Family Dip Netting

Educators from Mote Marine Laboratory lead participants waist-deep into Sarasota Bay to study the nearshore seagrass beds. Armed with dip nets, attendees wade into the water to collect and identify the small marine organisms that inhabit the vital estuary ecosystem, ranging from sea stars and shrimp to various juvenile fish and crabs. The outdoor field excursion provides direct, tactile experience with the coastal environment, teaching the ecological importance of seagrass habitats and the biodiversity they support through immediate observation and catch-and-release practices.