Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Brett Sweezey

@saltwatersweezey.bsky.social

2K followers 760 following 55 posts

PhD Candidate Marine Biology | Shark Ecology 🦈 | Trophic Ecology 🐟| Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary 🪸 | Fisheries Science 🎣 Outreach & Educational Content Sharing my journey into shark science! https://www.instagram.com/saltwatersweezey/

www.instagram.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Nov 17

The “who am I?” post!

I’m a PhD student studying the movement patterns and feeding behaviors of sharks in the Gulf of Mexico 🦈

I’m trying to find connections with people who have a passion for:

🌊 The Ocean
🦀 Marine Life
🧬 Science
🦠 Biology/Ecology
🌲 The Environment/Climate

#MarineLife

1 8 52

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · 6d

Come listen to me talk about my research project!

open.spotify.com/episode/05SW...

Shark Movements, Food Webs and Flower Gardens with Brett Sweezey

open.spotify.com

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · 19d

I haven’t posted much on here lately because the typically format doesn’t really seem to be receptive of the type of posts I usually make for Instagram. Does anyone else feel that way?

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Apr 4

My crash course on species ID for sharks in the Gulf of Mexico! Of course there was a lot more nuance in identifying this species, but that all wouldn’t fit within this video!

Did you guess correctly? Hope you enjoy!

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Feb 5

I’m excited to share the finished product of a short film I have been working on! This video summarizes the benefits of dried blood spot analysis to estimate the trophic level of multiple shark species at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary!

Go check out the video on my Instagram!

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Jan 26

So a couple of shark species swim into a marine sanctuary….but I haven’t thought of the punchline yet. I’m still working on figuring out why, where, or when.

This is the entire purpose of my PhD research project 🦈

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Jan 24

Sitting down for the first time to discuss my background and current research on #TheFisheriesPodcast!!

I have never been on a podcast before so I was a little nervous and probably talked too much 😆

open.spotify.com/episode/6b5Y...

293 - The sharks of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary with Brett Sweezey

The Fisheries Podcast · Episode

open.spotify.com

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Jan 17

Some INCREDIBLE photos taken by Mountain and Wave Films documenting a trip to the Flower Garden Banks in an attempt to capture some sharks for a trophic ecology study. This project would not have been possible without the funding provided by the @saveourseasfoundation

2 11

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Dec 18

Dang that’s a intense burn! I feel like you never really notice until after you start the clean up after the release.

Reposted by Brett Sweezey

Madison Earhart, PhD @madisonearhart.bsky.social · Dec 17

ohhh lookie here it’s our paper!! 🧪🌎🌐🐠👩🏻‍🔬🐡🎨

sturgeon are more thermally plastic than other fish (they can increase their thermal tolerance per acclimation degree) !! but warm temperatures seem to have negative impacts on growth and survival in early life stages.

We need WAY more data on older fish

Global Change Biology @globalchangebio.bsky.social · Dec 17

NEW RESEARCH
Too Hot to Handle: A Meta-Analytical Review of the Thermal Tolerance and Adaptive Capacity of North American #Sturgeon

📄 https://buff.ly/49ymsbN
#climatechange #endagered species #conservation

2 9 57

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Dec 17

Let’s be honest. Science blogs, while fun and informative, generally don’t appeal to a non-scientific audience (even if they’re the target demographic).

What if we use pretty pictures and I just tell you everything you would like to know about my topic of research?

Save Our Seas Foundation @saveourseas.bsky.social · Dec 17

Can visual storytelling transform how we connect audiences to science? Through video, Brett Sweezey is showcasing dried blood spot analysis, a novel, non-invasive method to study sharks. By blending science with visuals he aims to inspire understanding. More below.
saveourseas.com/update/beyon...

1 4

Reposted by Brett Sweezey

Dr. Solomon David @solomonrdavid.bsky.social · Dec 16

#GARWEEK IS HERE!!!

We’re excited to celebrate this “most-loathed,” misunderstood, and amazing group of living fossil fishes with you all!

