[Coral-List] SCUBA fieldtrip during SEJ, reef resilience and US coral reef task force conferences

[Sarah Frias-Torres]

Dear coral-listers,this is a message I posted for those attending the SEJ conference in Miami. It's a fieldtrip to see the goliath grouper spawning aggregations off Jupiter.in case you are interested.....Dive with goliaths on their honeymoonOctober in Florida is the season for love and sex....for goliath groupers, that is. During this time of the year, goliath groupers are on their honeymoon. Goliath groupers are critically endangered, but Florida is the only place in the world where you can dive aggregations of these enormous fish as they prepare to spawn.Join marine biologist Dr. Sarah Frias-Torres, postdoctoral fellow at Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA), and invited speaker at the SEJ conference, as she dives to film and study the goliath groupers. This is a hands-on activity where you can learn the basics of grouper romance. While on deck and between dives, you can learn more about goliath grouper's struggle for survival.Details:This trip is organized by Dr. Frias-Torres, and it's independent from the SEJ conference and outside of the official program. However, to facilitate logistics the fieldtrip is planned for Thursday October 20, which coincides with the conference official day tours.Liability: all SCUBA divers must present a valid SCUBA certification (at a minimum open water certified), proof of dive insurance, and sign a liability waiver at the time of boarding the dive boat. No exceptions. The fieldtrip includes two recreational SCUBA dives, with a no-deco safety profile.How to get there:Meet at the lobby of the conference hotel (Intercontinental) at 8 AM.  Dr. Frias-Torres offers to rent a van to drive all divers to Jupiter. Florida. Expected return time to Miami: 5 to 6 pm depending on traffic.Price: $ 90 per dive trip (onboard gourmet lunch included, free non alcoholic drinks) , $15 per air tank, $20 per nitrox tank. Paid directly to dive shop. Rental of scuba gear available at extra cost.Max number of divers: 9Deadline: Contact organizer no later than October 14, 2011.Contact: Dr. Sarah Frias-Torres, Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA), 1420 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida.Tel: 772-467-1600email: sfrias-torres at teamorca.orgSarah Frias-Torres, Ph.D. Schmidt Ocean Institute Postdoctoral FellowOcean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA) 1420 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce, Florida 34949 USA Tel (772) 467-1600http://www.teamorca.orghttp://independent.academia.edu/SarahFriasTorres