilderness Classroom visits the Sharklab
On July 6, 2008 students aboard the R/V Coral Reef II stopped by to pay a visit to the Sharklab. The students are part of the High School Marine Biology Program at Shedd Aquarium and the Wilderness Classroom. The program is aimed at students who may want to explore marine science as a career path. More information on the Wildernss Classroom, the HSMB Program and a short video clip of their visit can be found on their website wildernessclassroom.com
Take a moment to check it out!
June 11, 08 — Tiger Beach Expedition Update Online!
On June 8-11, 2008 Doc, Steve Kessel, and Matt Potenski joined Capt. Pete Lindgren and the crew of the M/V Dollie for a trip to the Tiger Beach site, off the West End. During the three day stay, the team encountered adult lemon sharks and tiger sharks. Among the work completed was DNA sampling, placing hydrophone receiver units, tagging and palcing transmitters on two adult females, and assisting field tests of "sharkproof" mesh for Lindgren-Pitman, Inc. The trip was a great success. To see more pictures and read about the expedition CLICK HERE!
Tiger Beach - Home of Adult Lemon Sharks
June 07, 08 — BBFS PIT 2008 Lemon Shark Census Begins
It is that time of year again. In the last two months the mother lemon sharks have come into the lagoon and dropped their litters of pups. BBFS will go out and intensively fish the Bimini lagoon in an attempt to catch and census all the juvenile lemons residing there. This will mark the 14th straight year the lab has conducted a yearly census in what is the longest continuous and focused study on a shark species anywhere in the world. You can follow along with our PIT Project Census via the PIT 2008 web journal.
Click on the image to see the 2008 PIT Web Journal
May 19, 08 — 320cm Tiger Shark caught by hand.
On a day off a few individuals from the Sharklab teamed up with Grant and Katie from Bimini Sands. They set out on the Bimini Sands Twin Vee to investigate some new spear fishing locations several miles north of the island. On the way there they passed a large Tiger shark swimming calmly along the surface.
320cm Tiger Shark
After a brief attempt to swim with the shark they decided to catch it from the boat. The only problem was none of their normal tagging equipment was on board. Sean and Grant knew they had caught a free swimming Tiger shark by hand before and set out to do it again. After a number of attempts the Tiger's tail was grabbed and a tail rope was attached. The shark was then placed along the side of the Twin Vee where a pec rope was also added. Once the shark was secured it was measured to be 320cm total length.
From the size of the shark, it was thought it could have been pregnant. After snapping a few photographs the shark was released. This shark is likely the same individual that has been spotted on multiple occasions by local dolphin tour boats in the same area.
May 17-25, 08 — Brandon Cole, marine photographer visits Bimini.
Marine photographer, Brandon Cole spent a week at the Sharklab to photograph mangroves around Bimini. He also spent time photographing Sharklab personnel working with juvenile lemon sharks.
Brandon's website brandoncole.com has some absolutely breathe taking images. Take a moment to check it out!
May 12-18, 08 — CCU shark biology course.
BBFS hosted a shark biology course from Coastal Carolina University. Professor Abel and his teaching assistant Katie along with 16 students spent a week in Bimini learning about sharks.
CCU & Sharklab
The course was a combination of lectures and field trips. Dr. Dean Grubbs from Florida State University was a guest lecturer as were several members of the Sharklab staff. BBFS would like to thank Dan, Katie, Dean, David, Colton, Chris, Aaron, Tami (who decided to stay behind), Mallorie, Stacy, Bailey, Stephanie, Samantha, Marianna, Marciena, Leah, Amanda, Genevieve, and Rory. We hope you enjoyed your stay at the Sharklab.
May 8-12, 08 — National Geographic tries to ultrasound a Lemon shark.
Pioneer Productions, in conjunction with National Geographic, traveled to Bimini in an attempt to catch and ultrasound a pregnant lemon shark for an upcoming show called "In the Womb".
Sharklab with Lemon
New born Lemon shark
During the months of April and May, pregnant lemon sharks are known to return to the inner lagoon in Bimini to give birth. Armed with this knowledge the Sharklab crew was successful in locating and tracking a pregnant lemon for the film team.
