Quarterly Research Newsletter October 01, 2018

Recent Accomplishments and Upcoming Projects

ISLAND SCHOOL RESEARCH OFF TO A GREAT START

We recently welcomed another 53 Island School students onto campus to
begin their 100-day Island School adventure. During this time, these students
will partner with scientists and engineers from all parts our organization to
undertake an array of fascinating research and sustainability initiatives. At
CEI, we are currently running four main projects with the support of the Island
School students. These are: (1) using animal-borne cameras to investigate
sea turtle behavior, (2) using drones to monitoring how sea turtles and sharks
respond to boat traffic, (3) monitoring the movements and population ecology
of sport-fishes around off-shore structures, and (4) characterizing the shark The Island School pelagic research team
The Island
meetsSchool pelagic
for the first research
time to discuss the
populations of the Exuma Sound. An exciting semester of research awaits us! team meets to the
project for discuss
semester.the semester
and the project.
A shark is worked up during a
bycatch survey in July.
A shark is worked up by researchers during a REDUCING THE ACCIDENTAL CAPTURE OF SHARKS ON LONGLINES
bycatch survey in July.
The CEI Shark Program continues to search for ways to reduce shark mortality
in commercial longline fisheries where they are often caught on accident as
‘bycatch’ (i.e. non-target species). Our latest efforts were directed at reducing
shark catch rates with small decoys that produce an electric current. Our goal
was to exploit the unique electrosensory abilities of sharks by providing a
stronger stimulus than bait that would draw the animals away from hooks while
having no effect on the catch of the target species. This collaborative project
with researchers at the New England Aquarium’s Anderson-Cabot Center for
Ocean Life and Nova Southeastern University provided training opportunities
for ten of our early career scientists and some amazing moments in the field.
You can find photos from our summer here.

STUDYING MARINE MAMMALS IN THE EXUMA SOUND

Whales and dolphins in the Exuma Sound have been historically
overlooked by science, possibly due to their relatively cryptic
nature and sparse abundance in the area, but the early stages
of a CEI-based marine mammal research project aim to shed
light on these predators. Over the past four months, boat-based
surveys of the pelagic (open-ocean) environment of the Exuma
Sound have led to several exciting interactions.
During these pelagic surveys, CEI researchers, along with
Island School and visiting students, have been quantifying
any surface-based life in the open ocean. While covering a
set amount of distance and time, everything from flying fish to
marine mammals to birds are recorded in an effort to begin to
piece together what this off-shore Exuma Sound ecosystem Two Blainville’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris)
looks like. Three of these surveys included a pod of Gervais swim alongside CEI researchers during a pelagic survey.
beaked whales and two sightings of Blainville’s beaked whales
(Mesoplodon densirostris), pictured here.
During a survey in June, CEI researchers and Island School Summer Term students spotted a pod of 3 these toothed
whales, which can reach lengths of 15-18 feet and dive more than 2000 feet to hunt in the complete darkness of the deep
sea. After turning the engine off, the whales approached and swam circles around the boat for nearly 15 minutes before
diving down and out of sight.
These surveys have several objectives. First, photos are taken of individuals to build into a larger marine mammal ID
database to track specific animals through time. Additionally, recording species presence throughout the year can lend
insight to seasonality and residence patterns of these whales. Moving forward, we plan to use this preliminary observational
data to refine future initiatives and understand how these charismatic animals fit into the Exuma Sound ecosystem.
 Lighthouse Point: A National Treasure
There is magic at Lighthouse Point. From the top of the wind-swept cliffs Lighthouse Point from above. Photo by Mitchell
Byron.
to the wave-battered limestone outcroppings just offshore, the southern
tip of Eleuthera captures the hearts of all who set foot on its white sand
beaches or fish along its shores. The narrow undersea bank stretching
from Lighthouse Point to Half Moon Cay, known as The Bridge, is rich with
marine life. Pelagic fishes seem to congregate here along both the northern
and southern drop-offs to feed on tight schools of baitfish skipping across
the surface. Birds dive down from above to forage alongside bonita and
mahi-mahi, and sharks patrol between ancient coral heads rising up from
the seafloor.
But what lay hidden in the twilight zone adjacent to these habitats remained
a mystery until we had the opportunity to drop down 750 m beneath
the ocean’s surface in Nadir, a three passenger Triton submersible, this
summer. After mapping the wall and slope past depths of 1000 m with
technology onboard the MV Alucia, a world-renowned luxury research
vessel, we were able to identify and explore some incredible bathymetry.
What is remarkable about this area is the topographical diversity, particularly along the northern dropoff, and the marine
life that it supports. As currents sweep across the Bridge, they drop sediment down the slopes into chutes bordered by
boulders the size of six-story buildings. On these exposed surfaces, crinoids and glass sponges provide habitat for brittle
stars, arrow crabs, and other deep-sea invertebrates. Gulper, night, Cuban dogfish, and Atlantic sixgill sharks search for
food between these structures and squid jet away from predators in clouds of purple-black ink. Our sub’s lights, when
flicked on and off, often revealed a layer of bioluminescent organisms that would flash back at us with their own internal
alarm systems, going off like fireworks in a stunning display of anti-predator defense.
Lighthouse Point and these understudied ecosystems are in jeopardy. A cruise ship liner is among those that want to
purchase the magic of this place, restrict local access, and give it to day-visitors arriving on ships. This handover will
require the unsustainable development of these fragile habitats and the possible burial of many deep-sea creatures that
may be hundreds of years old just offshore. The island of Eleuthera has seen models of development like this fail in the
past, with short-term, low-paying jobs supporting locals in the most insignificant of ways while handing foreigners the keys
to some of The Bahamas’ most precious land and seascapes. An alternative sustainable development model proposed by
One Eleuthera, and supported by CEI and The Bahamas National Trust, hopes to provide a new way forward. Sustainable
development, full-time, well-paying jobs, and continued public access, as well as research and educational opportunities
for locals and visitors alike, make this opportunity one to embrace. CEI supports the sustainable use of this region and
the preservation of the marine life that lies just offshore. We hope that Lighthouse Point can remain a place of magic, of
wonder, and of exploration for generations to come.
We are a part of a group that is committed to supporting an alternative sustainable model for Lighthouse Point that will see
the area preserved as a national park. To learn more, please watch this video. To act, please sign this petition or post on
social media stating why you want this area protected and advocate to #savelighthousepoint.

