Last month, members of the Grubbs lab traveled to the Florida Keys to look for smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata), in collaboration with Bimini Biological Field Station. This trip was one of many routine sampling trips made by Grubbs lab members multiple times per year to monitor the presence of one of Florida’s Critically Endangered species in the Florida Keys and Everglades National Park.

Although no sawfish were seen on this trip (water temps were still pretty cold!), the team was still able to sample and tag lots of cool animals! Species tagged included the tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier), Great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran), bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas), and sandbar shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus).  All fish were measured, sampled, tagged, and quickly released.

The team will return in the next few months for another sampling trip. Stay tuned for updates!

Research activities occurred within the FKNMS and under permit FKNMS-2022-083 issued to Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation, ESA 22078, and SAL 1345.