In early February, Bahamas Initiative Manager Justin Lewis and research assistant Robbie Roemer traveled to Mangrove Cay Club located in Andros to work with the guides there to collect genetic samples and tag bonefish. On the first morning of the trip the team was welcomed by dark skies, wind and rain from a strong cold front that was passing through. For the duration of the trip, these were the conditions the team faced. The cold weather made it difficult to find fish but through the knowledge, experience, and hard work of the guides the team was able to capture, tag and fin clip 150 fish.
On the last day of the trip, Justin and Robbie along with head guide Stephen Adderly went to speak to grades 4-6 at the local primary school and grades 11&12 at the local high school about the importance of bonefish and their habitats to the Bahamas. The trio presented in front of over 60 students and their teachers, and were well-received, with lots of questions being asked. Outreach and Education is a key component of the Bahamas Initiative and will continue to expand by working closely with guides, lodges, and schools throughout the islands.
On a return trip to Mangrove Cay Club in May, Justin and Robbie were back out on the water to tag and collect more genetic samples from bonefish. What was special about this trip was that the team had two local high school students, Roshandra Kemp and Trinard Major, join them for two days out on the water.These two students were part of the classes that Justin and Robbie had spoken to on their previous trip back in February. These two students had shown an interest in marine sciences and wanted to see what it was like firsthand. The team was able to capture, tag, and fin clip 300 bonefish and had eight recaptures. The recaptured bonefish were all caught in the exact location where they had been tagged. This supports findings thus far that bonefish have small home ranges, which has significant implications for conservation of the species.
We would like to thank Liz, Alton, and Jordan Bain and all the guides and staff at Mangrove Cay Club for being so accommodating and making our research efforts in Mangrove Cay so successful.