Instagram: hashtag #savelighthousepoint

Facebook: @savelighthousepointEL

If you’re interested in learning more about our discoveries from our expeditions with the M/V Alucia, please contact Brendan
Talwar.

Students sort through the gut contents of a juvenile
green sea turtle. Here, you can the remains of its last
meal - likely turtle grass.
Below the iconic limestone cliffs of Lighthouse
Point, a sandy beach stretches as far as the
eye can see.

White limestone cliffs stand high above the

long stretch of sandy beach at Lighthouse
Point.
 Reversing the Decline of Bahamian Coral Reefs

Coral reefs are natural treasure troves in the Bahamas: they harbor thousands of marine species, support over 40,000
jobs in marine tourism and, each year, bolster a $65 million commercial fishing industry. Yet, coral reefs are declining
at an alarming rate: studies suggest Caribbean reefs could be wiped out in less than 50 years without large-scale
conservation initiatives. Rising seawater temperatures due to climate change, dredging and pollution are just a few
factors endangering these national wonders in the Bahamas. How can we help our coral reefs survive and flourish into
an uncertain future?
Cape Eleuthera Institute's coral researcher, Lily Haines,
Here at The Cape Eleuthera Institute, we are excited to share places a light strobe on a symmetrical brain coral. This
marker will help orient the team around the blue hole
our plans for cutting-edge research on coral reproduction at night.
and restoration that can help us preserve these invaluable
natural resources in the future. This September, a team
of scientists from The Perry Institute for Marine Science,
The Nature Conservancy, SECORE International, The
California Academy of Sciences, Shedd Aquarium and The
Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium gathered at The Island
School for a rare oceanic phenomenon - coral spawning.
For many species of coral, spawning takes place in the
evening, only a handful of times each year. When corals
spawn, they release masses of sperm and eggs into the
ocean. Over time, eggs undergo fertilization, transform
into swimming larvae (i.e., baby corals), and settle onto
hard, rocky substrates (i.e., rocks, fragments, dead coral
or other hard surfaces) where they grow into larger coral
colonies. Settlement is a crucial step in the life history of
corals, as swimming babies have just one chance to “get
it right.”
In other words, once baby corals settle onto a substrate, they remain stuck in the same spot for the rest of their lives, and
are vulnerable to being smothered by fierce algae and other competing corals or invertebrates. Thus, at Cape Eleuthera
Institute, our mission is simple: increase coral survivorship by releasing baby corals onto safer substrates suitable for
long-term settlement.

