Shark tagging in Ten Thousand Islands reveals crucial restoration data

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. - Deep in the Ten Thousand Islands lies a waiting game for shark tagging interns like Laini Potter. Every trip on the water tests their patience, skill and nerve.

"Patience is key out here. I think patience is heavily rewarded," said Potter.

The thrill of catching a shark is undeniable.

"Everyone on the boat kind of like, had that adrenaline rush. We were like, we got one. We finally got one," said Potter.

For Potter, each catch brings excitement.

"It's always exciting. You know, even if we catch multiple sharks, every time we get one up here on the boat, I feel like a little kid," said Potter.

The effort behind tagging sharks extends beyond the thrill of the catch. Each tagged shark provides crucial data for tracking fish communities and understanding how these waters change as restoration continues.

"We're out targeting sharks here for this restoration project," said Pat O'Donnell, a Rookery Bay environmental specialist. "Trying to see how fish resources in the estuary are going to be affected by the Picayune Strand Restoration."

O'Donnell is committed to this research, boasting over two and a half decades of baseline data.

"I've got over two and a half decades of baseline data showing how things have acclimated to a high fresh water flow hydrology," said O'Donnell.

In simple terms, this means less salt and a healthier bay.

"When you're in an estuary that's always changing, it's good to have that wide tolerance to these changing environments," said O'Donnell.

Potter believes that sharks play a vital role in the ecosystem.

"They unfortunately get a bad rap sometimes," said Potter. "They're big and scary, and they should be respected as the predators they are. When there's sharks around, then that means that, you know, things are healthy."

Researchers plan to keep tracking these sharks and other species for at least another 10 years to monitor how estuaries continue to respond to restoration over time.