News & Press

In this edition, discover how our team at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium is: growing a program to bolster populations of algae-eating  Caribbean king crabs, stuyding manatees by taking photos of their unique markings, especially boat proellers, surveying global reef sites to determine where sharks need help, stuyding the shellfish-eating habits of spotted eagle rays, and much more! 

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As sea turtle nesting season has officially concluded on Florida’s Southwest coast as of Oct. 31, Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation & Research Program (STCRP), which patrols 35-miles from Longboat Key to Venice of beaches each day of nesting season (May 1-Oct. 31) reports their findings for another record-breaking nesting season. Throughout the season, STCRP recorded a total of 4,284 (compared to the current record of 5,112 in 2019) nests across all sea turtle species—4,091 loggerhead nests and 193 green nests. The program also documented the highest numbers of sea turtle nests specifically, the highest number of green turtle nests ever on Venice.

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Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast are entering the third phase of Project Nature Bridge, an initiative to increase environmental literacy and increase appreciation and use of nature by the underrepresented and underserved area youth. It is funded by the Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation. Since 2018 this project has fostered transformative experiences in local youth through education and hands-on experiences.

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Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium was pleased to recognize a room of over 220 local science and elementary teachers from Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties at its inaugural Toast to Teachers appreciation event on Friday, Oct. 6.

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Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium (Mote) is proud to announce that it has earned 4/4 stars by Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator, in recognition of its financial health, ongoing accountability, and transparency of how its funds are allocated.

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Florida’s Coral Reef experienced record-breaking heat waves during the summer of 2023 caused by unusually high seawater temperatures that started early in the season, resulting in mass coral bleaching in certain areas. Florida’s reef managers, scientists, conservation organizations and reef users, sounded the alarm and worked collectively to protect restoration investments, to preserve genetic diversity, and to enact monitoring to better understand the extent and potential impacts of the bleaching. 

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Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium recently invited researchers from around the world to discuss mitigation tools and technologies for the harmful algal bloom (HAB) that affects many communities across the state – Florida red tide – as part of its Florida Red Tide Mitigation & Technology Development Initiative.

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Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium celebrated the official opening of its Florida Coral Reef Restoration Crab Hatchery Research Center, which is the first fully operational Caribbean king crab hatchery of its kind that will aid in its effort to save Florida’s coral reefs.

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According to newly published data in the international, peer-reviewed scientific journal Fishes, Goliath grouper, an ecologically vital species, have experienced population declines since 2013.

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