Overview
The Semmens Lab is dedicated to educating both researchers and the public on pressing issues and important successes in the field. The lab works with a variety of organizations in pursuit of this goal.
The Birch Aquarium (Grouper Moon)
From the Birch Aquarium: “Historically, Nassau grouper were considered one of the most important shallow water fisheries in the Caribbean, yet today they are rarely caught. Why has the species declined so precipitously, and what can be done to reverse the trend? Join Brice Semmens as he presents findings from the Grouper Moon project, a long-term research program in the Cayman Islands focused on the conservation of one of the last great populations of this endangered Caribbean icon.”
Gulf and Carribean Fisheries Institute (GCFI)
From the GCFI: “The Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) was founded in 1947 to promote the exchange of current information on the use and management of marine resources in the Gulf and Caribbean region. From its beginning, GCFI has endeavored to involve scientific, governmental, and commercial sectors to provide a broad perspective on relevant issues, and to encourage dialogue among groups that often operate in relative isolation from one another. For 37 years, GCFI operated as an informal association under the sponsorship of the University of Miami. In 1985, with encouragement from the University, GCFI became an independent not-for profit corporation formally dedicated to its original purposes.”
“Dr. Brice Semmens is an Assistant Professor of Scripps Institute of Oceanography has come full circle at GCFI. He won a Student Award in 2003, was appointed to the GCFI Board of Directors in 2015 and now serves as the Keynote Speaker at GCFI69 in 2016. Catch up with him as he shares his GCFI experience as well as how attending GCFI has influenced his career.”
Scope and Scale of Plastics in the Ocean – An Overview
“Professor Brice Semmens outlines the scope and scale of plastics in the ocean, and discusses the current state of science regarding the distribution, fate and impacts of ocean plastics.”
Grouper Moon Project Live Feed (REEF)
From REEF:”Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) is an international marine conservation organization that implements hands-on programs to involve local communities in conservation-focused activities. REEF was founded in 1990 and is based in Key Largo, Florida, with remote staff in Illinois, California, and Washington. Its mission is to protect biodiversity and ocean life by actively engaging and inspiring the public through citizen science, education, and partnerships with the scientific community.”
REEF maintains a YouTube channel where viewers can watch live feed video chats with Grouper Moon researchers and other related content. The most recent livestream is shown below and can be accessed through YouTube here.
Changing Seas: Grouper Moon
From Changing Seas: “Changing Seas is a public television series produced by South Florida PBS in Miami, Florida. Since 2009, the series has taken viewers on an exciting adventure to the heart of our liquid planet. This documentary series lets viewers experience first-hand how oceanographers and other experts study earth’s last frontier, and it sheds light on how human activities are threatening ocean resources.”
“Join researchers from the Reef Environmental Education Foundation and the Cayman Islands Department of Environment as they study one of the last great reproductive populations of Nassau Grouper. Normally a solitary species, during the winter full moons Nassau Grouper travel, sometimes over great distances, to “group” together and spawn. While most of the known spawning sites in the Caribbean have been fished out over the years, the west end of Little Cayman in the Cayman Islands is home to largest known reproductive spawning aggregation of this endangered species.”
Guy Harvey
Guy Harvey is a well known marine wildlife artist and conservationist. He has collaborated with the Semmens Lab on projects such as Grouper Moon.
“It’s one of the most iconic fish in the Caribbean: The Nassau Grouper. For the first time online, Dr. Guy Harvey presents the incredible long-term work underway in the Cayman Islands to protect the Nassau Grouper. Along the way, you’ll meet passionate scientists from REEF.org and Oregon State University eagerly working with the Cayman Islands government to turn the tide for this species. You’ll even find out why Sir Richard Branson is taking part. Jump in to help save a species, right now on Guy Harvey Expeditions.”