Mapping propagation of spotted seatrout around artificial reefs and oil/gas platforms in the Gulf of Mexico would help the local fishing industry. Courtesy photo
Sharks, turtles, butterflies and more will benefit from the annual awarding of the 2015 Wildlife Care, Conservation and Research Fund given annually by the Texas State Aquarium. Established in 2013, the fund promotes a mission of connecting people with nature and inspiring conservation of the Gulf of Mexico. Winning projects focus on species in the Aquarium’s living collection or habitats that support those species.
“The Aquarium is pleased to support this select group of scientists and conservation managers who aim to save important Gulf species and habitats of concern,” said aquarium Vice President of Education and Conservation Leslie Peart in a statement. “We look forward to sharing their methods and results with visiting families and school groups through special exhibits and learning programs throughout the year.”
This year’s recipients are:
Sharks with Spectators III
Real-time global tracking of Texas’ marine apex predators for science, education and research
$15,000
Greg Stunz and Matt Ajemian
Harte Research Institute
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
This project builds upon the work Dr. Stunz’s team completed with WCCR funds in 2013 and 2014. Project scientists will tag and track large sharks. Information concerning the animals’ current locations and past movements will be sent to the Coastal Bend and global community, allowing for outreach and education opportunities and better understanding of declining shark populations. The shark tagging and tracking work Dr. Stunz and his team have done with OCEARCH are featured in the Aquarium’s Saving Sharks exhibit that opened in October.
Waters for Wildlife: Monitoring the Use of Freshwater Ponds by Wintering Whooping Cranes
$8,980
Kiersten Stanzel
San Antonio Bay Partnership
This project monitors the use of freshwater ponds by wintering whooping cranes in order to understand their use of these ponds during periods of drought, and assist in their recovery from endangered species status. The last wild population of Whooping Cranes winter in and around Aransas National Wildlife Refuge north of Corpus Christi. This project is a follow-up to a project that received 2013 WCCR funding for creation of a man-made pond for whooping cranes.
Genetic Composition of Immature Kemp’s Ridley Turtles in the Gulf of Mexico
$15,000
Margaret Lamont
USGS Southeast Ecological Science Center, Gainsville, Florida
This project examines genetic composition of immature Kemp’s Ridley assemblages in the Gulf of Mexico and will develop a library of genetic information to link wild-caught and head-started turtles. This library can be used to fill the knowledge gaps about immature Kemp’s Ridley that continue to hamper the recovery of the species.
Improving Oso Creek/Bay, Corpus Christi Bay and Petronila Creek Water Quality
$15,000
Meredith Miller
Meadows Center for Water and the Environment
Texas State University, San Marcos
This project will utilize the South Texas Regional Stream Team to work on improving water quality and riparian/aquatic habitats in Oso Creek, Oso Bay, Corpus Christi Bay, and Petronila Creek, all of which are on Texas’ 303(d) list of impaired water bodies for not meeting contact recreation water quality standards. The South Texas Regional Stream Team is a motivated group of citizen scientists who were trained to collect water quality data and remove trash from the bays and creeks. They will also engage the community in stewardship activities, including quarterly trash cleanups and the Texas Stream Team Monofilament Finders Project.
Optimizing Coral Fragmentation Technique for Propagation
$14,540
Mikhail Matz
University of Texas at Austin
This project will focus on optimizing a fragmentation technique to propagate coral stock for reef restoration. It is a follow-up to a study funded by WCCR in 2014 examining biological indicators that could be used to evaluate the risk of infectious outbreak at the Flower Garden Banks, as well as other Caribbean reefs.
Mapping Spotted Trout Spawning Habitat in Mission Aransas NERR
$14,606
Brad Erisman
University of Texas Marine Science Institute, Corpus Christi
This project is awarded and will feature cooperative research with recreational anglers to map spawning habitat of spotted trout in Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve. The spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) is one of the most important and iconic sport fishes in Texas, yet nothing is known about the distribution of spawning habitats of spotted seatrout in Texas or how they overlap with seagrass beds, artificial reefs and oil/gas platforms, navigation channels, managed areas and important recreational areas. Such information would be beneficial to the management of the fishery, regional ecosystem monitoring programs and recreational anglers looking to maximize fishing opportunities and experiences.
Migrating Monarch Butterflies’ Use of Offshore Oil Platforms
$2,500
Tracy Villareal
University of Texas Marine Science Institute, Corpus Christi
This project will develop an app for use by citizen scientists to assess the use of offshore structures and vessels by migrating Monarch butterflies.
