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Masonry “fish magnets” provide habitat knowledge
Four days prior to Christmas, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore put down a deposit on a small plot of real estate along the state’s Atlantic coast. The location is 10 miles east of Ocean City some 50-to-60 feet underwater. Resting on the ocean floor are 330 concrete blocks configured in 30 structures of varying sizes – each resembling a pyramid – and not to be confused with the terrestrial structure by the same name in the 9500 block of Coastal Highway. Funded by a $216,000 grant, UMES marine scientists built an artificial reef to test whether a strategically designed, man-made environment might attract black sea bass and tautog, two species popular with fishermen.
February 10, 2017
Neither species is considered endangered, but neither do marine scientists know much about their habits – and habitats. Should UMES’ reef design prove successful, Dr. Bradley Stevens said it could eventually help improve recreational fishing opportunities for the benefit of tourism and the economy. Stevens and Cara Schweitzer, a doctoral candidate from Missouri in UMES’ Marine, Estuarine, and Environmental Science program, drew inspiration for their pyramid-block design from pre-fabricated structures known as Oyster Castles used to revive the mollusk population. Schweitzer bound the blocks together using industrial-strength plastic zip ties. They, in turn, were stacked atop wooden pallets and carefully lowered to the ocean floor. Schweitzer identified an unobstructed spot for a reef easily accessible that could be studied at regular intervals; it also happens to lie between two existing reefs. As soon as the ocean warms up this May, she will don scuba gear to begin a series of up-close observations over the next two years. The “research reef,” as Stevens calls it, provides a rare opportunity to measure “how it is used by sea bass in that particular area, if at all.” “Artificial reefs,” said Stevens, the project’s principal investigator, “are a big deal because they help expand limited habitat.” PYRAMIDS / continued on page 6
When Stephanie Kiah attended church as a child, her educator-mother always brought pencils and paper to keep her occupied during sermons. “It got to the point where people sitting around us got in the habit of looking over to see what she was drawing,” Sandy Kiah said. “I knew then,” Mrs. Kiah said, “that she had a special gift.” Stephanie’s gift is on display at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s Mosely Gallery as one of six featured artists in an exhibit called “Women of Color Working With Color.” The show runs through March 16. Stephanie, who lives in Upper Marlboro, Md., and Diantha Mitchell of Hebron, Md. attended a Feb. 2 opening reception where they chatted up a steady stream of visitors and well-wishers. “I feel the warmth and love,” she said later. “It’s a great feeling.” The 29-year-old also found herself sharing her ancestral UMES connection; Dr. Thomas H. Kiah, the institution’s fifth and longest-serving leader, was her great-
Proud to be Kiah
INSIDE
KIA / continued on page 3
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Art Shell Honored at Super Bowl Mosely Black History Month Exhibit
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Study Abroad
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Homecoming Line-up Claim Your Seat to Takeoff!
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Athletics: Hawks Update
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Chesapeake Housing Dayton Dance Performance Black History Month Display
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Calendar of Events