Saturday, April 30th 2011

It was a gorgeous, sunny day out on the water with South Broward High School. We were using a smaller boat than usual so although there was a limited amount of room, things went smoothly throughout the day. We headed out to our reef site which is deeper than most of our other sites. This means that the ropes attached to our drumlines are doubled so that they are twice as long. Luckily, some of our high schoolers were more than willing to help us pull in these lines. Our first shark of the day was a good-sized Sandbar shark. We brought the shark up on the side of the boat, placed the water pump in its mouth so it could continue to breathe, and set to work taking muscle and blood samples, and placing tags. We put two tags on the shark: an orange roto tag on the dorsal fin and a yellow spaghetti tag at the base of the dorsal fin. The shark was released in great condition and the drumline was re-baited and placed back on its site.

The rest of the day was fairly slow. One of the teachers from South Broward spotted a Hammerhead’s dorsal fin near one of our other buoys. Quickly, we set out a bait in order to try to catch the shark but after a few minutes without a bite, we continued to pick up drumlines. Near the end of the day, we pulled in a Scalloped Hammerhead. This beautiful animal had another Scalloped Hammerhead following it as we brought the one on the line up to the boat. The second shark swam away as we pulled the hooked one onto the boat. The same steps were taken as with the Sandbar shark: the water pump was put in place and muscle and blood samples were taken. The shark was also outfitted with a satellite tag so we can track its movements and collect important data regarding its mating and feeding grounds.

Although the day only yielded two sharks, it was still a great day out on the water. Catching only two sharks at a comparatively productive reef site is yet another sign that shark populations are in decline worldwide. It reinforces how important it is to continue to educate people on the plight of sharks and what they can do to help.

Much sharky love,

Kyra Hartog

 

Friday, April 22^nd 2011

It was a textbook Miamian spring morning, clear blue skies with the sun shining bright.  For the RJ Dunlap squad, the smell of bait sparked the prospect of sharks.  Our crew on board today was also hoping to pull in a few sharks.  Instead of students today, the RJD program was taking out a special group of representatives from Wells Fargo, one of our proud sponsors without whom we would be unable to perform our research.  Our sights today were set on a new site near the edge of Everglades National Park.  After zipping out to the location, we quickly dropped 10 drumlines and had lunch.

We prepped the group on how to handle, measure, tag, and take a biopsy of the shark’s muscle tissue and then set off to retrieve the first line.  With the day so young, we were not put off by the first line retaining nothing.  Nor by the second…or third…with the same result.  After about the 10^th line however, morale was beginning to grow thin.  Occasionally a hook timer would be popped and hopes would soar, just to be dashed by a slack line with an empty hook.

Yet on the 15th line our patience was duly rewarded with a gorgeous lemon shark.  It put up a good fight in the shallow waters bordering the park but we eventually coaxed it aboard and fit the pump into its mouth.  The interns secured the shark and supervised as our guests came in one by one as instructed and efficiently carried out their respective duties.  Samples were taken, measurements recorded, tags applied, and photos snapped without hesitation as the shark’s well-being remained our number one concern.

The day pressed onward and we were rewarded again with another shark, also a lemon.  Again we did not hesitate with any of the tasks as the group worked even more efficiently this time with the recently acquired experience.  Before we knew it, the shark was heading home and we too were soon to follow suit.  Packing up the last drumline of the day, the boat turned and started for shore.

It was a day with only two sharks.  They were both beautiful and a true pleasure to sample from, but still there were only two.  The fight to save sharks does not only pertain to international waters.  It is taking place in our front yard.  Our efforts are not futile and the information we gather from these trips is being used to help understand and protect the creatures we love and the ecosystems they form part of.  On behalf of the RJ Dunlap Marine Conservation Program, I would like to thank the representatives that came out from Wells Fargo not only for a successful trip today, but also for providing funding that allows our research to push forward.

Sincerely,

Robbie Christian, RJD Intern

Saturday, April 2^nd 2011

Today we had the pleasure of going out to sea with Miami Dade College students. They were an interested and curious group, anxiously awaiting the first shark of the day.

Unfortunately their anticipation was not relieved until later in the day. Many of the drumlines afforded no sharks, or even the signs of sharks. Sometimes we can tell that a line has seen some activity by noticing the shredding of the monofilament or the torn flesh of the bait, but today it seemed like nothing was there.

Finally we felt tension on the other end of one of the lines. A large, thick, and healthy nurse shark arose from the depths. The crew secured the animal and began working through procedures as usual. Once all of the data had been collected, the shark was safely released. It slowly careened away from the boat, eventually disappearing beneath the waves. The Miami Dade College students eagerly got involved and helped the interns as three more nurse sharks were caught throughout the day.

Later in the day, one of the drumlines pulled in was very misleading. It seemed as if nothing was on the other end, except for the tug of a baited hook dragging through the water.  To the crew’s surprise, a small, elongated figure came into view. A juvenile Atlantic Sharpnose was gently pulled from the water and brought on deck for sampling. It is always exciting to see young sharks in our sampling area. Seeing the product of our typical study specimens’ successful reproduction ensures us that there is still hope for their plummeting populations. Although the day did not deliver in terms of species diversity and number, it was, thus, still fulfilling.