To do so, we are using home-made substrates to induce baby coral settlement. Made of cement, each substrate has four
arms, forming a tetrahedron, and can host anywhere from five to 200 baby corals. First, we collect the sperm and eggs
released by corals during spawning. Next, we fertilize the eggs in the lab. Lastly, we release the baby corals onto our
home-made settlement units in a safe, contained salt-water pool. After the corals have settled onto our substrates, we
SCUBA dive down onto the reefs, and plant the substrates as we go. In this way, we can help baby corals find a suitable
place to settle in the wild, as well as ensure their permanent substrate home is in ‘safe zone,’ away from harmful algae. In
fact, grooves within the arms of our substrate tetrahedrons even provide protection from predatory fish and invertebrates.

If successful in the Bahamas, our new coral restoration research could help us grow thousands of corals each year and
in-turn, upscale reef-building efforts across our 100,000-square-mile archipelago. Novel approaches to coral restoration
such as this one, combined with the wide-spread implementation of coral nurseries, gives us hope that we can achieve
our goal to reverse the decline of Bahamian coral reefs.

For more information, contact Lily Haines.

The visiting
“Nadir” coral
is seen hereresearchers
investigating are all smiles
a small as they
ledge around Two safe, contained salt-water pools were placed
prepare to dive
200 m, where atstill
light John Millar’s
shines downBlue
from Hole, and wait
the surface in for at the Cape Eleuthera Marina. They will host
coral
a bluespawning.
haze. thousands of baby corals for the coming weeks.
 Recent Publications
Hasler, CT, Woodley, CM, Schneider, EVC, Hixson, BK, Fowler, CJ, Midway, SR, Suski, CD, Smith, D. In Press. Avoidance of carbon
dioxide in flowing water by bighead carp. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences.

Kiszka J., Talwar B., Minton G., Collins T., Reeves R. 2018. Cetacean bycatch in Indian Ocean tuna fisheries: recent updates and
perspectives from the 13th Meeting of the Working Party on Ecosystems and Bycatch of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission.
International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee.

Farlow JO, Robinson NJ, Turner ML, Black J, Gatesy SM (2018) Footfall pattern of a bottom-walking crocodile (Crocodylus
acutus). Palaios 33:406-413

Andrzejaczek S, Gleiss AC, Jordan LKB, Pattiaratchi CB, Howey LA, Brooks EJ, Meekan MG (2018) Temperature and the vertical
movements of oceanic whitetip sharks, Carcharhinus longimanus. Scientific Report 8:8351

For a more complete list of our publications please check out our website!

The Apprentice Program provided a six-week
paid opportunity for 7 young Bahamian adults
to develop their job-readiness skills and gain
valuable work experience
Plastic Club reached a total of 41 children
through student-led advocacy projects including
creative recycling art projects, organizing a
recycling center at Deep Creek Homecoming
and acting as recycling wardens, community
and beach clean-ups and we supported a
three-day summer camp for 29 children in South
Eleuthera.
Island
School
Outreach
Young Men’s Leadership Program
developed the boy’s entrepreneurial
skills and launched their own
business selling coconut water and
straw craft. Additionally, the boys
participated in a 5-day science camp.
South Eleuthera Kids Camp, wel-
comed 13 children for a week-long
environmental camp rooted in experi-
ential learning through hands learning
and outdoor activities.

Open Learning Center developed

literacy and numeracy skills for 16
students who built their confidence
through fun engaging activities

Swim Club, reached 16 children that gained

confidence swimming and exploring in the
marine environment

Nathan Robinson, PhD. Edd Brooks, PhD. Brendan Talwar, MSc. Eric Schneider, MSc. Lily Haines, MSc.

Candice Brittain Jack Cuffley Candace Fields Samantha Russell

GET INVOLVED!
If you are interested in working with us, please check out our website! There are many opportunities available
ranging from senior research projects to internships and more!