Bonefish & Tarpon Trust

We're hiring! BTT is looking for two Post-Baccalaureate Research Assistants to join our science team for paid hands-on research experience in the Florida Keys. These positions will assist BTT scientists on the Shark Depredation Project, Bonefish Spawning Site Discovery, and the Spinning Fish and Sawfish Mass Mortality Event Investigation. If you are a post-baccalaureate student keen on pursuing research careers in conservation biology, fish or shark ecology, or similar fields and you are looking for a unique hands-on experience in the field, please read the full job description and apply by December 11: https://lnkd.in/eQB_DPwu

Today is #GiveMiamiDay! Support BTT at GiveMiamiDay.org/BTT ?? For more than 25 years, BTT has brought science to the fight for clean water and healthy habitats in South Florida! From our headquarters in Miami, Florida, BTT science drives results that anglers, boaters, beach-goers, and all Floridians can enjoy today and tomorrow. The first 100 donors to give $50 or more to BTT through Give Miami Day will receive a $20 gift card to Flanigan's Seafood Bar and Grill, thanks to the generosity of Miami’s favorite seafood bar and grill!* #BringingSciencetotheFight #BonefishTarponTrust *Some restrictions apply. Visit GiveMiamiDay.org/BTT to learn more.

Conservation of the Silver King in Costa Rica! ???? BTT's Director of Science and Conservation, Dr. Aaron Adams, and collaborating scientist Dr. Lucas Griffin, an assistant professor at University of South Florida, recently traveled to Costa Rica to work with colleagues at the Costa Rican Federation of Tourist Fishing (FECOP) to further develop a new tarpon conservation program. The FECOP-BTT team traveled to Barra Del Colorado to meet with fishing guides and others to assess and prioritize conservation needs. FECOP will continue to expand the program, which will contribute to regional tarpon conservation. Learn more about how Costa Rica is poised to become a global leader in tarpon conservation: https://lnkd.in/g5aC2Fra

Tampa Bay residents have witnessed constant reminders this year of how their stormwater and wastewater infrastructure isn't keeping dirty water out of our waterways. Following every major storm – and even ordinary summer rains– we’ve seen pollution entering the estuary as stormwater runs from city streets and raw sewage leaks from inadequate wastewater facilities straight into areas that are critical sportfish habitats. A grant from Bonefish & Tarpon Trust to Tampa Bay Waterkeeper could mark the genesis of a comprehensive water-quality monitoring effort. One that, together with help from University of South Florida researchers, will track the sources of pollution and offer stakeholders opportunities to clean up the largest estuary in Florida. Learn more about the project: https://lnkd.in/eu_qFsxX

Bonefish & Tarpon Trust’s 13th Annual NYC Dinner & Awards Ceremony was a night to remember! Thank you to all who joined us for this celebration of conservation and angling, honoring Robert E. Rich, Jr. with the 2024 Lefty Kreh Award for Lifetime Achievement in Conservation. Johnny Morris, Captain Paul Dixon, and actor Michael Douglas gave memorable tributes to the honoree in a program led by Emcee Monte Burke and attended by more than 300 guests. A heartfelt thank you to the cast and crew of "Blood Knot", auctioneer Nick Dawes, our generous sponsors, partners from across the national conservation community, and BTT’s wonderful volunteers on the NYC Committee. ?? View more photos from the evening at BTT.org/nyc-2024!

The Fall 2024 issue of Bonefish & Tarpon Journal is available online! https://lnkd.in/erj7W45z Here are some of the stories you'll find inside: ?? Monte Burke covers new insights from the Tarpon Isotope Study and the Tarpon Acoustic Tagging Project. ?? Alexandra Marvar writes on the Spinning Fish Phenomenon. ?? Author and fly fisherman Thomas McGuane is profiled by Peter Kaminsky. ?? T. Edward Nickens on habitat restoration projects supporting Boca Grande’s tarpon fishery. ?? Kris Millgate reports on how Florida’s Brevard County is using mechanical harvesting to combat invasive aquatic vegetation. ?? Sue Cocking writes about BTT’s work mapping Bahamas permit spawning areas. ?? Mike Conner writes on BTT’s tarpon fishery assessment report. ?? Chris Hunt on a new partnership between BTT and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper. This issue features photographic works by Reagan Renfroe (cover), Paul Dabill, Marty Dashiell, Ian Wilson, Dorsey Pictures, Greg Dini, and many more. Editor Nick Roberts extends his gratitude to the many contributors to this issue for their help telling the stories behind the science and conservation of the flats. Read Bonefish & Tarpon Journal online or pick up a free copy at your local fishing store. https://lnkd.in/erj7W45z

Exciting news for flats conservation in Mexico! ???? BTT is partnering with Casa Blanca and Playa Blanca, two of Mexico’s leading fly-fishing lodges, to advance science-based conservation beneficial to the region’s flats fishery. Our plans include research projects that will inform future conservation and management decisions, and education programs to promote proper fish handling practices. Casa Blanca and Playa Blanca are situated on the world renowned Ascension and Espiritu Santo bays, south of Cancun. A stronghold for bonefish, tarpon and permit, the areas is home to the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve and encompasses mangrove creeks, lagoons, and expansive flats habitat. Advancing conservation in the region will not only benefit Mexico and Belize’s shared flats fishery, but also Florida’s, as past BTT research has shown connectivity between the Keys and the Yucatán through the larval transport of bonefish. Pictured here, BTT President and CEO Jim McDuffie and Andrea Hernández Velasco of Casa Blanca and Playa Blanca lodges sign the Memorandum of Understanding in Mexico City on September 25.

Rashema Ingraham, BTT Caribbean Director, shared how The Bahamas Mangrove Alliance will plant 1 Million mangroves at Clinton Global Initiative #CGI2024 yesterday! Through this Commitment to Action, the BMA will promote mangrove conservation and restoration, strengthening sustainable livelihoods in The Bahamas. Together we are enhancing resilience against future natural disasters, supporting fisheries and local communities, and preserving biodiversity. BTT was honored to represent the BMA at #CGI2024 and #ClimateWeekNYC, and grateful for the opportunity to build new relationships and share our work to protect and restore mangrove habitats. #BahamasMangroveAlliance

BTT is at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting! Bonefish & Tarpon Trust joins the global leaders and change-makers in New York City this week for the #CGI2024. We're excited to share What's Working for restoring habitats and building coastal resilience to climate change in The Bahamas as the Bahamas Mangrove Alliance works towards our goal to plant 1 million mangroves! Learn more and watch live at clintonglobal.org/2024! #BahamasMangroveAlliance #ClimateResilience #CoastalResilience

Kellie Ralston, BTT Vice President for Conservation and Public Policy, has been reappointed by Governor Ron DeSantis to the Northwest Florida Water Management District. Ralston, a fifth-generation Floridian, is grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve the people of Florida in this role. Before joining BTT in 2021, Ralston served as the Southeast Fisheries Policy Director for the American Sportfishing Association, and earlier worked at Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Florida House of Representatives, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. She is currently appointed to the Environmental Regulation Commission, is Vice Chair of the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee, and is a member of the American Fisheries Advisory Committee.