Cat Cove Update

Spring and summer are particularly busy times at the Cat Cove Marine Laboratory. In 2011, for the first time, we produced and distributed just over 4 million juvenile clams, largely targeted for the restoration and enhancement of populations in Massachusetts (Figure 1). This year the Lab is scheduled to distribute over 4 million clams again. Most will be released in Massachusetts, but over a million of our softshell clams (Mya arenaria) have been shipped to Rhode Island and New York. Clam production and supervision of Lab activities are coordinated by our Hatchery Manager, Scott Weston. Daily maintenance, field and laboratory efforts are made possible by our summer staff: Ethan Fretsch, Devan Nichols, Jennifer Turner, Franki Vetrano-Olsen, Lauren Pudvah, and Bob Withum (Figure 2). Supplementing the efforts of these Salem State biology majors during summer 2012 were two high school students: Briana Proulx (just graduated from Essex Agricultural and Technical H.S. and enrolled this fall as a freshman at SSU) and Will White (Senior, Arlington H.S.) (Figure 3).

The Cat Cove Marine Laboratory has been home to the Northeastern Massachusetts Aquaculture Center (NEMAC) for over a decade. As such, many of our efforts focus on aquaculture; the controlled cultivation of aquatic organisms. You may consider it applied aquatic ecology. Beyond efforts with softshell clams, this summer finds us in the field working, with funding from NOAA, demonstrating the feasibility of mussel culture in the open ocean and developing guidelines for commercial operations. Dr. Mark Fregeau and Mr. Ted Maney coordinate the mussel initiative; SSU Biology major, Jenn Turner, is assisting with data acquisition and analyses. Moving from marine to fresh water, several species of fishes are maintained at the Lab. Most notably, students spawn and rear tilapia as part of class and Lab activities; the resultant young are provided as fingerlings to local schools. During the last few months, tilapia produced by students at the Lab have been provided to Salem H.S., Lynn Ford School, and Rindge and Latin School in Cambridge, MA. SSU Biology majors, Ethan Fretsch and Bob Withum, are assisting staff and students at the Ford School (K-5) as they explore and expand their aquaponics effort, using SSU spawned and reared tilapia introduced to the system in July 2012 (Figure 4). In aquaponics, both fish and terrestrial plants are grown in the same water, fish wastes are used as nutrients by plants. The soilless system is used to produce both high quality animal protein and vegetables/herbs.

While the Lab and NEMAC actively pursue meaningful research, our primary thrust and major effort is education. Student employees and interns at the Lab are involved in all aspects of operation; they gain a hands-on appreciation of hatchery management and maintenance of living organisms. They learn the value of record keeping and how to assess situations to implement corrective or preventive measures (i.e., problem solving). These and related educational opportunities have been made available to the general public through traditional courses such as Estuarine Ecology, a graduate course that targets teachers. Estuarine Ecology was team-taught this summer by Dr. Alan Young and Dr. Joe. Ten local K-12 teachers took the course and based upon experiences from the course, they generated lesson plans which will be employed in their classrooms this coming academic year. Additionally, two dozen MA teachers participated in a Coast for Every Classroom experience coordinated and funded by the National Park Service; hands-on and instructional assistance was provided by faculty and students at the Cat Cove Marine Laboratory and Salem Coast Watch working collaboratively (Figure 5). Having a just graduated high school student, Briana Proulx, instruct teachers about aquatic ecology illustrates how the Lab creatively mergers talent and abilities!

Beyond traditional (and not so traditional) classroom experiences, the Cat Cove Marine Laboratory hosts tours for youth and taxpayers, generally (Figures 6,7):

            Earth Day, SSU students (n=5, 12 April 2012)

            Essex Agricultural and Technical H.S. (n=16, 23 April 2012)

            Newbury H.S. (n=36, 8 May 2012)

            Minutemen H.S., Lexington, MA (n=12, 5 June 2012)

            NOAA interns, Gloucester, MA (n=10, 13 June 2012)

            Girls Inc., Lynn, MA (n=42, 17 July 2012)

            Upward Bound, SSU (n=55, 20 July 2012)

            COSA, Northeastern University (n~20, 20 August 2012)

and special events for interested parties, such as touch tank exhibits:

            Junior Ranger Day, National Park Service, Salem, MA (21 April 2012)

Salem Maritime Festival (4 August 2012)     

Antique and Classic Boat Festival, Salem, MA (25 August 2012)

Activities and deliverables spawned at the Cat Cove Marine Laboratory extend beyond the North Shore. This summer found dr. joe finalizing guidelines to identify and prevent disease in finfish and shellfish production systems as part of a collaborative project funded by the Northeastern Regional Aquaculture Center. During spring break, Dr.  Joe accompanied three SSU faculty (Dr. Vicki Morrison, Nursing; Greg Carroll, Interdisciplinary Studies; Allan Shwedel, Education) and seven SSU students to Liberia as part of an exploratory visit to link with and help promote peace (Figures 8,9). Since aquaculture is the aquatic equivalent of traditional, terrestrial agriculture, a real opportunity exists to increase the availability of animal protein as a means to promote food security and sustainable peace. The SSU team is currently developing proposals to return to Liberia and initiate training activities. As with all Cat Cove initiatives, students have been and will be involved.

