Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting - Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Network
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Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting
PRESIDENT’S LETTER Hello, everyone! Welcome to the 5th Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Network (SERSTN) Meeting and to beautiful Corpus Christi, Texas! We hope that you enjoy this meeting and have the opportunity to take in some of our lovely local attractions. The meeting theme this year is ‘Exploring New Frontiers’. We selected this theme because this is the first time that we are holding the SERSTN meeting in Texas and the first large sea turtle conference held in the state in 20 years. To commemorate being in Texas, our program includes a special session highlighting sea turtle conservation and research efforts conducted in the state and our social events will feature music celebrating the culture and traditions from our area. We also selected the theme of ‘Exploring New Frontiers’ to acknowledge the exciting technological and analytical tools and new generation of scientists and conservationists that are helping lead us into novel areas of sea turtle research. With an evident need to improve the communication of sea turtle science and conservation to the public, we are hosting an Open House where we invite local residents and visitors to view the posters and the exhibit and vendor tables. The Open House will also feature other activities that will attract the interest of the public, including an opportunity to meet our local sea turtle mascots, local artist Shelia Rogers, who uses washed up beach trash to create stunning works of art, our Keynote Speakers for this meeting, and me! These three dynamic Keynote Speakers include Thane Wibbels, Jace Tunnell, and Christine Figgener whose famous video ‘changed the world’ about the use of plastic straws. Serving as President of the SERSTN has been a great honor to me. It was my responsibility to host the meeting here and make it a success, and I could not have done that without the help of many people. I thank the many people that have helped make this organization and this meeting a success. I certainly could not have done it without you! Many people have been involved in ensuring the success of the 5th SERSTN meeting, many of whom have been involved since that first meeting on Jekyll Island, GA. This is especially true of founder and former President Kim Sonderman, whose vision began this organization and continues to sustain its mission. Along with Kim, our last President Sarah Milton, and our next President Thane Wibbels, have provided invaluable guidance. Other SERSTN Board members Dean Bagley, Meghan Koperski and Caitlin Bovery have also been a tremendous help with this meeting. The members of the Planning Committee have been tireless in their efforts as well – Thank you! We all do this alongside our careers and personal lives, and I am profoundly grateful to all of you for pitching in where and when needed. I thank Jan Roberson, Lead of the Local Team, for her tireless and meticulous work that ensured that many things were completed locally I was unable to undertake or see to fruition. I thank artist Dawn Witherington who designed our beautiful logo of a Kemp’s ridley turtle looking up at the Lone Star. I requested this to symbolize our sea turtle work in Texas, and thought that there would be nothing more fitting than the Kemp’s ridley turtle, officially designated as the Sea Turtle of Texas, looking up at a lone star, in the Lone Star State. Stewart Sonderman, as in years past, designed the layout of the T-shirts and our other meeting materials. Donna Broadbent, our event organizer, once again proved to be an invaluable resource and enthusiastic supporter of SERSTN. Thank you, Donna, for always being there with advice and a ready answer, regardless of the hour. Thank you to Christopher Marshall and the program committee for compiling a stellar program and highlighting turtle work in Texas. Thank you to Cody Mott and Jace Tunnell for organizing the exhibitors and vendors. Sue Wolfe and Chad Castleberry, our photographers, donated time to ensure that they captured every highlight of SERSTN. Barbara Gobien brought her years of retail experience to our silent auction, and trained some new recruits from Texas to help her there! Cynthia Rubio, Whitney Crowder, and Andrew Crowder have arranged some amazing events with a little Texas flair. Thank you to Larry Wood, Jeff George, and Jesse Gilbert for a record breaking fundraising year! Thank you to Dan Evans for creating our new website and Rachel Smith for increasing our social media presence. Mariana Devlin and Rico Overa have recruited and organized an army of volunteers - thank you to you both and to the volunteers for making this meeting a success. Thank you to the workshop organizers and participants, Exhibitors/Vendors, oral presentation and poster authors, and sponsors for your continued support! Most importantly, thank you attendees! Donna J. Shaver
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
3
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Donna Shaver kempsdjs@aol.com
President-Elect Thane Wibbels twibbels@uab.edu
Vice President Dean Bagley dean.bagley@ucf.edu
Vice President Sarah Milton smilton@fau.edu
Treasurer Meghan Koperski meghan.koperski@comcast.net
Secretary Caitlin Bovery cmbovery@gmail.com
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Executive Director Kim Sonderman kimsonder@gmail.com
PLANNING COMMITTEE
Boyd Lyon Student Awards Chair Thane Wibbels twibbels@uab.edu
Boyd Lyon Student Awards Committee Ray Carthy ngosi@ufl.edu
Christopher Marshall marshalc@tamug.edu
Jeff Schwenter schwenterj@dnr.sc.gov
Pamela Plotkin plotkin@tamu.edu
Event Coordinator Donna Broadbent dmarie@thezenithgrp.com
Brian Croy
Exhibitor/Vendor Co-Chairs Cody Mott cmott@inwater.org
Jace Tunnell jace.tunnell.austin.utexas.edu
Fundraising Co-Chairs Larry Wood larry@floridahawksbills.com
Jesse Gilbert jgilbert@txstateaq.org
Jeff George jeff.george@seaturtleinc.org
Photographers Chad Castleberry ccastleberry@txstateaq.org
Sue Wolfe suewolfe@outlook.com
Poster Co-Chairs Karen Holloway-Adkins kgha@earthlink.net
Shanon Gann cecil31t@aol.com
Katie Swanson katie.swanson@utexas.edu
Program Chair Christopher Marshall marshalc@tamug.edu
Program Committee Nathan Putman nathan.putman@gmail.com
Philippe Tissot philippe.tissot@tamucc.edu
Kristen Hart kristen.hart@hotmail.com
Mary Kay Skoruppa mary_kay_skoruppa@fws.gov
Ray Carthy ngosi@ufl.edu
Jennifer Shelby Walker shelbyja@gmail.com
Erin Seney erin.seney@ucf.edu
Christian Gredzens cgredzens@hotmail.com
Meg Lamont mmlamont@mindspring.com
Martha Villalba-Guerra martha.villalba27@gmail.com
Registrars Caitlin Bovery registrar@serstm.org
Hilary Frandsen hilary.frandsen@gmail.com
Whitney Crowder wcrowder@myboca.us
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
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Silent Auction Co-Chairs Barbara Gobien bsgobien@aol.com
Jane Sorensen jmattesonm@gmail.com
Jennifer Smith jennbr1976@aol.com
Joanie Steinhaus joanie@tirn.net
Social Media Coordinator Rachel Smith rachel.smith@disney.com
Guidebook App Coordinator Caitlin Bovery cmbovery@gmail.com
Special Events Coordinators Andrew Crowder acrowder@usgs.gov
Whitney Crowder wcrowder@myboca.us
Cynthia Rubio cindywindy@hotmail.com
Emma Gilbert egilbert@txstateaq.org
Volunteer Coordinator Mariana Devlin mariana.devlin@seaturtleinc.org
Rico Overa rolvera@txstateaq.org
Web Master Dan Evans drevans70@gmail.com
Artwork and Signage Stewart Sonderman stewart@lorencyoodesign.com
Rebecca Mott rmott@inwater.org
Logo Dawn Witherington dewitherington@gmail.com
Workshop Organizers Terry Norton
Rebecca Mott
Rachel Smith
Kendra Cope
Kim Sonderman
Aliki Panagopoulou
Zoё Meletis
Jamie Kilgo
Elaine Leslie
Denise Ruffino
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
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GENERAL INFORMATION
Registration
Registration will be held in the Group Registration area.
