Last week the Federal Government’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) confirmed that, although the US trade embargo against Cuba expressly forbids the importation of a wide variety of products of Cuban origin, including aquarium fishes, there is no restriction on the distribution of [...]
I am thrilled to announce that the Marine Science lab at Suffolk County Community College is the recipient of a $5000 grant from the Washington D.C. Area Marine Aquarist Society (WAMAS). Part of this club’s stated mission is: “To foster the exchange of information, promote captive [...]
The striped burrfish, Chilomycterus schoepfii, is one of the most common warm-water fishes to show up in our seine nets during Long Island’s brief collecting season. Sometimes referred to as the spiny boxfish, C. schoepfii belongs to the family Diodontidae, which includes the porcupine fish, [...]
Although it’s too early to celebrate, I’m happy to report that progress is being made at the Suffolk County Community College Marine Science Lab, on the captive culture of one of the rarest and most valuable reef basslets in the world, Rainfordia opercularis. Last year, with the help of Fluid [...]
One of the most satisfying aspects of collecting tropical fishes in New York, far outside of the tropics, is knowing that your activities have no impact on wild populations. Naturally, not every warm-water species you encounter will be the ideal candidate for your tank, but at least you can take [...]
With summer well underway in New York, you would expect marine fish diversity to be nearing its peak for the year. Normally, by early August, signs of the tropical influence of the Gulf Stream are abundant in the south shore bays of Long Island, however dives and seine net hauls currently look a [...]
The following video depicts more young winter flounders than you can easily count. It’s a common sight in the shallow bays of Long Island at this time of year as the newly settled juveniles forage on abundant invertebrates in our nutrient-rich waters. The winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes [...]
If you’ve been following my posts here or on Facebook or YouTube, you may be aware that I’ve been pretty fortunate in terms of wild encounters with marine life while diving in New York in the last couple of years (Check out links at the end of this article). My latest encounter was a first for [...]