Other notable student/Lab successes this spring and summer:

Franki-Vetrano-Olsen and Lawrence Gleekia developed and presented posters on their Independent Studies  Avian Visitors at Smith Pool, Cat Cove Marine Laboratory, in Winter 2011-2012 and Salem State University Making a Positive Difference in Liberia, respectively (Figure 10).

Eric Navarro (Specimen Procurement in the Gulf of Maine) and Shayla Kelley (Cartilaginous Fish Identification) conducted Independent Studies at the Lab during spring semester 2012 (Figure 11)

Kudos to Franki Vetrano-Olsen, after 4 years as a student worker at the Cat Cove Marine Laboratory, graduated in May 2012 (Figure 12)

Recent Publications

Botelho, M., S. Bowen, J, Buttner, H. Clark, K. Foley, D. Murphy, and J. Reitsma. 2012. Commonwealth Quality Aquaculture Standards and Score Sheet. Ma Department of Agricultural Resources, Boston, MA. 4pp.

Buttner, J.K., S. Weston, M. Fregeau, and T. Maney. 2012. Softshell Clam (Mya arenaria) Aquaculture: Slow but Steady Growth.  Journal of Shellfish Biology, 31(2):209.

Buttner, J,K. and B. Proulx. 2012. Common Fishes of Salem Sound. Salem State University and Salem Maritime Historic Site, Salem, MA. 2 pp.

Buttner, J,K. and B. Proulx. 2012. Common Invertebrates of Salem Sound. Salem State

University and Salem Maritime Historic Site, Salem, MA. 2 pp.

Proulx, B. and J.K. Buttner  2012. Common Insects of Forest River. Salem State University and Salem Maritime Historic Site Salem, MA. 2 pp.

Proulx, B. and J.K. Buttner. 2012.   Other Common Organisms of Forest River. Salem State University and Salem Maritime Historic Site, Salem, MA. 2 pp.

Figure 1. Over three dozen Massachusetts' Towns receive assistance with their aquaculture efforts from Salem State University's Cat Cove Marine Laboratory; in 2012 the Town of Tisbury on Martha's Vineyard was added to the growing list.

Figure 2. Cat Cove Crew, 2012 (from left to right: Briana Proulx, Bob Wiithum, Jenn Turner, Devan Nichols, Lauren Pudvah, Ethan Fretsch, Dr. Joe, Scott Weston; not pictured are Franki Vetrano-Olsen, Dr. Mark Fregeau and Ted Maney).

Figure 3. Will White readies tank for dogfish sharks at Gloucester Maritime Center as part of his summer experience as an intern at the Cat Cove Marine Laboratory.

Figure 4. Cat Cove student workers, Bob Withum and Ethan Fretsch, monitor water quality and fish in aquaponics system at Ford School, Lynn, MA.

Figure 5. While demonstrating stream sampling techniques to two dozen K-12 teachers participating in the National Park Services' Coast for Every Classroom, dr. joe points out a native cardinal flower.

 Figure 6. Dr. Fregeau greets a youth, tour group at the Cat Cove Marine Laboratory.

Figure 7. Briana Proulx captivates prospective students participating in SSU’s Upward Bound program with nuances of fish culture system.

Figure 8. Dr. Joe (rt) discusses the potential for aquaculture with Ernest Tokpah (Farm Manager, Ganta Mission).

Figure 9. Dr. Joe's first ride in a dugout canoe, just outside of Monrovia, Liberia.

Figure 10. Franki Vetrano-Olsen and Lawrence Gleekia developed and presented posters on their Independent Studies at SSU’s Undergraduate Research Symposium, May 2012.

Figure 11. Eric Navarro (lt) used skills acquired as a student in Fish Biology, taken at the Cat Cove Marine Laboratory, to secure a position as a fish observer on fishing boats. Captured, small open ocean fished were retained, identified and  added to SSU’s teaching collection as part of his Independent Study.  

Figure 12.  Franki Vetrano-Olsen with Mr. Ted Maney, Dr. Mark Fregeau and Dr. Joe at graduation, 2012.

Ted Maney Goes Swimming with Whale Sharks!

Here is a YouTube link to what Ted did on his Summer vacation trip to swimming with whale sharks in Mexico!