Brett Sweezey
@saltwatersweezey.bsky.social
PhD Candidate Marine Biology | Shark Ecology 🦈 | Trophic Ecology 🐟| Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary 🪸 | Fisheries Science 🎣
Outreach & Educational Content
Sharing my journey into shark science!
https://www.instagram.com/saltwatersweezey/
Outreach & Educational Content
Sharing my journey into shark science!
https://www.instagram.com/saltwatersweezey/
This summer I leaned how to pilot an ROV! It was as simple as playing a video game with Xbox controller (in addition to a couple nuances).
October 17, 2025 at 2:02 PM
This summer I leaned how to pilot an ROV! It was as simple as playing a video game with Xbox controller (in addition to a couple nuances).
My crash course on species ID for sharks in the Gulf of Mexico! Of course there was a lot more nuance in identifying this species, but that all wouldn’t fit within this video!
Did you guess correctly? Hope you enjoy!
Did you guess correctly? Hope you enjoy!
April 4, 2025 at 4:25 PM
My crash course on species ID for sharks in the Gulf of Mexico! Of course there was a lot more nuance in identifying this species, but that all wouldn’t fit within this video!
Did you guess correctly? Hope you enjoy!
Did you guess correctly? Hope you enjoy!
I’m excited to share the finished product of a short film I have been working on! This video summarizes the benefits of dried blood spot analysis to estimate the trophic level of multiple shark species at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary!
Go check out the video on my Instagram!
Go check out the video on my Instagram!
February 5, 2025 at 3:16 PM
I’m excited to share the finished product of a short film I have been working on! This video summarizes the benefits of dried blood spot analysis to estimate the trophic level of multiple shark species at the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary!
Go check out the video on my Instagram!
Go check out the video on my Instagram!
Some INCREDIBLE photos taken by Mountain and Wave Films documenting a trip to the Flower Garden Banks in an attempt to capture some sharks for a trophic ecology study. This project would not have been possible without the funding provided by the @saveourseasfoundation
January 17, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Some INCREDIBLE photos taken by Mountain and Wave Films documenting a trip to the Flower Garden Banks in an attempt to capture some sharks for a trophic ecology study. This project would not have been possible without the funding provided by the @saveourseasfoundation
Who has heard about the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary? It’s one of only 15 national marine sanctuaries in US waters and the only one in the Gulf of Mexico!!
This species rich hotspot is home to many tropical and marine fishes which attracts large predators such as tunas and sharks
This species rich hotspot is home to many tropical and marine fishes which attracts large predators such as tunas and sharks
December 15, 2024 at 9:48 PM
Who has heard about the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary? It’s one of only 15 national marine sanctuaries in US waters and the only one in the Gulf of Mexico!!
This species rich hotspot is home to many tropical and marine fishes which attracts large predators such as tunas and sharks
This species rich hotspot is home to many tropical and marine fishes which attracts large predators such as tunas and sharks
I just put together a small reel that summarized my personal CPUE (catch per unit effort) for shark tagging this year. I have over 500 hours of boat time and only caught 35 individuals from my target species!!
You would think trying to catch sharks on a coral reef would be easy 🤣
You would think trying to catch sharks on a coral reef would be easy 🤣
December 7, 2024 at 3:01 PM
I just put together a small reel that summarized my personal CPUE (catch per unit effort) for shark tagging this year. I have over 500 hours of boat time and only caught 35 individuals from my target species!!
You would think trying to catch sharks on a coral reef would be easy 🤣
You would think trying to catch sharks on a coral reef would be easy 🤣
Is that freshly lab prepared paprika and onion powder?
Sometimes when sitting in a the lab crushing muscle tissue and blood samples for a long time the intrusive thoughts start to seep in 😂
Sometimes when sitting in a the lab crushing muscle tissue and blood samples for a long time the intrusive thoughts start to seep in 😂
December 6, 2024 at 2:43 PM
Is that freshly lab prepared paprika and onion powder?
Sometimes when sitting in a the lab crushing muscle tissue and blood samples for a long time the intrusive thoughts start to seep in 😂
Sometimes when sitting in a the lab crushing muscle tissue and blood samples for a long time the intrusive thoughts start to seep in 😂
Hello science communicators! I'm trying to find anyone who would be willing to sit down and talk with me about my research. It can be for any type of science communication or electronic media (reel, podcast, article)
As I slowly dive into education and outreach I am trying to find ways (1/3)
As I slowly dive into education and outreach I am trying to find ways (1/3)
December 2, 2024 at 11:59 PM
Hello science communicators! I'm trying to find anyone who would be willing to sit down and talk with me about my research. It can be for any type of science communication or electronic media (reel, podcast, article)
As I slowly dive into education and outreach I am trying to find ways (1/3)
As I slowly dive into education and outreach I am trying to find ways (1/3)
Quick Update: The scalloped hammerhead we tagged over a month ago is very much still hanging around north of the Flower Gardens!!
