Every other year, we perform a 20 day fish census for the
National Marine Fisheries Service of all fish in the Dry Tortugas region,
including the Dry Tortugas National Park and the Northern Ecological Reserve of
the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. This year is an off year, but I got
a call from the Principal Investigator in the late spring asking if we could
support a 10 day fish census this year. Seems none of the fish turned in their
forms. We agreed, and found ourselves with 20 or so scientists on the Spree
chasing fish all over the Park. When we got to the park for day one, the weather
was a little choppy, but not too rough for counting, and off we went. The old
hands were paired up with the newer folks, and we soon settled into the same old
routine. This year, we averaged 4 dives per person per day throughout the trip.
Most days were 5 dives, but halfway through the trip we changed out some folks,
requiring us to go to the dock to get some new ones and drop off some old ones.
Those were 4 dive days, and the last day was only 1 dive per team.
The weather ranged from slick calm (days 3 and 4 and ½ of 5) to 2-4 foot seas
(days 1, 2 and 7). All others were somewhere in-between. Currents ranged from
smokin’ to nil, water temps were 77-87, depending on depth and current, and a
few new species were added to the count. Most of the new species were “dickie
fish”, pretty, but not commercially interesting, but also a sawfish was spotted
by the grand old man of the trip, Doug. You’ll have to wait for the report to
tell if the RNA in the park is effective or not, and it won’t be written until
fall at the earliest, but indications are that the RNA is effective. Some of the
fish counters are also coral researchers in their day jobs. Some coral disease
was spotted in isolated areas of the park.
The last 5 days, a PBS film crew joined us to film the scientists “in action”.
They spent a bit of time chasing Melanie around with a camera, which I found
quite amusing, as well as interviewing the scientists, and generally being a
nuisance. Hopefully, some good press will come from this mission, and funding
will continue to come forth for this and other similar projects. |