Enjoy this Intro to Gars @ologies.bsky.social from #Garology!

Feel free to share YOUR #GarPuns, photos, #GARtwork and any other GARish posts!

11 61 200

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Dec 15

Who has heard about the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary? It’s one of only 15 national marine sanctuaries in US waters and the only one in the Gulf of Mexico!!

This species rich hotspot is home to many tropical and marine fishes which attracts large predators such as tunas and sharks

1 8

Reposted by Brett Sweezey

Rory Cooper @rorylcooper.bsky.social · Dec 11

This is the face of a shark! I've stained the mineralised tissues to show that their teeth and scales are both made of the same enamel-like material 🦈 🦷 🧪

9 73 310

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Dec 7

I don’t usually keep track since it’s normally a quick catch-and-release, but last trip we had about 15 individuals made up of blacktips, spinners, and blacknose sharks!

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Dec 7

I just put together a small reel that summarized my personal CPUE (catch per unit effort) for shark tagging this year. I have over 500 hours of boat time and only caught 35 individuals from my target species!!

You would think trying to catch sharks on a coral reef would be easy 🤣

1 6

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Dec 7

It’s always great to see evidence of effective management strategies that are slowly rebuilding elasmobranch populations in the states 🦈

Nick Dulvy @nickdulvy.bsky.social · Dec 5

Bright spots with some science-based fisheries management measure benefiting sharks & rays:
1. USA & Canada
2. NE Atlantic
3. S. Africa
4. Australia & New Zealand
#OceanOptimism
@nancyknowlton.bsky.social
@joshuacinner.bsky.social
www.science.org/doi/epdf/10....
🧵15/20

Reposted by Brett Sweezey

Nick Dulvy @nickdulvy.bsky.social · Dec 5

New #GlobalSharkTrends study published in @science.org reveals #overfishing has more than halved shark & ray populations over the past 50-years causing widespread erosion of ecological function and exceptionally high extinction risk
👉Full article bit.ly/GlobalSharkTrends
🧵1/20

Scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) IUCN Critically Endangered © Masayuki Agawa_Ocean Image Bank

4 120 190

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Dec 6

Is that freshly lab prepared paprika and onion powder?

Sometimes when sitting in a the lab crushing muscle tissue and blood samples for a long time the intrusive thoughts start to seep in 😂

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Dec 5

Reposting this because I had significantly more engagement on Threads and already connected with some enthusiastic people!

I’m looking for opportunities to work with others to build my science communication skills!

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Dec 2

Hello science communicators! I'm trying to find anyone who would be willing to sit down and talk with me about my research. It can be for any type of science communication or electronic media (reel, podcast, article)

As I slowly dive into education and outreach I am trying to find ways (1/3)

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Dec 4

Only seven of these spade-toothed whales have ever been spotted!!

Dr Angel Borja @drangelborja.bsky.social · Dec 4

This whale species is so rare it's never been seen alive. A dissection may decode its mysteries

#marineecology

apnews.com/article/rare...

This whale species is so rare it's never been seen alive. A dissection may decode its mysteries

Scientists and culture experts in New Zealand have begun the first-ever dissection of a spade-toothed whale, the world's rarest whale species.

apnews.com

1 7

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Dec 3

Of course! If there’s a way to make it work I’m willing to try it out!!

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Dec 2

Although I must admit, asking for an interview instead of being approached for an interview about my research does feel kind of weird. I still think it would be a good learning experience and opportunity to develop this skill while I am still in graduate school! (3/3)

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Dec 2

to challenge how I think about and explain my research to the general public. Ironically, what initially started as a side hobby (Instagram posts) has become one the most reliable ways of reinforcing and teaching my findings from my personal research. (2/3)

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Dec 2

2 2

Brett Sweezey @saltwatersweezey.bsky.social · Dec 1

Quick Update: The scalloped hammerhead we tagged over a month ago is very much still hanging around north of the Flower Gardens!!

This individual has been already given us a decent number of detections and hopefully continues to do so for the next year!

1 6