Once under control an ultrasound was carried out on the shark by Dr. Thomas Hildebrandt, assisted by veterinarian Andrena Garabedian. While filming the sharks' release a total of 14 lemons were born.
DNA was collected from the neonate sharks which were then transported to the safety of the mangroves and released. The mother was released with a satellite pop up tag. Stay tuned for more information on her whereabouts. In the Womb airs October 6th, on Channel 4 (UK). The North American release to follow.
May 3rd, 08 — Spear fishing world record.
While enjoying a day of spearing with Grant & Katie from Bimini Sands a world spearing record was set. Well, almost. A 44 lb. Permit was taken by Grant, Katie, Sean and Eva.
44lb. Permit
Hawaiian sling is the only legal method of spearing in Bahamian waters, and while this fish captured by Hawaiian sling is actually bigger than the current world records set by spear gun, it was ineligible. The fish was taken by multiple persons and therefore deemed invalid from world record status. The record being 40.5 lbs. for a female spearfisher and 38 lbs. for a male spearfisher. Grant and Katie donated the entire fish to the Sharklab for our shark research needs. Thanks guys!
April 26-30, 08 — UNB shark biology course at BBFS.
Professor Steve Turnbull from the University of New Brunswick (Canada) returned with his class for another successful shark biology course. His students spent 5 days learning about sharks and shark biology.
UNB & Sharklab
The students experienced Lemon, Caribbean Reef, Blacknose, Tiger, Blacktip, Great Hammerhead and Nurse sharks in the wild. They also saw a variety of ray species including an up close and personal feeding of Southern Stingrays. Thanks to Dr. Turnbull and his class (Mark, Chester, Chris, Eliane, Julie, Kimberly, Jessica, Katherine, Brandy, Christine, Emily, Ashley, Anna, Natasha, Susan, and Ann) for another great course.
April 26th, 08 — Twin Vee arrives that the Sharklab.
After much anticipation the Sharklab's newest vessel finally arrives. Twin Vee has graciously provided the Sharklab with a 22' center console. The vessel will replace the aging Aquasport.
Sharklab's 22' Twin Vee
Davey Marine and Mercury Marine were instrumental in outfitting the Twin Vee Catamaran with twin Mercury 115HP EFI outboards. We are very excited with our new research vessel and look forward to a great working relationship with Twin Vee. Special thanks to David East, Tim De Vries, and Dan McCarthy from Twin Vee, Mario Aiello of Davey Marine and Robert Grantham of Mercury Marine.
April 23-26, 08 — Satellite tag pops off at Tiger Beach, Bahamas.
An important piece of information was recently discovered when a satellite tag placed on a Lemon shark in Jupiter, Florida recently popped off near Tiger Beach, Bahamas. Populations observed in Florida do intermix with those in the Bahamas. Tiger Beach is a well known shark diving destination where dive operators offer encounters with large Tiger and Lemon sharks.
Adult Lemon Sharks
Armed with this new information, Sharklab scientists Steve Kessel and Tristan Gutridge travel to Tiger Beach along with Ushiaua and obtain DNA samples from 10 adult Lemon sharks. BBFS hopes to set out bottom monitors at Tiger Beach in June with the hopes that some of our sharks having acoustic transmitters from Bimini and/or Jupiter will be found there.
April 21-22, 08 — Ushiaua French Film team looks for Lemons.
Just days after successful chasing down a 281 pregnant lemon and attaching a satellite tag, the Sharklab crew again set out to search the inner lagoon between North and South Bimini for Lemon sharks. This time it was for a French film program called Ushiaua.
Satellite Tag
The film team was simply looking for footage of sub-adult or adult lemon sharks swimming in the inner lagoon of Bimini. Little did they know they would become involved in another successful capture of a pregnant Lemon shark. The shark, while being filmed started to delivery her pups. A mad scramble ensued whereby the neonates were all sampled for DNA and released along the edge of the mangrove forests lining the lagoon. Before the female was release the second of 2 satellite tags provided by Demian Chapman and the PEW Institute was attached along with a 4 year acoustic tag. The female was release and tracked for about an hour to ensure she was doing fine. The neonates release will no doubt be recaptured during the Sharklab's annual PIT census in June.