Monday 3:00PM – 6:00PM
Tuesday 8:00AM – 12:00PM, 3:00PM – 6:00PM
Wednesday 8:00AM – 12:00PM, 2:00PM - 5:00PM
Thursday 8:00AM – 12:00PM
Name Badges
Only those wearing a SERSTM name badge will be allowed entry to sessions, workshops and
functions, including the welcome and farewell socials.
Parking
Complimentary overnight self-parking in the hotel’s Parking Facility is provided for SERSTM
attendees, based on availability. Overnight Valet parking is available for $22/day.
Join Omni’s Select Guest® membership program and receive free Wi-Fi and reward points
during your stay at the Omni Corpus Christi. The hotel offers complimentary access to a fully
equipped fitness center with state-of-the-art workout equipment, an indoor racquetball court and
a full-service upscale salon located on the first floor.
Exhibitors/Vendors
Exhibitors/Vendors will be showcased in the Corpus Christi Ballroom. The Grand Opening will
be Tuesday, from 6:00PM – 8:00PM, to coincide with the Welcome Social. The
Exhibitor/Vendor area will be open to attendees Wednesday from 9:00AM – 7:15PM and
Thursday from 9:00AM – 4:00PM. In addition, we will have an Open House on Wednesday
from 3:30PM – 7:15PM where members of the general public are welcome to view the
Exhibitors/Vendors, Silent Auction and posters. The Open House will feature the work of local
artist, Sheila Rogers, as well as local sea turtle mascots and a chance to meet the Keynote
Speakers. This year’s Exhibitors/Vendors represent a variety of displays. The Technical
Vendors will showcase the products used in sea turtle research projects, computer technology,
and education. The non-profit projects and special interest vendors will provide their sea turtle
awareness information, as well as offer goods that interest the sea turtle community.
Oral Presenters
Presenters must load their talks the day before they are scheduled to present. A volunteer will
be stationed in the Registration area on Tuesday from 2:00PM – 5:30PM, Wednesday from 8:00
– 12:00 and 2:00PM – 5:00PM. You may either load your talk directly to the computer or drop
off a flash drive with the volunteer. All flash drives must be labeled clearly. All session chairs
should have scheduled a time and place to meet with the oral presenters in their session.
Presenters must meet briefly with their session chairs on the night prior to their talks. Failure to
meet with your session chair will result in your presentation being pulled from the program. If
you did not receive a time and place for this meeting, contact your session chair or a program
chair immediately. A speaker ready room will be available in Copano, from Wednesday and
Thursday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Poster Presenters
Posters will be set up in Corpus Christi Ballroom B/C on Tuesday, from 9:00AM – 5:00PM. If
you are presenting, please find the number that corresponds to your poster and attach it to the
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
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board with the provided pins. Attendees may view the posters Tuesday from 6:00PM – 8:00PM
during the Welcome Social, Wednesday from 9:00AM – 5:00PM, and Thursday from 9:00AM –
4:00PM.
Meet the Poster Presenters
There will be a special session on Wednesday from 5:30PM – 7:15PM where attendees and
judges can meet with the poster authors. All poster authors must be at their posters during this
time. The posters will also be open to the public during this time.
Coffee Breaks
Coffee breaks will be held in Corpus Christi Ballroom B/C. Attendees will have the opportunity to
visit SERSTM Exhibitors/Vendors and view posters during the breaks, as well as visit the Silent
Auction room.
Dining Service:
Lunch is on your own. A variety of dining options are available at the hotel, including Room
Service.
Republic of Texas Bar and Grill
Visit Republic of Texas Bar and Grill, a premiere dining location in Corpus Christi, and enjoy
flavorful fine dining in style. Boasting panoramic views of Corpus Christi bay, this signature
restaurant features the finest cuts of prime beef, wild game, seafood and an award-winning
wine list.
Open for dinner. Dress code: Formal
Glass Pavilion
This family friendly restaurant features a variety of menu options including steak, seafood and
pasta.
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dress code: Casual
Morsel’s
Stop by Morsel’s for a quick bite to eat or a refreshing cup of coffee. Open from 6:00 am -
10:00 pm, Morsel’s features Peet’s Coffee, salads, pastries and more.
Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Dress code: Casual
Silent Auction
Please bring all donated auction items, along with the printed auction form, to the Silent Auction
room (Corpus Christi A). To expedite drop-off, auction forms may be printed from home by
clicking on the form found at http://www.serstm.org/home/silent-auction/. Attendees can drop off
items in Corpus Christi A on Monday or Tuesday from 9:00AM – 5:00PM. The silent auction will
be open for bidding on Tuesday from 6:00PM to 8:00PM. Attendees may view and bid on silent
auction items on Wednesday, from 9:00AM – 5:00PM, and Thursday from 9:00AM – 12:30PM.
The auction winners list will be available to view by 2:45PM on Thursday, and auction items can
be picked up between 3:00PM and 7:00PM.
See something you absolutely can’t resist? Many items will have a Buy It Now option! Funds
raised from the silent auction will go towards the continuing success of future Southeast
Regional Sea Turtle Meetings.
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
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Welcome and Farewell Socials
Both functions are open to everyone with a paid registration. Additional tickets are available for
spouses or partners at a charge of $20 for the Welcome Social and $40 for the Farewell Social.
Tickets are payable by cash at the Registration Desk on Tuesday from 5:30PM - 7:00PM and
outside Nueces Ballroom on Thursday from 7:30PM – 9:00PM. Casual dress.
Boyd Lyon Student Awards and Hall of Fame inductees will be honored during the Farewell
Social. Please come to celebrate the work of your friends and colleagues with heavy hors
d'oeuvres and a cash bar.
T-shirts and SERSTM Merchandise
Pre-purchased t-shirts can be picked up with your nametag and gift bag at Registration.
Additional t-shirts may be purchased at the T-shirt pickup/sales table in the Registration Area. A
limited quantity of customized-SERSTM bamboo utensils and buffs may be purchased at the
SERSTN booth in the Exhibitor/Vendor room for a nominal fee and while supplies last.
After-hours Activities
Corpus Christi is full of wonderful things to do during your visit! From fine dining to luxurious
beaches, Corpus Christi has it all! Visit the Texas State Aquarium to experience bottlenose
dolphins, stingrays, and of course, sea turtles. Texas State Aquarium is the premiere aquarium
on the Texas gulf coast! Nicknamed The Blue Ghost, the USS Lexington will delight WWII
aficionados! Commissioned in 1943, the magnificent ship is located within walking distance of
the Omni Hotel. High end shopping, antiques and collectibles, and a vibrant night life can all be
found while exploring Corpus Christi. Visit the “Things to Do” section of our app for suggestions
from our local partners.
