Since the first Earth Day celebration in 1970, this day has sparked hundreds of thousands of efforts to raise awareness about the nature that surrounds us. On today’s Earth Day, the Mission-Aransas Reserve at The University of Texas Marine Science Institute...
Citizen scientists have the opportunity to compete to see who can submit the most observations about nature. This is the fourth annual City Nature Challenge, and this year the communities of Port Aransas and Mustang Island can compete with counterparts over...
The Coastal Bend is one of the most “birdiest” regions in America. This region is also experiencing climatic shifts that are causing an increase in mangroves. Bird species in coastal regions, which rely heavily on specific plant communities, are particularly vulnerable...
A hurricane or other natural disaster can cause large and multiple changes to parks and natural areas. After Hurricane Harvey ripped through the Coastal Bend, it provided a unique opportunity for community planners take a step back and implement strategies to...
A group of 20 do-gooders from the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA), Austin Chapter were onsite at the Wetlands Education Center this past Friday. The volunteer team was part of the CCA-Austin’s effort to serve and support local communities. “We try to...
Stable isotope analysis is a common and extremely useful tool for studying aquatic life from single cells to whole ecosystems. Over 600 papers using stable isotope studies have been published in the journal Limnology and Oceanography (L&O) over the past 60...
The Mission-Aransas Reserve at The University of Texas Marine Science Institute just received two donations; one from the Flatsworthy, Inc. and Patagonia for $5,000 and one for $889 from Flatsworthy, Inc. in memory of Christopher “Chip” Pitcarin. These new funds will...
Lee Fuiman, Director of the Fisheries and Mariculture Laboratory at the Marine Science Institute of the University of Texas (UT) at Austin, will spend four of the next six months based at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida to exchange knowledge...
Texas leads Gulf of Mexico states in beach pollution. A recent study documents that Texas shorelines, specifically those in the Coastal Bend region, accumulate 10 times more trash than those in the north central Gulf states of Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida....
A team of young and enthusiastic workers wielding chainsaws and herbicide have descended upon the Coastal Bend region to help destroy invasive plant species leaving blue dunes in their wake. The blue is actually temporary dye in herbicide that allows the...
The Texas State Aquarium is investing in fisheries research at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) to help understand the fish use of shipping channels and passes. The Texas State Aquarium is collaborating with researchers to understand how, when, and...
The University of Texas Marine Science Institute is now hiring a captain for the R/V Katy. The R/V Katy is a 57-foot trawler. It is a floating classroom and a key component of the education and outreach program. Consider this fulfilling...
The Port of Corpus Christi's annual Putting for a Purpose Golf Tournament with all proceeds benefiting the Mission-Aransas Reserve was held at the North Shore Country Club the last weekend of October. The event raised $10,950 for the Mission-Aransas Reserve. “We...
From nurdles to water bottle accumulation rates, plastic waste in Texas coastal oceans and watersheds were the topics of discussion in the first Texas Plastic Pollution Symposium hosted on Tuesday, October 30th by the Mission-Aransas Reserve and The University of Texas...
Coral reefs are in peril and a new book, "Managing Coral Reefs," written by Dr. Kelly Dunning at The University of Texas Marine Science Institute and Mission-Aransas Reserve describes how two different countries in Southeast Asia use two drastically different approaches...
PORT ARANSAS - When local governments and city planners think about roadways and shorelines, they might use Kermit-the-Frog’s refrain “it’s not easy being green.” Often the use plants for flood mitigation or erosion control is not a common strategy, which may...
A new report has just been released that delivers a plan to gauge the health of Gulf of Mexico ecosystems. The Northern Gulf of Mexico and all of the habitats within it are big, and it takes big-picture thinking to accurately...
If you’ve ever been to the beach when the baby blue crabs are in season, you’ll know it. These small, larval, versions of the yummy entrees look like rain droplets. They are small but mighty and can become quite a nuisance...
SeaWorld San Antonio & Aquatica recently announced a new partnership with the Amos Rehabilitation Keep. This partnership will begin with the construction of a new, interactive sea turtle attraction called Turtle Reef at the SeaWorld park in San Antonio to be...