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Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 1d

🌊 Meet Amber McAbee! 🌊
Amber joined us all the way from the University of South Alabama, bringing her passion for marine conservation and fisheries ecology to Oceans Research.

www.linkedin.com/posts/enrico...

#oceansresearch #marinescience #studentexperience #fieldresearch #marinebiology #oceanconservation #womeninstem #mosselbay | Enrico Gennari (PhD)

🌊 Meet Amber McAbee! 🌊 Amber joined us all the way from the University of South Alabama during the month of September, bringing her passion for marine conservation and fisheries ecology to Oceans Rese...

www.linkedin.com

Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 2d

🔍 Have you ever tried one of these methods, or do you have a favourite way to explore intertidal life? We’d love to hear it below! 👇

Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 2d

There are so many ways to study these ecosystems — from random quadrat sampling and drone transects to photographic surveys and timed searches — each offering a slightly different window into the same shoreline.

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Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 2d

Our students get hands-on with the quadrat and transect method — one of the classic ways to measure biodiversity across the intertidal zone.

But, as the saying goes, there’s more than one road that leads to Rome! 🌍

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Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 4d

Each little tube is the home of a worm that builds and cements it together with thousands of others, forming these reef-like structures. They help stabilise sediment, create shelter for small creatures, and even filter the surrounding water.

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Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 4d

During our egg case analysis shift at the Hartenbos river mouth, the recent opening created some incredible low-water conditions — and our students came across this fascinating find! 🪱🌊

What looks like a coral head is actually a dense colony of tube worms.

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Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 6d

These nets are not barriers, but fishing gear that kill sharks, dolphins, turtles & rays. He later moved into deeper water, but was still not fully out of danger.

Read more here: 🔗 www.oceans-research.com/white-shark-...

Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 6d

✨ Maya – Tagged in April with the help of our students, she’s remained close to Algoa Bay, showing strong site fidelity.

✨ James – After 2 months of silence, he resurfaced near Richards Bay, dangerously close to the shark board nets.

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Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 6d

🦈 White shark tracking update (Jan–July 2025) 🌊

In collaboration with the Shark Research Foundation, SAIAB, and Stellenbosch University, our program has followed two very different shark stories this year.

White shark tracking 2025: first 7 months - Oceans Research

White shark tracking 2025: first 7 months

www.oceans-research.com

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Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 8d

The highlight of the evening was catching (and safely releasing) a stunning leopard catshark (Poroderma pantherinum). These small, nocturnal sharks are endemic to South Africa’s coastal waters and are known for their striking leopard-like pattern.

#OceansResearch #NightFishing #LeopardCatshark

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Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 8d

🌙 Tonight, we swapped sun caps for headlamps and joined Justin from Saltlife Mossel Bay for a night fishing adventure. The swell was heavy, and the chill set in, but the excitement kept us warm!

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Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 10d

This end-of-week routine builds teamwork, attention to detail, and a real understanding of the responsibility that comes with working at sea. Caring for Triton isn’t just maintenance; it’s a skill set every future marine scientist needs. ⚓🧽🌊

#MarineScience #FieldSkills #ResearchVessel

Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 10d

Buckets, brushes and plenty of elbow grease turn into a practical lesson in vessel care—teaching not only how to scrub a deck but how to respect and maintain the boat that makes our science possible.

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Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 10d

After a full week of salt spray, sandy boots, and long research days, our students roll up their sleeves to give Triton a well-deserved deep clean.

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Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 12d

Discoveries like this turn a simple egg-case walk into a mini marine-biology lesson—proof that the shoreline always has a few surprises waiting. 🌊💛

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Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 12d

Cowfish are relatives of puffers but belong to the boxfish family. Instead of scales, their bodies are protected by a rigid, hexagon-patterned “box” of fused bone plates. When the soft tissue decomposes, this tough outer shell remains, which is why it feels so hard and light in your hand.

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Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 12d

An unexpected find on our elasmobranch egg-case survey 🥚➡️🐟

While searching the beach for shark and skate egg cases, our students spotted something unusual—a dried cowfish carapace.

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Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 14d

They learned the essentials of piloting a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV): smooth navigation, steady camera work, and quick problem-solving.
Every joystick move is practice for exploring habitats and collecting vital data that help us understand and protect the ocean. 💙

#MarineScience #ROV #HandsOn

Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 14d

🌊 ROV Skills in Action 🌊
Today’s shift took our students beneath the surface—without even getting wet! 🎮🤿

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Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 16d

Spotting these little capsules is always exciting for our students. Each one is a reminder of the marine life just offshore and the species that use our coastline as a nursery.

And if you’re really lucky, you might even come across a chimera (St Joseph shark) egg case—rare, but so, so special.

Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 16d

Mermaid’s purses are a favourite find along the windswept beaches of Mossel Bay 🌊🦈
After strong South Coast tides, egg cases from sharks, skates and rays wash ashore and settle in the sand and seaweed.

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Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 18d

Despite the quiet bite, we still met a smoothhound shark, a zebra fish, and a dark shyshark—all safely released back to the big blue. 🌊🦈✨

Field skills ✔️
New connections ✔️
Ocean memories forever ✔️

#MarineScience #ShoreAngling #CatchAndRelease #OceanVibes

Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 18d

🤝 The best part? Collaboration. Local fishers shared tips, tricks, and generations of know-how, showing how community knowledge and research can reel in real science together.

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Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 18d

🌬️🎣 Windy, wild & worth it!
Our students bundled up for a chilly day on the shoreline to try shore angling—a catch-and-release method used in marine science.

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Oceans Research Institute @oceansresearch.bsky.social · 20d

Dr Gennari’s work reinforces that sound science drives smart conservation—from deep genetic analyses to tracking the daily movements of endangered sharks.

#SharkScience #SASRS2025 #OceansResearch #MarineConservation #SharkTagging #AcousticTelemetry