Development board envisions Space Coast as a 'learning culture'
by Kathy
Hagood
Brevard Technical Journal
Hubbs-SeaWorld Florida responds when injured dolphins and whales are stranded on east central Florida beaches.
Now De Freese is looking forward to kicking off a capital campaign to raise $8 million to build a marine research center adjacent to the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge in Brevard County. Dedicated by Congress in 1989, the refuge is considered the most important protected area for sea turtles in the United States.
The land for the project was donated in 1997 to Hubbs-SeaWorld by the Richard King Mellon Foundation. The foundation also donated land to the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands program.
De Freese had a vision about a decade ago for a research center associated with the Archie Carr refuge. He was then program coordinator for Brevard's EELs program.
De Freese had earned a B.S. in zoology from the University of Rhode Island before moving to the Space Coast to pursue a master's and doctorate in marine biology from Florida Tech.
"Archie Carr just seemed to me to be the perfect place for a research institute. I knew that Florida, even though it was surrounded by water, had barely tapped its potential for marine research," he said.
His idea grew legs when the King Mellon foundation donated 5.5 acres to Hubbs-SeaWorld and then Hubbs-SeaWorld hired him as Florida director of research. De Freese is now Vice President Florida Research.
"It's unusual in my field to be able to further your career by staying in the same place, but that's what I've been able to do. I feel fortunate," said De Freese, who lives in Indialantic with his wife, Vicki.
While De Freese might have focused on building the new research institute after Hubbs-SeaWorld brought him on, he instead began building a strong research program.
"My thinking was that we didn't need a fancy research institute if we didn't have any scientists or research projects to fill it," he said. "We had to gain credibility for our scientific work with the local community."
One of the most interesting projects the Florida group is working on is tracking endangered Atlantic leatherneck turtles through satellite telemetry. Leatherbacks that lay eggs at Archie Carr travel a long circuit up the coast and across the ocean before returning three years later to again lay their eggs at the refuge.
The space program technology enabling the tracking continues to be refined. In one of the latest phases of the program, 10 leatherbacks were equipped with telemetry sensors.
"For the first time we're starting to get some insight into migrations, which will help us provide better information for those trying to protect the species," De Freese said.
Other Hubbs-SeaWorld programs include the study of dolphins as a "top-level predator" in the Indian River Lagoon, developing rare pygmy whale and dwarf sperm whale research, and mapping protected areas associated with the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge.
Hubbs-SeaWorld Florida works with other Florida re-search groups, including Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota and Harbor Branch Oceano-graphic Institution in Fort Pierce, on common research issues.
Currently Hubbs-SeaWorld Florida research is performed at SeaWorld in Orlando or at associated academic institutions, including University of Central Florida. Staff includes several scientists and two fund-raising specialists.
Hubbs-SeaWorld recently added Dr. Llewellyn "Llew" Ehrhart as a distinguished senior research fellow of its Florida operation. Ehrhart, who retired from UCF, led sea turtle nesting research at Archie Carr. He and his students provided scientific data that lead to the dedication of the refuge.
Now that the Florida Hubbs-SeaWorld research program has matured, De Freese is gearing up to begin a capital fund-raising campaign for building the institute. Corporate sponsors are SeaWorld in Orlando, Darden Restaurants and Ron Jon Surf Shop.
Along with providing a facility for research, the building will also be used for educating the public. De Freese teaches as adjunct faculty at Brevard Community College and believes that education is a key part of his organization's mission.
Hubbs-SeaWorld was founded as a nonprofit research organization in 1963 by Seaworld co-founder Milton Shedd, marine biologist Dr. Carl Hubbs and others to "return to the sea some measure of the benefits derived from it." Shedd envisioned Hubbs-SeaWorld as "a resource for scientific information and ocean education for SeaWorld Visitors."
Hubbs-SeaWorld now employs about 65 in San Diego and Florida. It generates about $4 million in grant and contribution revenues each year. The institute is partially supported by contributions from the Anheuser-Busch family of companies, which now includes SeaWorld.
"Hubbs-SeaWorld is not an advocacy organization but provides accurate scientific data that may enable policymakers to make enlightened decisions," De Freese said.
The bottom line is sustainability of the ocean's resources. Hubbs-SeaWorld's annual report points out that our country imports more than $10 billion in seafood annually. Seafood is only second to oil as one of the biggest creators of the trade deficit.
About two-thirds of fish caught for human consumption are harvested at levels that don't allow for adequate replenishment of fish stocks.
"As economic and environmental issues concerning our oceans increase, it's vital that we have the scientific data we need to help provide solutions to some of our most pressing problems," De Freese said.
For more information on Hubbs-SeaWorld, visit www.hswri.org.
Since Dr. Duane De Freese was hired six years ago to head San Diego-based Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute's efforts in Florida, he's created a strong research program and increased awareness about the institute's work.
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