April 19th, 08 — 281 pregnant lemon tagged in Bimini.
A crew returning from East Bimini, led by staff members Kat and Tristan, came across a large adult female Lemon shark. They were successful in capturing the shark, despite being on a small single skiff.
281cm Pregnant Lemon Shark
The shark was worked up and measured in at a total length of 281cm and was pregnant. Earlier that same day, Dr. Demian Chapman with the PEW Institute of Marine Science arrived at the lab with two satellite tags. Dr. Chapman hoped to be able to attach them to female Lemon sharks over the next couple of months. Little did he think just a few hours after stepping off the plane he would be called out into the field to attach one of these 6-month pop off satellite tags. A 4-year acoustic transmitter was also attached to this shark which will no doubt reveal some interesting and important information on the patterns of adult lemon sharks, especially the pregnant females.
March 29, 08 — Bimini Wedding
Bimini Wedding
On a warm sunny Bahamian afternoon Bryan Franks and Joy Young were married on the beach of South Bimini. The newly wed couple first met at the Sharklab. Bryan was a Principal Investigator and Joy was a Volunteer and Assistant Lab Manager.
It was a special time for everyone at the Sharklab. While it wasn't the first marriage between two former "Sharklabers" it does mark the first Sharklab marriage held in Bimini.
It was a remarkable gathering of past and present Sharklab staff. Besides Bryan and Joy, the wedding was attended by ten of the current staff, namely: Doc, Marie, Steve (Best man), Tristan, Joey, Sean, Kat, Emily, Jim, and Duncan. Also in attendance were former staff Grant, Katie, Jackie, Kiwi, Matthias as well as current project student Mark and former project student Jo.
The Bride
The weather, which had been dreadful prior to the wedding, could not have been better. A clear blue sky and flat calm water.
Fifty friends and family were in attendance for the ceremony, many experiencing Bimini for the first time. We wish Bryan and Joy all the best in their future together and are excited to have Bryan back working with the Sharklab again.
Congratulations!
March 19, 08 — Fabian Cousteau's video about Bimini hits YouTube
Fabian Cousteau, grandson to Jacques Cousteau, releases his short film on the environmental problems that face Bimini. Watch this compelling video on YouTube
Also take a moment to visit Ocean Futures Society or Save Bimini.org to learn more about the situation on Bimini and how you can help ensure a sustainable future for this amazing island and the people that live here.
March 19, 08 — Sharklab cleans Shell beach
Staff and volunteers spent a bad weather afternoon doing a beach cleanup in South Bimini. The group removed over 700 pounds of garbage from one of the nicest beaches in Bimini. The target area was Shell beach, near the Bimini Sands Resort & Marina, an area prone to garbage washing ashore.
March 16, 08 — The Sharklab undergoes some renovations
Newly constructed dock
Home improvements have been taking place at the Sharklab. A new dock was built in December, and renovations to Bathroom #1, #2 and the kitchen are almost completed.
The Sharklab staff have been busily working away to make these much needed improvements. Those that have been here in the past will be amazed with these changes.
March 13, 08 — Jupiter work comes to a successful finish
Another season of work with adult Lemon shark aggregations in Jupiter Florida has come and gone. The last of the Sharklab staff has returned to Bimini after a very successful season in Jupiter. 20 Lemon sharks were transmittered and 4 satellite tags deployed. The project wrapped up with a celebration on March 13th. Dr. Samuel Gruber, Dr. Bryan Franks and project leader Steve Kessel would like to thank those that have given their time and resources to this continuing project, namely Walt Sterns, Bill Parks, Cheryl Carroll, Mike Newman, Joanne & John Fraser, Phil Besler, Tony Grogan, Demian Chapman, Todd Gedamke, Dave Kerstetter, Joe Deppen, Chris Berry, Joy Young, Kristene Parsons, Kat Gledhill, Mark Bond, Duncan Brake, and Tristan Guttridge.
March 4-5, 08 — Myth Busters films at the Sharklab
Myth Busters and Shark Defense returned to the Sharklab on March 4th and 5th. Their show will be part of Discovery Channel's Shark Week.
