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Mote Marine Laboratory
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Mote Marine Laboratory by Linda Lee Rathbun
Gulfshore Life Magazine
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Mote Marine Laboratory
by Linda Lee Rathbun
Man is linked to the sea. It has always drawn us to it, and though we now understand more about it than ever before, it remains mysterious. At Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, the mystery is unraveling.
Mote Marine Laboratory is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to marine research and education. It began life as the Cape Haze Marine Laboratory under the direction of Dr. Eugenie Clark, a legend in the marine sciences. Eventually it found a benefactor, William Russell Mote, and the name was changed in his honor. The research lab has been on City Island since 1978, and has been growing ever since.
There are so many exciting things going on at Mote on so many different levels that it is hard to know where to start. Its affiliations with such prestigious organizations as Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Scripps Institute, MIT, and a number of universities, give it a respected standing in the scientific community. Much of Mote's research, conducted by 65 scientists, is funded by federal and state governments, as well as private foundations. The pool of knowledge here is enormous, and through Mote Environmental Services Inc., expertise is available to organizations around the world, especially in terms of marine resource management and the restoration of damaged ecosystems.
But does Mote's research apply to us on an everyday basis? Most certainly. If you are a fisherman, and you love snook, then Mote's Fisheries Enhancement program will seem like a dream come true. With snook fast disappearing from over-fishing, what could be better than replenishing the wild stock with 25,000 juveniles in just over two years. This is far more complex than simply tossing fish in the water, and years of research into snook aquaculture have gone into this important program. Other aquaculture programs include the study of pompano, flounder and snapper.
When was the last time you ate caviar? Like me, you may not have given a great deal of thought to where it comes from. Mote has though. The thinking is simple: why deplete a species of fish, (sturgeon is the preferred variety), just for its eggs, when you could farm that species and harvest eggs year after year, leaving the wild varieties where they belong? Mote has been working on this, once again backed by solid research, and they have sturgeon in stock just waiting for some enterprising person interested in farming them.
The list of other research programs in amazing. Did you know that sharks don't get cancer, in fact they rarely get sick at all? Mote wants to know why, and they are investigating this by studying the cellular immune function of sharks, rays and skates. Perhaps in the future, what they learn will help mankind. We all want to know more about Red Tide. Is it a natural phenomena, what is its effect on the pulmonary system of mammals, can it be tracked to warn the public? Mote is studying this and so much more. At their research station on Pigeon Key, they are looking into growing coral cultures to restore damaged reefs, and even how coral culture might be used as skeletal material for surgical bone implants.
From the sediment at the bottom of Sarasota Bay, to the study of the manatees and bottlenose dolphins living in that same area, Mote is involved in it all. But what does Mote offer the non-scientist? Well, a fantastic display of marine life with over 200 varieties of fish and invertebrate life found in Florida waters (and some clown anemonefish just because everyone loves to see them).
On the larger end of the scale of animals on exhibit at Mote, are Hugh and Buffett, two manatees who were born in captivity and would probably not be able to survive in the wild. They have a home at Mote, and to stand and watch these delightful creatures stuff themselves with head after head of romaine lettuce, is most amusing. On a smaller scale is an aquarium populated by endearing little seahorses, but Mote is not content to just display these amazing animals, they are breeding them as a defense against the world's declining populations.
Other displays include sea turtles, some who will live out their lives at Mote because they can't survive in the wild, and others who will be released when they are strong or large enough. There is a huge shark tank with blacknose, sandbar, nurse and lemon sharks, along with a barracuda who loves to mug for the camera and a grumpy grouper. My favorite was the touch tank where I was able to pet a de-barbed ray. It didn't seem to mind, in fact is huddled up to my fingers for a massage, and a softer creature I have never touched. I stood in front of one tank for awhile, wondering why it was empty aside from a few sponges, when my guide pointed out to me I was staring at an oscillated frogfish masquerading as a yellow sponge.
There is also a fascinating exhibit explaining the cycle of water in a river ecosystem, and the effect that introduced exotic fish have had on native fish in rivers. And does Mote let all its expertise in keeping animals in aquariums go to waste? Never! It shares its knowledge with aquarists everywhere to help in the conservation and welfare of animals kept in tanks.
Ever since its inception, Mote has been growing in leaps and bounds. A new building is due to open early this year (1999) with ten new aquaria exhibits, three working research labs, a large gift store, and a research library open to the public. Much of the funding for this new building came from private foundations, and all the money Mote receives from visitors to the aquarium goes back into research. That leaves one area of Mote's work unfunded, and for this they rely on donations from the public, but it is still a constant struggle for funds. This is the marine mammal rescue program, and over the years Mote has been involved with 360 injured or sick animals, at a cost of about $1,200 per day per animal.
Stranded dolphins and whales are brought to the marine mammal center and placed in critical care tanks where they are monitored around the clock by veterinarians and volunteers, then the mammals continue their convalescence in a huge pool called the recovery lagoon. The satisfaction of caring for an animal and then releasing it back into the wild is enormous (as is the expense). Even when an animal dies, this is turned into an opportunity to learn, and any information gained is used to help other animals. Injured sea turtles are also cared for here.
Mote could not function without the army of volunteers, about 1,800, who provide almost 142,000 hours of service annually. Some volunteers work in the gift shop, some are guides, some are retired scientists who help with research, some clean out test tubes, some stand in tanks of water holding up sick dolphins who would drown without their help...giving up Christmas day if that is what is needed. Volunteers also monitor 25 miles of Sarasota beaches during the sea turtle nesting season to fence in nests (a fortification against raccoons), to monitor nesting and hatching activity, to rescue stranded turtles, and to help in a tagging program to study loggerhead turtle migration patterns. This is also funded by donations, and an Adopt-A-Turtle program.
Mote's philosophy seems to be there is no point in knowing something if you don't share it. They have a comprehensive distance learning program for schools as close as Sarasota and as far away as Geneva. Their summer school programs provide marine science activities from kindergarten-aged children to teachers interested in marine ecology, and through the winter there is a series of Monday night lectures. They are also a primary interactive network site for JASON, a program involved with marine projects and expeditions around the globe.
In a world where it is easy to become depressed by all the bad news about the environment, Mote Marine Laboratory offers nothing but hope. Sarasota is lucky to have them...as are we all.
-Mote Marine is at 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway on City Island, Sarasota. From I 75 take exit 39, head west on Fruitville Road to U.S. 41, turn right and then right again on the John Ringling Causeway. At St. Amands Circle, turn right onto Ken Thompson.
-Tel: 941-388-2451
-Hours: 10am to 5pm daily.
-Adults: $8, children under 17: $6, children under four and members: free.
-Visit Mote on their web site: www.mote.org
-For membership and/or volunteerinformation call: 1-800-691-MOTE.
-Sarasota Bay Explorers is a 105 minute, educational cruise associated with Mote. They stop at an island, visit a pelican rookery, and examine bay marine life. Tel: 941-388-4200 or reservations. Adults $24, children $20.
-Pelican Man's Sanctuary is next door, an injured wildlife center that is well worth the visit. Free, but they ask for a small donation.
THE END