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
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MEETING-AT-A-GLANCE
Monday, 3 February
On-Site Registration 3:00 PM 6:00 PM Registration Desk
Silent Auction Drop Off 9:00 AM 5:00 PM Corpus Christi A
Exhibitors/Vendors Set Up 1:00 PM 5:00 PM Corpus Christi B/C
SERSTM Volunteers Meeting 5:00 PM 6:00 PM Registration Desk
Board of Directors Meeting 5:00 PM 7:00 PM
Tuesday, 4 February
8:00 AM 12:00 PM
On-Site Registration Registration Desk
3:00 PM 6:00 PM
Silent Auction Drop Off 9:00 AM 5:00 PM Corpus Christi A
Posters Setup 9:00 AM 5:00 PM Corpus Christi B/C
Exhibitors/Vendors Set Up 9:00 AM 4:00 PM Corpus Christi B/C
Workshop: Grant Writing 8:00 AM 12:00 PM Laguna Madre
Workshop: Social Science Surveys 8:00 AM 12:00 PM Aransas
Workshop: Sea Turtle Health & Rehabilitation 9:00 AM 5:00 PM Nueces A
Workshop: Women in Science 1:00 PM 5:00 PM Laguna Madre
Workshop: Predator Management 1:00 PM 5:00 PM Aransas
SERSTM Volunteers Meeting 5:00 PM 6:00 PM Registration Desk
Welcome Social 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Corpus Christi B/C
Silent Auction Open 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Corpus Christi A
Posters 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Corpus Christi B/C
Exhibitors/Vendors Open 6:00 PM 8:00 PM Corpus Christi B/C
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
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MEETING-AT-A-GLANCE
Wednesday, 5 February
8:00 AM 12:00 PM
On-Site Registration Registration Desk
2:00 PM 5:00 PM
Opening Remarks; Keynote; General
9:00 AM 5:00 PM Nueces A/B
Session
Silent Auction 9:00 AM 5:00 PM Corpus Christi A
Posters 9:00 AM 5:00 PM Corpus Christi B/C
Exhibitors/Vendors 9:00 AM 7:15 PM Corpus Christi B/C
AM Break 10:15 AM 10:45 AM Corpus Christi B/C
Lunch Break (On Own) 12:00 PM 1:30 PM
PM Break 3:00 PM 3:30 PM Corpus Christi B/C
Public Open House 3:30 PM 7:15 PM Corpus Christi B/C
Poster Session: Meet the Authors 5:30 PM 7:15 PM Corpus Christi B/C
Thursday, 6 February
On-Site Registration 8:00 AM 12:00 PM Registration Desk
Keynote, General Session 9:00 AM 5:00 PM Nueces A/B
Silent Auction 9:00 AM 12:30 PM Corpus Christi A
Posters 9:00 AM 4:00 PM Corpus Christi B/C
Exhibitors/Vendors 9:00 AM 4:00 PM Corpus Christi B/C
Silent Auction Closes 12:30 PM Corpus Christi A
AM Break 10:15 AM 10:45 AM Corpus Christi B/C
Lunch Break (On Own) 12:00 PM 1:30 PM
PM Break 3:00 PM 3:30 PM Corpus Christi B/C
Silent Auction Pick Up 3:00 PM 7:00 PM Corpus Christi A
Exhibitors/Vendors and Posters Strike 4:00 PM 7:00 PM Corpus Christi B/C
Awards Committee Meeting 5:00 PM 7:00 PM
Farewell Social; Student Awards; Hall of
8:00 PM 12:00 AM Nueces Ballroom
Fame; Closing Remarks
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
10WORKSHOPS
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2020
Learning to Adapt: Molding Our Grants for Various Agencies
Rebecca Mott, Rachel Smith, and Kendra Cope
8:00 AM – 12:00 PM Laguna Madre
The goal of this workshop is to highlight the importance of framing your message when writing a
grant to various funding agencies. Each granting agency looks for something slightly different in
the way of reach, deliverables, outcomes, and tone. This workshop will allow participants a
glimpse into the inner workings of these agencies to learn exactly what they're looking for in the
perfect recipient. Participants will be able to workshop grant ideas with each funding agency
and adapt their grant as needed. Attendees will walk away with the tools to be able to modify a
single grant to accommodate a number of audiences, increasing their likelihood of securing
funding for their project.
Taking the plunge: A workshop on the basics of social science survey design
Aliki Panagopoulou and Zoё A. Meletis
8:00 AM – 12:00 PM Aransas
Social science research is critical when it comes to the study of socio-economic aspects of
conservation and the successful implementation of management policies. As trained social
scientists, we want to provide some background, share our experiences and have an interactive
workshop that will serve as a crash course on how to conduct social science research. The
workshop will: 1) explore the IMPORTANT BASICS of survey terminology, ethics, design, and
expectations for survey data; 2) consider and discuss examples drawn from actual and fictional
surveys; 3) allow time for consultation and collaboration on existing/in development surveys
(surveys in progress; past surveys; outlines for future surveys). The emphasis will be on
qualitative question design, and on interviewer-administered (person to person) surveys.
PLEASE BRING SURVEYS WITH YOU. If you have no survey to bring, you can partner with
another participant, and collaborate on their survey. You will NOT leave as a fully-trained
survey-ready expert. You will, learn about, discuss, and try to integrate key
considerations of social science survey design into actual surveys, with assistance from
trained experts.
Sea Turtle Rehabilitation and Health Workshop
Terry Norton, DVM, DACZM
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Nueces A
The workshop will be a mix of clinically applied topics such as husbandry, nutrition, critical care,
pain management, therapeutics, anesthesia and surgery to updates on current research to
population health, and broader topics such as cold stunning management, infectious disease,
and other relevant topics. The topics to be discussed will be finalized once the speaker list has
been finalized but is sure to be very informative. This workshop requires audience participation
and attendees will be required prepare information to present in the “What went well and what
did not go so well…” session. Be prepared to send Dr. Norton 1 or 2 slides for a group
presentation for this part of the workshop. We want there to be lots of discussion and ideas
presented.
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
11We Can Do It: Navigating the Waters of STEM as Women
Rachel Smith, Kim Sonderman, Rebecca Mott, and Kendra Cope
1:00 PM – 5:00 PM Laguna Madre
The overarching goal of this workshop is to facilitate a discussion around areas of opportunity
for women in the sciences, with an objective of highlighting specific challenges faced by those in
the sea turtle community. We will offer a panel with representation from the following categories,
the purpose of which is to gain a greater understanding of challenges faced by women and to
collectively partner on solutions: Women in high-level careers, women in entry-level jobs,
women of color, women with and without children, women in male-dominated workplaces, and
men serving as allies within these communities. Finally, we will offer several breakout sessions
for a deep-dive into key issues facing women today, such as overcoming self-criticism and the
impact of early childhood education on future opportunity. Ultimately, together we will devise a
strategic plan created to ensure that women are given equal opportunity in all areas of our field.
