The Final Catch – TBS Sampling Nets 725 Fish
Map of Tampa Bay showing fish catch locations. (Click to see the enlarged map)
On April 30th, the TBS team marked a bittersweet milestone: our final fishing trip, capping off an incredibly productive year of field collection focused on snook, redfish, spotted seatrout, and sheepshead. Over the course of 12 months we netted a total of 725 fish across Tampa Bay – a major accomplishment that will ultimately advance our understanding of how harmful contaminants are distributed and concentrated in the region’s waters.
Detailed analysis is now underway on a range of fish tissues – liver, muscle, brain – as well as surrounding sediment samples. In the coming weeks, our team will begin the next phase of sampling, expanding into key invertebrate species like oysters and barnacles.
We wrapped up this phase of the project with a celebration alongside several of our dedicated fishing captains and raised a toast to our exceptional lab technician, Daisy, as she embarks on a new adventure out west. Bon voyage, Daisy – and thank you for everything!
TBS fish size frequencies
A full year of fieldwork in Florida came with no shortage of challenges. From back-to-back hurricanes in August, September, and October to fishing through sweltering summer heat and surprisingly cold winter days, the team showed unwavering commitment throughout. We pushed through slow, fishless days and celebrated the ones where the fish were biting nonstop. At our end-of-season celebration, we honored the effort and camaraderie that got us through it all – handing out awards to our captains and crew in categories such as:
Most Fish in One Day (25)
Hottest Day (89° F)
Heaviest Fish (12.5 lbs)
Coldest Day (45° F)
Longest Fish (32.3 in)
Most Bycatch (Captain Kenny)
Most Fishing Trips/MVP (Kylee Rullo)
Murawski graduate student, Jill, on a particularly frigid winter day
Kylee showing some love to one of the first catches of the season, a spotted seatrout
Daisy poses with a beefy snook!
AJ holds up a beautiful redfish
Ryan with his proud catch-of-the-day!
Our fearless leader, Dr. Steve Murawski
A very good day for the TBS team! Alexandra, Kylee, and Devon with a trio of honking redfish.
As Dr. Murawski likes to say, “If you’re not having fun, you’re not doing it right.” The TBS team works incredibly hard to conduct meaningful, impactful science, but we make sure to keep things light and enjoy the ride.
A heartfelt thank you and congratulations to our dedicated team, our world-class fishing captains, and all of our enthusiastic volunteers for an unforgettable year. We’re excited for the next phase of the project and for the insights and tools that will help shape the future of environmental monitoring and management in Tampa Bay and beyond.
The TBS team and friends — cheers to a momentous year!
