March 26 Meeting - Martin Moe, Guest Speaker

[jdhuyvetter]

Martin Moe will be our guest speaker.  Meeting will be at 3 pm, Saturday, March 26 at the Estero Community Center (9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd, Estero, FL 33928)

 

Martin A. Moe, Jr. holds a master's degree from the University of South Florida. His scientific and popular articles and books date back to 1962 when he began his career as a marine biologist and ichthyologist for the marine laboratory of the State of Florida. After extensive fishery research and publication of the life history of the Red Grouper he entered the private sector and developed the basis technology for breeding the Florida pompano in 1970. He then developed the technology for the first successful spawning and rearing Clownfish and Neon Gobies in his garage in 1972, which developed into the first commercial hatchery for marine tropical fish, Aqualife Research Corporation in 1973. Over the years Martin has reared over 30 species of marine tropical fish, even hybridizing French and Grey Angelfish, and also the jackknife fish and the high-hat, members of the drum family (Sciaenidae). Martin and his wife Barb also founded Green Turtle Publications in 1982 to write and publish books on the marine aquarium hobby. Martin is the author of a definitive book on tropical Atlantic lobsters, Lobsters: Florida, the Bahamas, the Caribbean; as well as his popular and best-selling Marine Aquarium Handbook: Beginner to Breeder, and The Marine Aquarium Reference: Systems and Invertebrates. Other books he authored are Breeding The Orchid Dottyback: an Aquarist’s Journal and (with his wife Barb) The Marine Aquarist’s Quiz book. In 2001 Martin began research on the keystone herbivore of the western Atlantic Ocean, the sea urchin Diadema antillarium. He was successful in this endeavor, although it took 20 years of research to accomplish the development of this technology. The Florida Aquarium is now producing juveniles of the urchin and the FWC laboratory in Marathon, FL is beginning experimentation with placement of cultured Diadema on Keys reefs. His book on this extensive research will soon be available from Two Little Fishies, Inc., Miami FL.  

 

His presentation will be about his Diadema urchin research project as it relates to coral reef restoration in the Florida Keys.  Outline of the presentation is below,

 

Diadema presentation to SWFMAS. March 26, 2022

 

Why Diadema?

          Keystone herbivore on coral reefs

          Plague of 1983

          Decline of coral reefs

          2003 Diadema replacement research

          Importance of coral reefs to the marine aquarium hobby

Culture of Diadema

          Difficulties in culture

          Development of a successful culture technology

Restoration of Diadema on coral reefs

          Integral part of ecological coral reef restoration

          Methodologies of Diadema restoration on coral reefs

[jdhuyvetter]

[jdhuyvetter]

[jdhuyvetter]

[jdhuyvetter]

Martin is feeling a little "under the weather" and has asked to reschedule his presentation to a later date.  So, we have a last minute speaker change.  I will be giving a presentation on aquarium emergencies. Sharing some knowledge of 30 years of tank mishaps from torsional breaks, blowouts, broken braces and my current dilemma....leaking seam in a 300 gallon aquarium.