Considering Predator Management in Protected Areas
Jamie Kilgo, Elaine Leslie, Denise M. Ruffino
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Aransas
Identifying and reducing threats is an essential step in recovering threatened and endangered
species. In some area, predation can pose a significant threat to sea turtle eggs and hatchlings;
therefore, protection from native and non-native predators may benefit species recovery. The
Southeast Region of the National Park Service recently completed a Programmatic
Environmental Assessment (PEA) examining a suite of predation management tools and
methods at coastal NPS parks with habitats to support species of concern. This workshop will
highlight some of the industry-tested best management practices and mitigation measures that
can be used to minimize adverse impacts. Management of native and non-native predators in
protected areas falls under specific policies and authorizations which will be discussed. This
workshop will also examine how distributions for some predators may be shifting in relation to
climate change and spatial variability of relative sea level rise. There will be an opportunity for
hands on interaction with several predator control capture devices.
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
12KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
OPENING ADDRESS: THANE WIBBELS
“SAVING A SPECIES:
EVOLUTION OF SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION IN THE GULF OF MEXICO”
Dr. Thane Wibbels, Professor in the Department of Biology, University of Alabama at
Birmingham has been involved with sea turtle conservation and research over the past four
decades. His scientific career started with work on the Kemp’s
ridley sea turtle as it was nearing extinction in the early 1980’s.
His career has included work on temperature-dependent sex
determination, sea turtle endocrinology, and the reproductive
ecology and biology of sea turtles. He has had the good
fortune of working with some outstanding leaders in sea turtle
biology such as Dave Owens, Colin Limpus, Lewelyn Ehrhart,
George Balazs, and Rene’ Marquez. His studies have
included collaborative projects in various parts of the world,
such as Australia, Mexico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Nicaragua,
Hawaii, Texas, and Florida. Over the past two decades he and
his graduate students have been collaborating with the Kemp’s
Ridley Binational Program in order to evaluate the impact of
global climate change on the reproductive biology of the
Kemp’s ridley. This collaboration has resulted in the longest-
term data base on nesting beach temperatures relative to
hatchling sex ratio production and in a sea turtle species. He
has also collaborated on the evaluation of the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on the
reproductive biology of the Kemp’s ridey. More recently he and his graduate students have
been evaluating and implementing
“high tech” methodologies for studying
important events in the life history of
sea turtles.
Of particular interest, Thane Wibbels
has been a first-hand witness to the
evolution of sea turtle conservation in
the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic for the
Kemp’s ridley (historically the most
endangered sea turtle in the world).
Over the past four decades he has
been able to observe and document
the herculean efforts of a wide variety
of individuals and organizations that
brought the Kemp’s ridley back from
the brink of extinction.
His presentation will include a historical perspective of how sea turtle conservation efforts
evolve, and will conclude with examples of how technology has greatly enhanced our
conservation capabilities.
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
13CLOSING ADDRESS: JACE TUNNELL and CHRISTINE FIGGENER
“TEXANS WORKING TO QUANTIFY AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT MARINE DEBRIS”
Jace Tunnell is the Reserve Director at the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research
Reserve at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, Texas, where he
runs research and education programs that educate
future generations about conservation in the bays and
estuaries. Jace served as president of the Coastal Bend
Bays Foundation from 2016 to 2018, and is a board
member on over 20 science and environmental
committees across the United States. He started the Gulf
of Mexico-wide citizen science project called Nurdle
Patrol that is mapping plastic pellets found along
shorelines across the Gulf, including Mexico. He initiated
the Baffin Bay Study Group which is now developing a
community based restoration plan for the bay system. Jace is author of a book titled,
“Pioneering Archeology in the Texas Coastal Bend” where he and his father outline
conservation of archeological sites in hopes of protecting coastal environments as well as
cultural history. He has also directed and produced over 100 short videos about science,
research, and nature, including “All the Cups” video about trash entering the waterways, and
narrated by his son Jack. The video won the Blue Gulf Film Festival and received an award by
Dr. Sylvia Earle for the impact and messaging of protecting the ocean. Among his honors he
was awarded conservationist of the year in 2017 by the Coastal Conservation Association, and
Environmental Steward of the year in 2015 by the Coastal Bend Bays Foundation.
Christine Figgener is a German marine conservation biologist and ocean advocate. Right now a
doctoral student at Texas A&M University, she is writing her dissertation on sea turtle trophic
and movement ecology. Before starting her PhD, Christine worked in
marine turtle research and conservation in Central America for over a
decade. Her ambition is to apply her research findings to the
conservation of these charismatic animals while in return using them
as ocean ambassadors to connect the public to the threats our
oceans are facing, in particular, plastic pollution. She is a founding
member of the grassroots organization Costa Rican Alliance for Sea
Turtle Conservation & Science (COASTS) in Costa Rica, which is
meant to empower local conservationists and scientists, in particular,
local women. Her claim to fame and shining public moment is a viral
video uploaded in 2015 that documented the removal of a plastic
straw from an olive ridley turtle's nose. That video provided fuel and a
valuable tool for the global anti-straw movement, leading to several
straw bans by businesses such as Starbucks, Disney, and Alaska
Airlines. It has also given her a voice in the conversation around the
use of single-use plastics and other environmental issues affecting marine life. She has made
such an impact that she was recently named a Next Generation Leader by Time Magazine, and
was a finalist of the feature “Texan of the Year” by the Dallas Morning News. Her research and
advocacy efforts have been featured in documentary productions, including the BBC and
NatGeo. While the video might be years old at this point, her research, campaign against single-
use plastics for the benefit and conservation of marine life, and her empowerment of women in
STEM are still young, important, and necessary.
