The University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) is located in Port Aransas on Mustang Island and is part of the University of Texas at Austin, College of Natural Sciences. The website states that “It is the oldest and most significant marine research facility on the Texas coast. It is changing the understanding of the world’s oceans and coasts and educating a global population dependent on the ocean ecosystem. What began humbly in 1941 as a small, rough-lumber shack on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico in Port Aransas is now home to cutting-edge research, education, and outreach programs.
The Institute is dedicated to research, education, and outreach as they apply to the Texas coastal zone and other marine environments. The mission of UTMSI is to improve the understanding of the marine environment through rigorous scientific investigations.”
Their conservation exhibits emphasize the economic impact of harms to the environment on commercial and recreational fishing. Some exhibits discuss the dangers of toxic algal blooms and how people can die from eating algae poisoned shellfish and how “coastal economies suffer when blooms keep recreational anglers away and commercial vessels ashore.” Another placard elsewhere advises, “Be a steward of estuaries from your home: Use lawn fertilizer sparingly or not at all. This will keep it from washing into our coastal waterways, where it can cause harmful algae to bloom.” It continues, stating, “Explore safer alternatives to harsh pesticides and household cleaners. If these products drain into street gutters, they can enter our coastal streams and estuaries, affecting plants and animals far from your home,” and “Recycle or dispose of fishing line properly. You can help protect marine animals from entanglement by placing used fishing line in one of the many recycling bins that are located on local docks and piers.”
Another exhibit is about “Oil and Estuarine Ecology” and discusses that “after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Gulf seafood industry suffered major economic and wildlife losses. UTMSI scientists investigate how oil affects red drum as well as some of the smallest and most important members of the food web, plankton.” A fascinating video shows slow-motion the movement of oil through water with and without dispersant and how in both cases the oil dramatically slows down planktons’ movement that has ingested oil making it harder for them to avoid predation. Plankton are the base of the food chain and many marine animal species start off as meroplankton, a type of plankton that undergoes a huge metamorphosis. The placard adds that, “UTMSI scientists are studying how organisms, such as copepods and red drum, interact with oil and are affected by it.”
The museum seems to try to make the exhibits relatable to children and families by making connections to eating seafood and protecting fishing and fisheries. The “host” on the exhibit is Zoe, a larval blue crab, and the exhibit on plankton states, “Your favorite seafood may have started out its life as a zooplankton in our estuary. Blue crab, shrimp, red drum, southern flounder, and Atlantic croaker all spend their larval stages as meroplankton before they transform and migrate between the ocean and the estuary.”
There is also an exhibit on climate change entitled, “KEEPING AN EYE ON THE EVOLVING ESTUARY.” The placard discusses that, “Estuaries and coasts are particularly sensitive to the impacts of climate change. Warmer global temperatures contribute to rising sea level, coastal erosion, and changes in coastal habitats. Shifts in regional weather patterns may result in decreased rainfall, less freshwater inflow to estuaries, and changes in the severity of coastal storms. UTMSI researchers are working to better understand how estuaries respond to our changing planet. Their research will help coastal communities understand and adapt to environmental changes and protect the coastal environment.” Under the title, “INDICATORS OF CHANGE,” the exhibit continues and states, “No one likes extreme weather, especially not fragile seagrasses and wetlands. Scientists at UTMSI conduct long-term monitoring of these valuable habitats. How organisms respond to changing weather patterns tells us about the overall health of the estuary.”
Another related exhibit entitled, “Tracking Crabs,” discusses how “UTMSI scientists monitor the number of blue crab larvae entering the estuary. Researchers hope to better understand the potential effects that changing environmental conditions have on this important species. Decreasing crab populations not only hurt Texas fisheries but also negatively impact the endangered Whooping Crane. In winter, a single crane can eat 80 blue crabs a day!
Changes in temperature or rainfall can greatly impact the estuary. As temperatures rise and rainfall decreases, less fresh water flows into the estuary. Less fresh water means higher salinity levels. Since all estuarine animals need certain salinity ranges to thrive, these changes can impact their populations.”
Yet another exhibit discusses Texas’ specific climate and how it will change due to rising temperatures: “A HOT, DRY FORECAST: The Texas coast has a relatively warm climate with high rates of evaporation. Climate predictions for South Texas in the years to come call for increasingly warmer and drier weather.
As the temperature rises, more fresh water evaporates from the estuary and the water becomes even saltier.” Notably none of the exhibits discuss that the reason for the climate changing is corporations’ continued extraction, production, and burning of fossil fuels such as the six refineries and other petrochemical plants just across Corpus Christi Bay and the Cheniere LNG plant on the other side of the Bay in Gregory among other plants!
Yet another exhibit talks about fresh water: “Fresh water is critically important for healthy estuaries. Unfortunately, more frequent droughts and increasing water use by growing populations have reduced freshwater inflow into our estuaries. How much water you use affects how much water is left to continue downstream to our estuaries.” The exhibit then goes on to give the typical water saving tips for households. However, it never discusses the immense use of freshwater resources by the same industries across the bay and the depletion to freshwater resources that has already happened because of the billions and billions of gallons these companies take from the acquifer.
Finally, there is an exhibit entitled, “FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOUR SEAFOOD: Maintaining healthy numbers of fish in the sea depends on more than just reproductive success. It depends on responsible fisheries management and you!” And “SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES: Overfishing can threaten marine species and the seafood industry. Sustainable seafood comes from responsible fishing or farming practices that do not harm species population levels, the ecosystem, or the livelihoods of people who depend on the seafood industry. Healthy fisheries are good for the economy and the environment. United States fisheries management practices are continuously monitored to ensure that marine species are protected from overharvesting. The Coastal Fisheries Division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is responsible for managing commercial and recreational fisheries in Texas.” That seems like a very reassuring statement. The exhibit does not talk about the exploitative practices of the commercial fishing industry such as bottom trawling or the disastrous problems that come with improper disposal of huge nets that entrap millions of animals inadvertently (ghost nets) or other abhorrent and irresponsible practices of the commercial fishing industry. It does give good guidelines for recreational and sports fishing and some good management practices such as, “Eastern oysters must have a shell length of at least three inches to be commercially harvested in Texas.
Banning commercial fishing, implementing bag and size limits, and rearing and restocking programs are all management practices that help maintain healthy red drum populations in Texas. Shrimp may only be harvested from Texas waters that are not designated as nursery areas. Choose Sustainable. You can help protect endangered and declining marine species by purchasing sustainable seafood. To ensure the seafood you’re eating comes from sustainable sources:
Stay informed Refer to the most up-to-date, credible resources, such as NOAA’s FishWatch. Buy from reputable dealers Ask: Where is it from? Do they fish sustainably? Shop local United States fisheries are governed to help ensure they are sustainable. Please visit FishWatch.gov to learn more about U.S. sustainable fisheries.” There is also a hands-on activity where children can take stuffed fabric fish and measure them to see if they meet the minimum length requirements: “If you fish in South Texas, your fish needs to “measure up” before you can keep it.”