Myth Buster visits the Sharklab
Jamie and Adam were working with Eric, Pat and Craig from Shark Defense. They are demonstrating the effects of magnets as effective shark repellents. Jamie sets out to make a remote control Tiger Shark, using magnets.
Tune in to Shark Week this July to see the results.
February 29, 08 — Sharkwater filmmaker, Rob Stewart visits the Sharklab
Rob Stewart, producer and filmmaker of the award winning documentary SHARKWATER visited the Sharklab along with Tyler MacLeod of Sharkwater Productions Inc. and French TV TF1. Rob and crew were only with us for a single day to shoot some promotional footage for the French release of Sharkwater.
Sharkwater's Rob Stewart
While it was a short visit, it was also action packed. Sharklab and Sharkwater teamed up for a shark dive with Caribbean Reef sharks, some hands on work with our juvenile Lemon sharks and wrapped it all up early the next day by tagging one of five Tiger sharks that were caught on our long lines.
The Sharklab wishes Rob continued success with his film. Look for the North American DVD release in April, 2008. For more information on Sharkwater, Click Here.
January 24, 08 — The Ocean Futures Society speaks out to save Bimini
The Ocean Futures Society, headed by the world famous Cousteau family, has joined hundreds of other voices in the effort to save Bimini's valuable ecology. Fabien Cousteau, grandson of famed explorer Jacques Cousteau, has visited Bimini twice in the last 2 months and has posted his thoughts on Bimini's plight. The issue of unsustainable development on Bimini has reached a massive international audience and with the Cousteau's now joining the effort hopefully the government of the Bahamas, as well as those involved with the contentious developments here on Bimini, will listen and act to protect what is left of this unique island chain.
Please take a moment to visit Ocean Futures Society Click Here to learn more about the situation on Bimini and how you can help ensure a sustainable future for the this amazing island, and the people that live here.
January 24, 08 — New volunteers arrive at the Sharklab. Staff leave for Jupiter, FL
The Sharklab welcomes some new members to their research team. Eight new volunteers will be lending a hand over the next month or more. A few members of our staff members are off to Florida for work with the adults lemon shark aggregations that appear this time of year.
For more information on our new volunteers Eva, Christine, Lindsay, Hayley, Jennifer, Michael, Dan, and William see our volunteer section of the website Click Here.
January 16-19, 08 — BBC and History Channel at the Sharklab
BBFS was host to the BBC and History Channel for a few days of filming. The BBC was carrying out a recce of the Sharklab and sharks of Bimini in order to plan additional filming for an upcoming program on sharks. The History Channel was filming a program on the Evolution of Sex and was looking at male and female sharks around Bimini.
January 15-24, 08 — Eckerd College class at the Sharklab for the first time
BBFS welcomed Eckerd College from St. Petersburg, FL for their first visit to the Sharklab to partake in a 7 day Shark Biology course. The students went in the field for shark dives with Caribbean Reef Sharks, feed Southern Stingrays, went shark fishing with the staff, gillnetting for sharks and shark workups as well as lectures in the classroom.
The staff of the Sharklab would like to thank professor Bill Szelistowski (aka Ski), his son and students Carly Cappelluzzo, Carrie Minnick, Alicia Roberts, Michelle Von Sternberg, Lauren Vonnahme, Mike Felder, Dylan Atchley, Kiki Vinita, Caitlin Aguero, Ryan Appold, Pat Gardner, Chris Lynch, Jasmine Steele, Rachel Wencek, and Kerrie Collins.
January 4-13, 08 — University of Miami MBF-514 class returns to the Sharklab
The Sharklab welcomed the University of Miami to their lab for a 9 day tropical marine biology course. This year marked the 10th consecutive year that Professor Dan DiResta returned to Bimini to help teach the students about the marine life found in Bimini's water. The course enjoyed some great weather while snorkeling at Bone Fish Hole, Shell Beach, Turtle Rocks, the Sapona, Triangle Rocks with the Caribbean Reef Sharks and around the sea grass beds and mangroves of Bimini.
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