Mote collaborates with FAU to tag rays for understanding of their relationship with prey

At Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida, researchers use specialized suction cup mounted “helmet” tags to collect acoustic and movement data on whitespotted eagle rays. These tags will help examine the relationship between eagle rays and their prey and can be leveraged to evaluate their interactions with shellfish aquaculture and restoration. This new technology is part of a five-year project, which started in March 2022, funded by the National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program (NSF CAREER), and led by Dr. Matthew Ajemian at Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (FAU-HBOI)* in partnership with Mote and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)**. 

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2022 sea turtle nesting season numbers land in top five seasons documented at Mote

Sea turtle nesting season is officially over here on Florida’s Southwest coast, and Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium staff are looking back on outstanding nest numbers. Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation & Research Program (STCRP) has wrapped documenting the sea turtle nesting season on October 31, after monitoring 35 miles of beaches from Venice to Longboat Key since May. 

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Mote scientists present at Reef Futures conference on coral reef restoration

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium scientists participated in a conference consisting of a series of workshops that brought together over 600 coral restoration practitioners, researchers, students and resource managers from around the world to share the latest techniques, technologies and science to dramatically scale-up the impact and reach of coral reef restoration. Held at Ocean Reef Club near Key Largo, Florida, this week-long event highlighted efforts made by Mote staff across a multitude of specialized research.

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Mote hosts workshop to guide implementation of mitigation tools for Florida red tide

On August 11 and 12, Mote hosted a workshop of over 75 attendees where red tide mitigation scientists, engineers, and government agencies, gathered to review the research being developed, discuss the status and options for deployment technologies, understand the regulatory steps and agencies involved, and plan for intellectual property and commercialization issues that may arise.

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Mote’s partnership with The Haven going strong, thanks to grant from the Community Foundation

Thanks to a grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium is partnering with The Haven, a local nonprofit offering programs and services for children and adults with disabilities. The partnership uses informal science education to create interactive, engaging, and accessible lessons for students and young adults with disabilities.

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