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
14ORAL PRESENTATIONS
WEDNESDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 2020 – NUECES BALLROOM
9:00 AM
WELCOMING REMARKS
Dr. Donna J. Shaver, President, Director Sea Turtle Science and Recovery, Padre Island
National Seashore
9:15 AM
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
Dr. Thane Wibbels, Professor, Dept of Biology, University of Alabama, Birmingham
10:15 AM
MORNING BREAK – UNTIL 10:45 AM – CORPUS CHRISTI BALLROOM B/C
Sea Turtle Science, Recovery, and Conservation in Texas
Session Chairs: Christopher Marshall & Mary Kay Skoruppa
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
10:45 AM – Invited Talk
History of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery in Texas and Recent Trends in Sea Turtle
Numbers
Dr. Donna J. Shaver, Director Sea Turtle Science and Recovery, Padre Island National
Seashore| Cynthia Rubio | Mary Kay Skoruppa
11:00 AM – Invited Talk
Developments on the Upper Texas Coast and the New Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research
Dr. Christopher Marshall, Director Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research, Dept. Marine
Biology, Dept. Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University
11:15 AM – Invited Talk
Sea Level Rise, Subsidence and Beach Management: Present and Future Impact on Sea
Turtle Nesting and Conservation
Dr. Phillipe Tissot, Interim Director Conrad Blucher Institute, Associate Research
Professor, Dept. Physical & Environmental Sciences, Texas A&M University at Corpus
Christi | Donna J. Shaver
11:30 AM – Invited Talk
Illegal Fishing Along the Texas/Mexico Border
Leslie Casterline, Lieutenant, JEA, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
11:45 AM
Acceleration Dataloggers Reveal Fine-Scale Behavior of Adult Female Kemp’s Ridleys
During Internesting
Kristen Hart | Autumn Iverson | Nicholas Whitney | Connor White | Christian Gredzens |
Donna Shaver
12:00 PM
LUNCH BREAK – UNTIL 1:30 PM
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
15ORAL PRESENTATIONS – continued
Sea Turtle Science, Recovery, and Conservation in Texas – continued
Session Chairs: Meg Lamont & Shelby Walker
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM *** Student Award Candidate
1:30 PM
Movements of Juvenile Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas) in nearshore waters of the
Northwestern Gulf of Mexico
Tasha Metz | Mandi Gordon | Marc Mokrech | George Guillen
1:45 PM
Evaluation of Gonadal Tissue to Validate Size at Reproductive Maturity in Kemp’s Ridley
Sea Turtles Found Stranded in Texas, USA
Martha Villalba-Guerra | Kathryn Craven | Jay Hodgson | Donna Shaver | J. Shelby Walker
| David Owens
2:00 PM
Nesting Dynamics of Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles
Amy Bonka*** | Thane Wibbels | Gerardo Marin | Manuel Rosas Colmenares | Javier
Montano | Martha Lopez Hernandez | Hector Hugo Acosta Sanchez | Francisco Illescas | L.
Jaime Pena | Patrick Burchfield
2:15 PM
Foraging Habits of Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico
Lyndsey Howell | Donna J. Shaver
2:30 PM
Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Nesting on the
Texas Coast
Hilary Frandsen | Donna J. Shaver | Jeffrey George | Christian Gredzens
2:45 PM
Trends in Fibropapillomatosis Prevalence in Green Turtles, Chelonia mydas, in Texas Since
2010
J. Shelby Walker | Donna J. Shaver
3:00 PM
AFTERNOON BREAK – UNTIL 3:30 – CORPUS CHRISTI BALLROOM B/C
Sea Turtle Science, Recovery, and Conservation in Texas – continued
Session Chairs: Martha Villalba-Guerra & Christian Gredzen
3:30 PM – 4:15 PM *** Student Award Candidate
3:30 PM
An In-depth Look at Sea Turtle Stranding and Rehabilitation from 1982 through 2019 at the
Amos Rehabilitation Keep on the Central Coast of Texas
Alicia Walker
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
16ORAL PRESENTATIONS – continued
3:45 PM
Genomic Enablement of the Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle
Luis Hurtado | Xochitl De La Rosa | Jean Elbers | Mariana Mateos | Donna Shaver | Erin
Sullivan
4:00 PM
Using Animal-Borne Cameras to Understand Niche Partitioning by Sea Turtle Species
Margaret Lamont | Joseph Alday | Carson Arends | Daniel Catizone
Nesting Biology and Ecology
Session Chairs: Martha Villalba-Guerra & Christian Gredzen
4:15 PM – 5:15 PM
4:15 PM
Genetic Tagging Provides Preliminary Inferences of Natal Site Fidelity and Recruitment for
Northern Recovery Unit Loggerhead Turtles
Brian Shamblin | Mark Dodd | S. Michelle Pate | Matthew Godfrey | Sarah Dawsey |
Breanna Ondich | James Richardson | Rebecca Bell | Ruth Boettcher | Campbell Nairn
4:30 PM
Using Satellite Telemetry to Identify Internesting Areas of Adult Female Loggerhead
(Caretta caretta) and Green (Chelonia mydas) Sea Turtles that Nest in Broward County,
Florida, USA
Glenn Goodwin*** | Kristen Hart | Derek Burkholder
4:45 PM
Effects of Tropical Cyclones on Incubation Duration of Loggerhead (Caretta caretta), Green
(Chelonia mydas), and Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) Nests in Broward County,
Florida
Alexis Peterson*** | Derek Burkholder
5:00 PM
Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) Nest Productivity in the Northern Gulf of Mexico:
Implications from Disturbances and Management Practices
Ian Silver-Gorges*** | Janice Becker | Raymond Carthy | Simona Ceriani | Megan Lamb |
Margaret Lamont | Chris Matechik | Joseph Mitchell | Mike Reynolds | Bradley Smith | Caitlin
Snyder | Matthew Ware | Mariana Fuentes
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
17ORAL PRESENTATIONS
THURSDAY, 6 FEBRUARY 2020 – NUECES BALLROOM
9:00 AM
OPENING REMARKS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dr. Donna J. Shaver, President
9:15 AM
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
Jace Tunnell, M.S., Director, MANERR Reserve (Mission-Aransas National Estuarine
Research Reserve)
9:45 AM
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
Dr. Christine Figgener, Texas A&M University
10:15 AM
MORNING BREAK – UNTIL 10:45 AM – CORPUS CHRISTI BALLROOM B/C
Impacts on Nesting Habitat and Threats to Sea Turtle Survival
Session Chairs: Shanon Gann & Erin Seney
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM *** Student Award Candidate
10:45 AM
Live Long and Prosper: Using Technology to Assess Lighting Impacts and Boldly Go where
No Disorientation Report Has Gone Before
Tonya Long | Chris Anderson | Sara Burke | Meghan Koperski | Kristin Rogers | LaTosha
Thompson | Robbin Trindell
11:00 AM
Potential Impacts of Artificial Reef Development on Sea Turtle Conservation Efforts
Michael Barnette
11:15 AM
Effects of Public Sea Turtle Watches on Nesting Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta)
In Florida
Rebekah Lindborg | Vivian Hernandez | Elizabeth Abney | Rachel Smith
11:30 AM
Assessing the Effect of Incubation Temperature on the Cognitive Ability of Loggerhead Sea
Turtle, Caretta caretta, Hatchlings
Ivana Serra*** | Sarah Milton
11:45 AM
Florida’s Wildlife Lighting Program: Keeping it Low, Long and Shielded
Robbin Trindell | Meghan Koperski | Tonya Long | Luke Davis | Rachael Stevenson
12:00 PM
LUNCH BREAK – UNTIL 1:30 PM
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
18ORAL PRESENTATIONS – continued
Physiology and Health of Sea Turtles
Session Chairs: Ray Carthy & Karen Holloway-Adkins
1:30 PM – 2:00PM
1:30 PM
Influence of UV Light on Vitamin D and Immune Function in Green (Chelonia mydas) Sea
Turtles with Fibropapillomatosis
Victoria Garefino*** | Sarah Milton
1:45 PM
Tackling a Turtle Tumor Threat - An RGV Community Partnership to Research Sea Turtle
Fibropapilloma Through Transcriptomics
Nicholas Blackburn | Mariana Devlin | Nina Nahvi | Ana Leandro| Marcelo Leandro |
Ignacio Martinez | Juan Peralta | Jeff George | Brian Stacy | Thomas deMaar | John
Blangero | Megan Keniry | Joanne Curran
Stranding Networks: Gleaning Population Information from Stranded Sea Turtles
Chairs: Erin Seney & Karen Holloway-Adkins
2:00PM – 2:30 PM
2:00 PM
Using Strandings to Quantify and Compare Sea Turtle Diets
Erin Seney | Jason Hendershot | Manuel Lozada | Sarah Shaver | V. MacKenzie Tackett |
Karen Holloway-Adkins | Jennifer Keene | Jeffrey Schmid | Brian Stacy
2:15 PM
Use of Decomposition Studies to Improve Backtracking Models and Develop Sea Turtle
Stranding Tools to Enhance Understanding of Sea Turtle Mortality in the Gulf of Mexico
Melissa Cook
Research Priorities: Addressing Data Gaps in Species Recovery Goals, and
Assessing the Influence of Research Actions
Session Chairs: Erin Seney & Karen Holloway-Adkins
2:30 PM -3:00 PM
2:30 PM
Mainland Leatherback Turtle Breeding Sex Ratios are 1:1
Jake Lasala | Colin Hughes | Jeanette Wyneken
2:45 PM
Forty-Year Nesting Trends for Florida, Puerto Rico and St. Croix; Evaluating Recovery Plan
Objectives for Leatherback Turtles (Dermochelys coriacea).