Until next time,

Cameron Rhodes, RJD Intern

Sunday, March 27^th 2011

After a very unlucky day on the water on Saturday, Captain Curt was determined to catch some sharks today, hopefully even a large bull shark, on our trip out to our site in Everglades National Park. He predicted that we were overdue for a large bull shark and that we would catch a good amount of lemon sharks. We had Summit Series’ event planners and coordinators on board with us, as well as a journalist from O magazine.

Before we left the dock, Dr. Hammerschlag explained our methods of fishing for sharks to the group and how and why sharks are in decline worldwide. The group, just a bit older than the high school groups we normally have aboard, were full of questions and very interested in the plight of sharks worldwide. Upon arrival at the Everglades National Park site, we started to put out our drumlines with the help of our visitors who kissed each piece of bait for good luck.

After eating lunch while letting our drumlines soak for about an hour, we returned to the first drumline, which had a small blacktip shark on the line! The whole group was excited to start the day off this way. The shark was brought on board and Dr. Hammerschlag, Captain Curt, the interns, and our guests set to work taking blood samples, muscle biopsies, measurements and placing tags on the shark.

RJD intern Austin Gallagher took blood, while our new folk on the boat were shown how to measure the animal, take a muscle biopsy and fin clip, and place a spaghetti tag and roto tag. After the blacktip was released, swimming away in excellent condition, we put the first drumline out again and continued on to the others.

We later pulled in a good-sized nurse shark and the group performed similar procedures on it as well. The only differences are that we do not perform a muscle biopsy, as the nurse shark’s skin is too tough, and we do not need to place the water pump in the shark’s mouth in order for it to breath, since these sharks are not ram ventilators. Nurse sharks are unlike other species of shark in that they do not need to keep moving in order to breathe, differentiating themselves in that respect from most of the other specimens we sample.

As the day continued we pulled in another nurse shark and two more blacktips. Our site in Everglades National Park is usually a fairly reliable spot for lemon sharks and greater numbers altogether, but Sunday’s trip did not yield either of those. This is yet another demonstration of sharks declining worldwide, even in protected areas.

Hoping for better results on the next set of trips!

Much love,

Kyra Hartog, RJD Intern

Wednesday, March 16th – Sunday, March 20th 2011

This five day long expedition was set in the Dry Tortugas, a small group of islands about 70 miles west of Key West. This area was chosen, and is particularly special, because of its status as a very well protected national park. In being such, special permits had to be obtained for this trip. The data we were most concerned with for these few days was the number of sharks we pulled in, and the times we would find on our hook timers.

The times on our hook timers represent how long a shark has been on the line. As soon as a shark takes the bait, the tension on the monofilament line pops the timer and it begins counting up. These hook timers, that we have attached to all our drumlines, allow us to gather important data as to the relative abundance of large predators in the area. If there are many sharks in the area, the bait will likely be taken quickly and we will find longer times on our hook timers as we bring in our drumlines. The number of sharks in the Dry Tortugas National Park is especially important to our data because of the level of protection that is in place there. Sharks are top predators and, as such, are crucial in regulating ecosystems from the top down, thus important indicators of the health of an ecosystem. This trip allows us to compare the relative abundance of sharks in a well protected area like the Dry Tortugas National Park to some of our other sites that are much less protected. With a higher level of protection we expect a higher abundance of large sharks.

During our Dry Tortugas trip we were able to catch and tag 32 sharks including: hammerheads, tigers, nurse sharks, Atlantic sharpnoses, Caribbean reef sharks, and a bull shark. In addition to its research potential, the trip was an incredible experience. Packing up the 40-ish foot boat with all our research gear, personal items, food, and six people was a task in itself, but eventually we were able to find a home for everything. We made good time on our eight hour boat ride out to the Dry Tortugas, stopping in Key West to refuel along the way, and thankfully, the weather was amazing all week (in contrast to the last attempted expedition out there when our team was chased back home by bad weather after deploying only 5 drumlines). This time we were able to put out about 50 drumlines each day, not a light or easy task we can now say from personal experience!

While the trip was hard on our bodies, it was worth it in so many ways. First off, the sharks of course were the number one reason we were all there, and they did not disappoint. The Caribbean reef sharks were, as Captain Curt had warned “like blacktips on steroids.” Although their species is on the smaller end (when compared to tigers or bull sharks), they are very strong and feisty, and definitely kept us on our toes. The highlights of the trip, however, were the tiger and hammerhead sharks, both my favorite – I’m so torn between the two! This trip was extra special for me because for the first time I was able to get into the water with both a tiger and a hammerhead shark as we released them and watch them swim away. Both such magnificent fish – the distinctive “hammer” and dorsal of the hammerhead, and the gorgeous markings of a tiger shark – they really are absolutely breathtaking.

Overall, watching sunrises and sunsets, eating awesome food, spending time with incredible people, getting great data, and experiencing amazing things, it really was a truly unforgettable trip. Thank you to everyone involved for all their hard work and for making this happen!

Looking forward to the next day out on the water and much sharky love,

Fiona, RJD Intern