Highlights
Have you Seen Bob?
While Hurricane Francine was moving through the Gulf of Mexico, it passed over East Flower Garden bank and dislodged a Sofar spotter buoy that Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary staff refer to as Bob, due to his minion-like characteristics. The...
Weathering Scratches the Surface of Plastic
Plastics might be more resilient than you think—new research shows they can survive in the ocean for decades. A study released in Environmental Science & Technology documents how commercially available macroplastics (>5mm) can withstand decades of exposure in marine environments with...
Are Parrotfishes Friends or Foes to Coral Reefs?
For many years, parrotfishes have been considered an essential tool for coral reef management as they are known for helping corals grow and survive by grazing on algae and cyanobacteria that can otherwise smother corals. However, some parrotfish species can...
Gone Fishing: UTMSI at the 88th Deep Sea Roundup
The Deep Sea Roundup, the oldest fishing tournament on the Texas coast, will take place from July 11th to 14th at the Port Aransas Civic Center. This tournament has a rich history intertwined with the University of Texas at Austin Marine...
Marine Science Literature for Desalinization & Channel Deepening Projects
In July of 2018, the Port of Corpus Christi announced they were seeking a permit for a desalinization plant proposed for construction on Harbor Island in Port Aransas, Texas that would allow an average daily output flow of up to 95,600,000...
Winter Programs: Lectures and Activities
We have several free educational programs this Winter (2024). PORT ARANSAS Patton Center, 855 East Cotter Ave. Our Public Lecture Series is back at UTMSI in our newly renovated Patton Center - Thursdays from Jan 11 - Feb 29. Doors open at...
$1.9 Million Grant to Protect Texas Oyster Reefs
Oyster fisheries in Texas are an important driver for the coastal economy and tourism. Oyster reefs can be difficult to manage because little is known about how protective actions like restoration or fishery closures impact reefs. A large-scale project will begin...
Movin’ on Up
Assessing mangrove expansion in the U.S. Climate change is altering ecosystems and shifting range limits for many species. With warming winter temperatures, mangrove forests encroach on salt marshes in temperate and subtropical areas. This transition zone can be quite dynamic...
Winter Programs
We have several free educational programs this Winter (2023). Port Aransas Patton Center, 855 East Cotter Ave. Our Public Lecture Series is back at UTMSI in our newly renovated Patton Center - Thursdays from Jan 12 - Feb 23rd. Doors open...
Hitching a ride to the deep sea
First in-situ measurements of microplastic fluxes help answer the “missing plastic” question 150 million tons of plastic are polluting the ocean today – and because of its slow decay, the amount keeps growing. Current model calculations indicate that only about one...
Mystery No More – formation of refractory DON pool unmasked
In the oceans lurks a stubborn pool of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) that no one had a clue how it formed – until now. A recent study in the Geophysical Research Letters provides the first discovery of how and why this...
Patton Center is Open!
The newly renovated Patton Center for Marine Science Education is open to the public starting October 18, 2022. The Center features eight large aquaria and engaging interactive displays, that will provide opportunities for people of all ages to learn about the...
New Microbiologist Joins UTMSI Faculty
As the school year begins, The University of Texas Marine Science Institute welcomes a new Associate Professor, Dr. Mark Lever. Dr. Lever uses highly-sophisticated instruments and techniques to understand the role of microorganisms in the global carbon cycle. His research has...
Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting Returns to Campus
UTMSI was happy to host and bring back the 14th annual Texas Bays and Estuaries Meeting (TBEM) to its campus and the newly renovated Patton Center for Marine Science Education. After Hurricane Harvey damaged the visitor center, the meeting was held...
Patton Center for Marine Science Education Ribbon Cutting - Center opening to public this fall
The University of Texas Marine Science Institute hosted a ribbon-cutting event on Saturday, Aug. 14, for the sponsors and donors who supported its newly renovated visitor center, now renamed the Patton Center for Marine Science Education, to commemorate contributions by Bobby...
Hurricane Harvey 5-year anniversary
It's been five years to the day that Hurricane Harvey struck the Texas coast. While a significant number of repairs to the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) facilities and buildings have been completed, reconstruction from Hurricane Harvey is 85%...
Listening In
A “Sounds of the Estuary” workshop was hosted by the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute last week on May 12th. The workshop featured presentations on soundscaping and bioacoustics research with a demonstration of field...
Marine Science News
We're pleased to release the first quarter newsletter for 2022, the 28th issue. Click on the image below to read more about our discoveries, education programs, facility improvements, and upcoming events. Click here to download a PDF copy.
Ground Breaking Ceremony for Student and Scholar Housing Complex
The University of Texas Marine Science Institute is pleased to announce the start and groundbreaking for our student housing project—the first since 1970. We want to thank Representative Todd Hunter, The University of Texas at Austin and the UT Board of...The University of Texas
Marine Science Institute
750 Channel View Drive
Port Aransas, TX 78373
Telephone Number:
361-749-6711
Fax Number:
361-749-6777
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