Kelly Stewart | Simona Ceriani | Beth Mongiovi | Claudia Lombard | Carlos Diez, Luis
Crespo
3:00 PM
AFTERNOON BREAK – UNTIL 3:30 – CORPUS CHRISTI BALLROOM B/C
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
19ORAL PRESENTATIONS – continued
Research Priorities: Addressing Data Gaps in Species Recovery Goals, and
Assessing the Influence of Research Actions – continued
Session Chairs: Nathan Putman & Philippe Tissot
3:30 PM – 4:00PM
3:30 PM
Sustainable Shrimping and Sea Turtles
Benny Gallaway | Nathan Putman
3:45 PM
Managing Anthropogenic Threats in a World with More Sea Turtles
Nathan Putman | Susan Dufault | William Heyman | Charles Caillouet, Jr. | Erin Seney |
Kate Mansfield | Benny Gallaway
In-Water Behavior and Ecology of Sea Turtles
Session Chairs: Nathan Putman & Philippe Tissot
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
4:00 PM
Shark Attack Avoidance Behavior in Leatherback Sea Turtles
Ayaka Asada*** | Scott Eckert | Randall Davis
4:15 PM
Long Term Residency and Maturation of Loggerheads at a South Florida Foraging Habitat
Barbara Schroeder | Allen Foley | Blair Witherington | Jennifer Keene | Shigetomo Hirama |
Robert Hardy | Karrie Minch | Andrea Mosier | Sue Schaf | Brian Stacy | Morgan Wideroff
4:30 PM
Satellite Telemetry Reveals Inter-Nesting Movements and Migratory Pathways of Green Sea
Turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Southwest Florida, 2017-2019
David Addison | Kelly Sloan | Andrew Glinsky
4:45 PM
Importance of Other Studies at In-Water Sites Used to Monitor Loggerhead Abundance
Allen Foley | Barbara Schroeder | Blair Witherington | Shigetomo Hirama | Robert Hardy |
Brian Stacy | Jennifer Keene | Karrie Minch | Sue Schaf | Morgan Wideroff
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
20POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Tuesday, 4 February 2020 to Thursday, 6 February 2020
Poster Chairs: Karen Holloway-Adkins & Shanon Gann
Corpus Christi Ballroom B/C
*** Boyd Lyon Student Award Candidate
Sea Turtle Science, Recovery, and Conservation in Texas
1 Sea Turtle Cold Stunning Event Automated Predictions & Analysis System
Sean Bates | Niall Durham | Jennifer Williams | Jensen DeGrande | Philippe Tissot
2 ***Sea Turtle Cold Stunning Events Water Temperature Predictions for Resource
Management Using Machine Learning
Jensen DeGrande*** | Hamid Kamangir | Jennifer Williams | Philippe Tissot
3 Multiple Recaptures of a Kemp’s Ridley on a Texas Beach Demonstrate Connectivity with
Nearshore Feeding Grounds in Western Florida
Hilary Frandsen | Jeffrey Schmid | Peter Dutton | Amy Frey | Donna Shaver
4 First Record of Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Mortality Caused by a Drifting Fish
Aggregating Device (dFAD) in the Gulf of Mexico
Martha Villalba-Guerra | Cameron Purvin | Donna Shaver
5 Oviductal Prolapse Documented in a Green Sea Turtle Nesting on the Texas Coast
Cameron Purvin | Hilary Frandsen | Martha Villalba-Guerra | Donna Shaver
6 Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) Mortality in Southern Texas Resulting from Illicit
Fishing Activities by Mexican-Operated Lanchas.
Mariana Devlin | Jeffrey George | Donna Shaver | Cameron Purvin | Martha Villalba-
Guerra | Brian Stacy
7 Using Genetic Kinship Analysis to Census Nesting Kemp’s Ridley Lepidochelys kempii in
Texas, USA
Amy Frey | Peter Dutton | Shelby Walker | Cynthia Rubio | Hilary Frandsen | Donna
Shaver
8 Concentrations of Metals and Other Inorganic Constituents in Salvaged Eggs of Satellite-
Tracked Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) from Texas, 2010-2013
Bethany Kunz | Donna Shaver | Kristen Hart | J. Shelby Walker | Danielle Cleveland |
Michael Hooper | Christopher Schmitt
9 Jetty Trapped Turtles on Mustang Island, Texas
Andrew Orgill | Alicia Walker
10 Micro-Raman Spectroscopy of Sea Turtle Scute: A Unique Tool in Wildlife Forensic
Investigations
Claire Iseton | Christopher Marshall | Luke Nyakiti
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
21POSTER PRESENTATIONS - continued
11 A Novel Approach to an Old Question: Evaluation of Ecological Breeding Strategies in Sea
Turtles
Brie Myre | Nicole Guentzel | Duncan MacKenzie
12 Beach Erosion Impacts on Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) Sea Turtle Nesting Along
the Southernmost Texas Coast
Amanda Wood | Mariana Devlin
Nesting Biology and Ecology
13 Loggerhead Nesting in Alabama 2003-2019
Shannon Holbrook
14 Preliminary Inferences of Stock Structure Among Florida's Gulf of Mexico Green Turtle
Rookeries
Brian Shamblin | Kristen Hart | Simona Ceriani | Margaret Lamont | Zoe Bass | Wilma
