Mote Senior Scientist Dr. Bob Hueter returns to discuss a highly successful research expedition focused on great white sharks off Nova Scotia. Seven white sharks were caught, tagged, sampled and released, supporting 15 projects by 25 scientists at 18 institutions, during this expedition conducted by the organization OCEARCH with Hueter as Chief Expedition Scientist during late September-early October 2018. Hueter discusses where the white sharks have been tracked, what other scientific...

Dan Bebak joined Mote Aquarium as an intern, and over decades he's advanced to lead its operations as Vice President of Mote's Education, Aquarium & Outreach Division. In this episode, he shares his memories from the early Aquarium along with Mote's vision for the Aquarium's future, which is tied closely to the future of the expanding research at Mote Marine Laboratory. Bebak and his colleagues are working hard toward a rebirth of the current Aquarium - as Mote Science Education Aquarium...

When a fishery declines, can you release fish to aid its recovery – without unintended consequences? Mote Senior Scientist Dr. Ken Leber investigates how to raise and release fishes in ecologically sound ways, a process known as responsible stock enhancement and codified by Leber and colleagues. Learn how stock enhancement took hold in the U.S., why it became a research focus at Mote, how Leber has advanced responsible practices around the globe, and what Florida sportfish was the favorite of...

When we spot a female sea turtle on her nesting beach or care for patients in Mote's Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital, we get a snapshot of these animals' long, fascinating lives. However, once they return to sea, these turtles can migrate for hundreds of miles and are mostly hidden from humans. Mote Senior Biologist Kristen Mazzarella is shedding light on their journeys. She fits sea turtles with satellite tags to track where they go, including what threats they might encounter. Tune in as...

Some coral reefs in the Middle East are strikingly beautiful and seemingly well-preserved, but will they stay that way as humans alter the environment? Dr. Emily Hall traveled to Israel to study stress on corals, including eutrophication – a big word you can say at parties to sound smart. But seriously, eutrophication (excess nutrients in bodies of water) could be challenging to corals already stressed by global climate change. Joe and Hayley ask Dr. Hall what she has learned about this...

School’s out for the summer — some students might take a vacation, but a select 10 college students have found their summer vocation at Mote: a 10-week independent research experience. Mote’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program, funded by the National Science Foundation, has educated and trained more than 150 aspiring scientists since 2003. In this episode, Dr. Cathy Walsh, REU Coordinator and Senior Scientist at Mote, and REU intern Hery Rios-Guzman from Puerto Rico join...

From crocodilians to cuttlefish, Brian Siegel takes care of several species that capture our imaginations. Hosts Joe and Hayley especially wanted to hear about Brian's work with crocodilians - a group including alligators, crocodiles, caimans and gharials. Did you know that there are only two alligator species? Do you know how gators replace their teeth? Are you curious why Brian attended "Croc School"? That's the nickname for the Association of Zoos & Aquariums' program officially called...

Waterside residents: You probably have fishes in your backyard, whether you know it or not! Dr. Ryan Schloesser knows all about those fishes in southwest Florida, especially the treasured sport fish common snook. In this episode, he tells hosts Joe and Hayley how he and Mote colleagues release hatchery-reared snook to study their habitat preferences, likelihood of survival, ability to enhance the wild fishery, and more. Tune in for fish facts both practical and fun: How can southwest Florida...

How do Mote Aquarium staff develop exhibits healthy for animals and engaging for visitors? Mike Collins, Curator of Exhibits at Mote, tells Joe and Hayley about the excitement of developing a naturalistic home for Mote’s resident otters, the routine of cleaning fish habitats, and everything in between. How did Mike get involved in the professional aquarium world, why is the yellowhead jawfish one of his favorite fish species, and how does he gather and give great advice for marine animal care...

Are you seeking a marine science internship? Or simply want to know how Mote works with students from various states, countries and backgrounds?  Mote’s internship guru, Student Engagement Coordinator Gina Santoianni, tells Hayley and Joe how Mote interns participate in lab and field research, aid science educators, apply graphic design skills to ocean outreach, and much more. Students can learn a thing or two from Gina’s own career path, starting with an education and early internships...

Manatees can sicken or even die from cold-stress syndrome when winter temperatures plummet in Florida. Why are these big mammals so cold-sensitive, and how can we take their temperatures? On this episode, Dr. Nicola Erdsack shares some emerging answers; she and her colleagues are investigating new methods to detect temperature change in manatees, and those methods have the potential to benefit manatee rehabilitation and even research in the wild. Erdsack is an international Postdoctoral...

Dr. Kevan Main is a global pioneer in aquaculture, often called seafood farming but encompassing much more. Want to know how much of your seafood is farmed? Curious about whether farmed fish are good for you and the environment? Main shares ideas and stories about aquaculture done right — using improved technology to make this rapidly growing practice more sustainable and economically sound. Beyond simply farming fish, Main is studying how to raise fish together with salt-tolerant "sea...

Can you say “biogeochemistry” three times quickly? Great: Now can you define it?  In this episode, Dr. Heather Page helps Hayley and Joe get their heads around this important subject, which affects all life whether you’re in a forest or on a coral reef!  Heather, a Mote Postdoctoral Research Fellow, wants to understand how one biogeochemical issue, ocean acidification, affects corals, sponges and seaweeds that fight for space on the ocean bottom. It’s not exactly a boxing match, but this...