Katz | Kristen Mazzarella | Kelly Sloan | Campbell Nairn
15 Nesting Sea Turtles in Everglades National Park, Really?!
Jason Osborne
16 ***The Impacts of Nest Microenvironment on Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea)
Hatchling Performance and Their Responses to Thermal Stress
Heather Seaman*** | Sarah Milton
17 ***The Effect of Loggerhead Nest Site Choice on Hatchling Emergence Success in
Southwest Florida
Sydney Davis*** | Phil Allman
18 ***Using Track Widths of Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and Green (Chelonia mydas) Sea
Turtles as a Proxy for Predicting Nesting Characteristics
Kelly Detmer*** | Glenn Goodwin | Curtis Slagle | Abby Nease | Derek Burkholder
19 Using Frequency analysis to Understand Nesting Cycles and Their Environmental
Covariables to Improve Capture Rates and Conservation Methods of Sea Turtles
Abby Nease | Glenn Goodwin | Curtis Slagle | Derek Burkholder
20 A Record-Breaking Nesting Season: How Successful Really Was It?
David Anderson | Kirt Rusenko
Impacts on Nesting Habitat and Threats to Sea Turtle Survival
21 Improving Enforcement and Awareness of Sea Turtle-Friendly Lighting in Florida through
Regional Code Enforcement Workshops
Natalia Bayona | Emily Asp | Cypres Ferran | Stacey Gallagher | Rachel Tighe
22 Mitigating Coastal Light Pollution in the Florida Panhandle: NFWF Phase II
Cypres Ferran | Rachel Tighe | Emily Asp | Stacey Gallagher | Natalia Bayona
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
22POSTER PRESENTATIONS - continued
23 Changes in Canine Depredation in New Smyrna Beach, Volusia County, Florida
Jaymie Reneker | Niki Desjardin
24 Our Armadillo Problem: An Update
Wilma Katz
25 Cycles of Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Nest
Predation by Feral Hogs and Coyotes on a Coastal Barrier Island in Southwest Florida,
USA
David Addison
26 A Nest Cage Designed for Coexisting: Living with a Non-Native Predator
Paul Hillbrand | Lauren Schaale | Beth Darrow
27 Flashlights: A New Threat to the Success of Lighting Mitigation Efforts
Emily Asp | Rachel Tighe | Cypres Ferran | Stacey Gallagher | Natalia Bayon
28 ***Embryonic Mortality of Loggerhead (Carreta caretta) Sea Turtle Nests by Inundation
Events and Frequency
Ali Courtemanche*** | Sarah Milton
29 ***The Increasing Threat of Coyotes and Armadillos to Sea Turtle Reproductive Success
in Southwest Florida
Emily Melendez*** | Phil Allman
Physiology and Health of Sea Turtles
30 ***The Effects of Body Morphology on Performance in Green, Leatherback, and
Loggerhead Sea Turtle Hatchlings
Melissa Cordoba*** | Heather Seaman | Sarah Milton
31 Carapacial Dermatitis in Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) nesting on Sarasota County,
FL Beaches
Kristen Mazzarella | Lauren Kabat | Brian Stacy | Henri Swanson
32 ***Uncloaking the Cloacal Microbiome of Wild Sea Turtles Off the North Carolina Coast: A
Comparative Analysis of Healthy Versus Debilitated Turtles
Tara Clancy*** | Larisa Avens | Patrick Erwin | Craig Harms
Stranding Networks: Gleaning Population Information from Stranded Sea Turtles
33 Olive and Kicking: Strandings of Olive Ridleys in Florida
Morgan Wideroff | Allen Foley | Karrie Minch | Sue Schaf | Corey Lloyd | Brice Burleson
34 Sea Turtle Strandings and Mortality Investigation in Alabama
Lyndsey Howell | Brian Stacy | Jacqueline Sablan | Jennifer Keene
35 ***Analysis of Survivability of Sea Turtles with Carapace Trauma from Vessel Strikes
Annika Christenson*** | Susan Barco | Soraya Moein Bartol
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
23POSTER PRESENTATIONS - continued
36 Over 14,850 Served...and Counting!: 25 Years of Marine Turtle Rehabilitation in Florida
Meghan Koperski | Robbin Trindell
37 Tracking Trends of Rehabilitated Sea Turtles in Brevard County
Noelle Villanueva | Shanon Gann | Jessica Patterson
38 ***Do the Diets of Stranded Kemp’s Ridleys from Florida’s West Coast Differ Among
Causes of Death?
Manuel Lozada*** | Brian Stacy | Jeffrey Schmid | Erin Seney
Research Priorities: Addressing Data Gaps in Species Recovery Goals, and
Assessing the Influence of Research Actions
39 Are Weather Balloons an Underrepresented Source of Sea Turtle Mortality and Marine
Debris?
Joanna Daniel | Alexander Costidis | Susan Barco
40 Biases in Stranding Trends Due to Varying Rates of Reporting and Potential Solutions: A
Case Study from the Mississippi Stranding Network
Emma Schultz | Melissa Cook | Angelia Lewis | Holley Muraco | Robert Moorhead
41 ***Evolutionary Adaptations and Biogeography of Seagrasses Under Global Climate
Change
Brianna Rock*** | Barnabas Daru
42 ***Incorporating Stochasticity into Life History Parameters of Age-Classified Matrix Models
Glenn Goodwin*** | William Harford | Derek Burkholder
In-Water Behavior and Ecology of Sea Turtles
43 Short- and Long-Term Resource Use of Sympatric Species of Marine Turtles in the
Northeastern Gulf of Mexico
Alexa Putillo | Simona Ceriani | Mariana Fuentes
44 Tracking Troublemakers: Exploring Tracking Techniques for Rehabilitated Juvenile Green
Turtles in Nearshore Habitats
Whitney Crowder | Caitlin Bovery | Emily Mirowski | Jeffrey Guertin | Cody Mott | Ryan
Chabot
45 Using Forensic Analysis of Bite-Related Injuries on Sea Turtles to Determine Species and
Size of Shark Predators
Derek Aoki | Justin Perrault | Sarah Hoffmann | Jeffrey Guertin | Annie Page-Karjian |
Brian Stacy | Dayv Lowry
46 ***Spatial Extent and Density of Sea Turtle Recaptures in Eastern Central Florida
Tiffany Dawson*** | Gustavo Stahelin | Dean Bagley | Erin Seney | Kate Mansfield
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
24POSTER PRESENTATIONS - continued
47 Growth rates of juvenile green (Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata)
sea turtles at Buck Island Reef National Monument, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Andrew Crowder | Michael Cherkiss | Clayton Pollock | Zandy Hillis-Starr | Kristen Hart
Session Topic: Other
48 Cast Glass Sea Turtles and Marine Debris Sculptures for Conservation Education
Kathleen Sheard
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
25EXHIBITORS & VENDORS
Exhibitor/Vendor Chairs: Cody Mott & Jace Tunnell
Visit the Exhibitor/Vendor Venue – Corpus Christi Ballroom B/C
Open 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Tuesday evening during the Welcome Social.
Open 9:00 AM to 7:15 PM Wednesday with Public Open House from 3:30 PM-7:15 PM.
Open 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Thursday.
Carol Hansen - Nature Photography
The photos all feature pictures of Sea Turtles and Hatchlings. In addition there are mugs,
mousepads, magnets, postcards, calendars and onesies all adorned with pictures of Sea
Turtles. There are also educational pamphlets from the Sea Turtle Preservation Society.