Sarah Fangman, Superintendent of NOAA's Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS), and her team work to balance conservation with human enjoyment of Florida's natural treasure: 2,900 square nautical miles of FKNMS-protected ecosystems. There, vast coral reefs and thousands of wildlife species amaze visitors and fascinate scientists, including Mote Marine Laboratory researchers who have worked closely with FKNMS for years. In this episode, Sarah tells hosts Joe and Hayley: what it was...

Conor Goulding is an underwater photographer who captures images of Mote Marine Laboratory's scientific research, related ocean environments and wildlife, along with the resident animals of Mote Aquarium in Sarasota, Florida. Though he makes photography look easy, it requires careful observation and knowledge of the subject, a good grasp of technology and technique, and a storyteller's mindset to get meaningful shots of science in action. In this episode, Conor tells Joe and Hayley about some...

The beaches we visit during the day become turtle turf at night. Thousands of loggerhead sea turtles and smaller numbers of other species lay nests with 100-ish eggs apiece during southwest Florida’s yearly nesting season, May 1-Oct. 31. Melissa Bernhard, Senior Biologist with Mote’s Sea Turtle Conservation & Research Program — a friend to reptiles everywhere — leads local sea turtle conservation efforts with hundreds of trained volunteers who love searching for turtle crawls (tracks) at...

Mote Staff Chemist Camia Charniga loves getting out on the ocean and rivers, even in rough weather, to monitor the “health” of the water itself. Water clarity and quality, including nutrient chemistry, have an influence on seagrasses, fish and myriad other wild things we can’t live without. In this episode, Camia tells hosts Joe and Hayley how Mote’s water chemistry data help government institutions meet requirements for cleaner waterways. She also shares stories from the field, about a...

We ring in 2018 by sharing the latest updates on many Mote projects from 2017. Listeners will learn: how far our tagged sea turtles and sharks traveled in the wild; how we improved systems to detect red tide; why our scientists patented new technology to distinguish male from female fish; how Mote's Florida Keys facility and coral restoration sites fared during Hurricane Irma; how our cold-stunned sea turtle patients are doing after their trip from the New England Aquarium to Mote's Sea...

Wild horses couldn't drag us away from this awesome interview! Aquarium Biologist Amanda Hodo shares what it's like to raise and breed seahorses, based on her experience supervising the Seahorse Conservation Lab in Mote Aquarium. Hosts Joe and Hayley love learning how seahorses change color, grab things (and each other) with their prehensile tails, and make babies in a very unusual way. Tune in for serious seahorse smarts... and a bit of horsing around!

We’ve all heard about trash in the oceans, but how bad is it? Senior Biologist Kim Bassos-Hull shares why marine debris — even tiny bits of plastic — can threaten marine animals and ecosystems, and she offers simple ideas for reducing marine debris in our daily lives. Through years of marine research and youth education programs, Bassos-Hull has a wealth of experience and stories, from untangling and measuring clumps of fishing line found at bridges and piers to encountering the strange...

Happy Thanksgiving from "Two Sea Fans" hosts Joe and Hayley! In this special, short segment, the hosts share what they're thankful for, looking back at a great first year of podcast episodes and looking forward to upcoming discussions. In particular, Hayley and Joe are excited to talk about keeping the oceans trash free, as Mote prepares to host the special exhibit "Sea Debris: Awareness through Art" featuring "Washed Ashore," from Dec. 9-June 15...

Does a “virtual field trip” sound fun? Then dive deeper with Mote’s SeaTrek.TV! This digital learning program led by Kasey Gaylord-Opalewski and Jason Robertshaw uses video chat platforms like Skype and Zoom to share marine science with kids and adults around the world. SeaTrek.TV programs have ranged from live-streaming conversations with a shark scientist at sea to studio-based chats with experts on jellyfish, corals and other marine life, along with glimpses into cool behind-the-scenes...

Photo copyright: Mote Marine Laboratory. Meet a research pioneer with 38 years of history at Mote Marine Laboratory. In 1979, Dr. Carl Luer founded Mote’s Marine Biomedical Research Program, which investigates subjects such as cancer and infection using marine organisms — particularly sharks, stingrays and skates — rather than classic lab animals such as rats or rabbits. Luer arrived a year after Mote moved to its current home on City Island, Sarasota. Back then, the Lab’s second floor was...

Can you tell a river otter from a sea otter? Do you know if otters are related more closely to cats or dogs? Do you know what a watershed is, and why it matters to otters? If you answered no to any of these questions, or you simply want to learn more about otters in the wild and at Mote Aquarium, then join hosts Hayley and Joe as they interview Amanda Foltz, Senior Aquarium Biologist for otters at Mote. Mote Aquarium houses three orphaned otters in its exhibit "Otters & Their Waters"...

Mote Aquarium’s “jelly dude” – Aquarium Biologist Andrew Angelo – describes which sea jellies (aka jellyfish) live around southwest Florida, and he tells Joe and Hayley what it’s like to raise and breed jellies for Mote’s educational exhibits. If you’ve ever been curious about what jellies eat, who can eat them, how their alien-looking anatomy works, and how they sting, then tune in for a fascinating interview and learn some cool facts from jelly science. Spoiler alert: Peeing on a jellyfish...