Website www.NaturePhotosbyCarol.com
Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program
The Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program is dedicated to protecting our bays and estuaries
while supporting continued economic growth and public use of the bays.
Website www.cbbep.org
Facebook www.facebook.com/CBBEP
Instagram @cbbep
Friends of the Animal Rehabilitation Keep (ARK)
Friends of the ARK, Inc. is a non-profit Texas corporation organized exclusively for the
prevention of cruelty to animals. The purpose of Friends of the ARK: to raise funds for the
rescue of injured, sick and abused wildlife that will be rehabilitated, maintained and released
back to their natural wildlife habitat or other licensed facility; and to raise public awareness
through educational outreach programs.
Website www.friendsoftheark.org
Facebook www.facebook.com/ARKWildlifeRehab
Instagram @arkwildliferehab
Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research
The Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research was created to address the data gaps and research
needs to conserve sea turtles in Texas, the western Gulf and throughout the Gulf of Mexico.
The Center seeks to organize sea turtle biologists in the region and speak with one voice to
attract attention, and funding, for sea turtle research activities and conservation priorities that
will protect sea turtle populations and their vital habitats from the beaches to the ocean. The
Center’s purpose is to create collaborative relationships with other sea turtle researchers, and
sea turtle research entities across the Gulf of Mexico and to positively benefit undergraduate
students, graduate students, early career scientists, as well as the citizens of Texas. It is a
partnership of Texas A&M University, the National Park Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife and
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Gulf Center for Sea Turtle Research will serve as a
platform that will attract scientists from academia, industry, state and federal agencies, as well
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
26as internationally, who will contribute to finding solutions to the threats that sea turtles face
today.
Website www.tamug.edu/GulfCenterforSeaTurtleResearch
Instagram @GulfCenterforSeaTurtleResearch
Twitter @seaturtlecenter
Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies
The Harte Research Institute is set apart by its use of the "HRI Model", a unique interdisciplinary
way of working that integrates our science with economic, policy and sociological expertise.
While our solutions are science-driven, the challenges facing the Gulf of Mexico can't be solved
by science working alone. HRI scientists are encouraged to think broadly and pursue
partnerships to create lasting solutions.
Website www.harteresearchinstitute.org
Facebook www.facebook.com/harteresearch
Instagram @harteresearch
Twitter @harteresearch
Lotek
Advancing Wildlife Science: specializing in the design and manufacturing of biotelemetry and
biologging products for tracking wildlife and understanding their spatial ecology.
Website www.lotek.com
Facebook www.facebook.com/lotekwireless
Twitter @LotekWireless
MDS Incorporated
MDS Incorporated is a family-owned business that has been providing the animal health
industry with cutting-edge endoscopy equipment since 1972. Our number one purpose is to
enhance the lives of the animals through endoscopy and related equipment. Please stop by the
booth for a live demonstration.
Website www.mdsvet.com
Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve
We are a research and education program geared towards estuaries and the protection of
natural habitats.
Website www.MissionAransas.org
Facebook www.facebook.com/manerr
Twitter @MissionAransas
Nesting Safe Inc
Nesting Safe provides tools to monitor turtle nesting events to predict where and when
hatchlings will emerge.
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
27Website www.nestingsafe.com
Facebook www.facebook.com/turtlenestingsafe
Padre Island National Seashore
Padre Island National Seashore is the longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island in the world.
In addition to its 70 miles of protected coastline, other important ecosystems abound, including
rare coastal prairie, a complex and dynamic dune system, wind tidal flats teeming with life, and
the Laguna Madre, one of the few hypersaline lagoon environments left in the world. Also of
significant concern at Padre Island National Seashore is the Kemp's ridley sea turtle, the most
endangered sea turtle species in the world, which nests on the beach from April through mid-
July. All five of the sea turtle species found in the Gulf of Mexico find something they need at
the park and in its adjacent waters. Kemp's ridley sea turtles nest here more than at any other
location in the U.S. Juvenile green sea turtles live in the waters here year-round, and adults nest
on Padre Island in low numbers. The Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery, the only
division of its kind in the National Park Service, works to monitor and protect these animals.
Website www.nps.gov/pais
Facebook www.facebook.com/nps.pais.seaturtles
Sea Turtle Conservancy
Founded in 1959, the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) is the oldest sea turtle conservation
organization in the world. Headquartered in Gainesville, Florida, STC is dedicated to protecting
sea turtles through research, training, advocacy, education and the protection of habitats. STC
will offer free educational materials and have a wide selection of sea turtle related merchandise
for sale.
Website www.conserveturtles.org
Facebook www.facebook.com/conserveturtles
Instagram @conserveturtles
Twitter @conserveturtles
Sea Turtle, Inc.
Sea Turtle Inc. is a non-profit organization located on South Padre Island, Texas with a 3-tier
mission: 1) to rescue and rehabilitate sick or injured sea turtles, 2) to educate the general public
about sea turtles and the threats they face, and 3) to conserve all sea turtle species through
applied field conservation.
Website www.seaturtleinc.org
Facebook www.facebook.com/SeaTurtleConservation
Instagram @seaturtleinctx
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
28Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Network
For years, there has been a need for a formal venue in which researchers from the
southeastern region of the United States could share their research findings of sea turtle
activities. In 2009, a group of scientists and volunteers came together for this reason and in
2011, the Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Network (SERSTN) was created. SERSTN aims to
offer a biennial scientific meeting that is open to volunteers, students, and professional
researchers that provides a friendly, non-intimidating atmosphere, while at the same time
presenting sound scientific studies.
Website www.serstn.org
Facebook www.facebook.com/SoutheastRegionalSeaTurtleNetwork
Instagram @SERSTN
Twitter @SERSTM_2020
St. Croix Leatherback Project - Sea Turtle Census
The St. Croix Leatherback Project has been monitoring leatherback sea turtles at Sandy Point
National Wildlife Refuge for over 40 years. In cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service,
the Sea Turtle Census at The Ocean Foundation helps manage the nesting season and
provides support for young conservationists, often in their first field work with turtles. To raise
funds to support our volunteers so they have zero expenses during our 16 week program, we
have project t-shirts, project stickers, Buff field headbands, and handmade crafts made by our
volunteers, available to you. Please stop by!
Website www.SeaTurtleCensus.com
Facebook www.facebook.com/stxleatherbacks
Instagram @stxturtles
Student Conservation Association
Founded in 1957, SCA is the nation’s leading youth conservation service organization, providing
young people with opportunities to serve nature and to shape their futures. Through programs
that mirror the diversity of the U.S. population, SCA strives for a world in which conserving the
environment is a lifelong commitment shared by all young people as they enter their careers
and assume the responsibilities of citizenship. By empowering young people through hands-on
service to the land, participants come to understand that work that benefits other people, the
natural environment, our community or the world, is what unites us as a society.
Website www.thesca.org
Southeast Regional Sea Turtle Meeting Corpus Christi, TX: February 3-6, 2020
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