This individual has been already given us a decent number of detections and hopefully continues to do so for the next year!
This individual has been already given us a decent number of detections and hopefully continues to do so for the next year!
December 1, 2024 at 6:10 PM
Quick Update: The scalloped hammerhead we tagged over a month ago is very much still hanging around north of the Flower Gardens!!
This individual has been already given us a decent number of detections and hopefully continues to do so for the next year!
This individual has been already given us a decent number of detections and hopefully continues to do so for the next year!
Just wrapped up the field and lab work for one of dissertation chapters! This trophic study holds a special place in my heart as the first study I have designed, acquired funding, and performed the field and lab work 🦈 🦑
Hopefully for some awesome results!!
Hopefully for some awesome results!!
November 28, 2024 at 3:49 PM
Just wrapped up the field and lab work for one of dissertation chapters! This trophic study holds a special place in my heart as the first study I have designed, acquired funding, and performed the field and lab work 🦈 🦑
Hopefully for some awesome results!!
Hopefully for some awesome results!!
I haven’t quite figured out how to express my thoughts and stream of consciousness in short form content on #Bluesky, but I do spend time making shorts and reels about my research which are frequently posted to my #Instagram
November 26, 2024 at 3:19 PM
I haven’t quite figured out how to express my thoughts and stream of consciousness in short form content on #Bluesky, but I do spend time making shorts and reels about my research which are frequently posted to my #Instagram
Spending some time in the lab today trying to figure out how much 200 uL of whole blood weighs for stable isotope analysis 🩸 🧐 🦑 🦈
November 25, 2024 at 5:53 PM
Spending some time in the lab today trying to figure out how much 200 uL of whole blood weighs for stable isotope analysis 🩸 🧐 🦑 🦈
Did you know that sharks eat other sharks? It’s a common occurrence to observe these predation events between sharks of different sizes!
Here’s a picture of an Atlantic sharpnose shark that narrowly escaped a predation event from a much larger shark!! She was still alive too!! 🦈 🦑
Here’s a picture of an Atlantic sharpnose shark that narrowly escaped a predation event from a much larger shark!! She was still alive too!! 🦈 🦑
November 22, 2024 at 1:23 PM
Did you know that sharks eat other sharks? It’s a common occurrence to observe these predation events between sharks of different sizes!
Here’s a picture of an Atlantic sharpnose shark that narrowly escaped a predation event from a much larger shark!! She was still alive too!! 🦈 🦑
Here’s a picture of an Atlantic sharpnose shark that narrowly escaped a predation event from a much larger shark!! She was still alive too!! 🦈 🦑
During one of my written exams for candidacy this week I was asked, “Tell me everything you know about your study species”. All I could do is smile as I thought to myself, “You asked for it, because I can talk about sharks all day” 🦈
Beautiful adult dusky shark in the video below!
Beautiful adult dusky shark in the video below!
November 21, 2024 at 1:09 PM
During one of my written exams for candidacy this week I was asked, “Tell me everything you know about your study species”. All I could do is smile as I thought to myself, “You asked for it, because I can talk about sharks all day” 🦈
Beautiful adult dusky shark in the video below!
Beautiful adult dusky shark in the video below!
Last month I had my FIRST successful tag and release of a scalloped hammerhead inside the #flowergardenbanksnms. We’ve been trying to find them in the sanctuary for almost 3 years!!
Turn up the volume to hear my yell of excitement 😆 🔊
Turn up the volume to hear my yell of excitement 😆 🔊
November 19, 2024 at 11:46 PM
Last month I had my FIRST successful tag and release of a scalloped hammerhead inside the #flowergardenbanksnms. We’ve been trying to find them in the sanctuary for almost 3 years!!
Turn up the volume to hear my yell of excitement 😆 🔊
Turn up the volume to hear my yell of excitement 😆 🔊
The “who am I?” post!
I’m a PhD student studying the movement patterns and feeding behaviors of sharks in the Gulf of Mexico 🦈
I’m trying to find connections with people who have a passion for:
🌊 The Ocean
🦀 Marine Life
🧬 Science
🦠 Biology/Ecology
🌲 The Environment/Climate
#MarineLife
I’m a PhD student studying the movement patterns and feeding behaviors of sharks in the Gulf of Mexico 🦈
I’m trying to find connections with people who have a passion for:
🌊 The Ocean
🦀 Marine Life
🧬 Science
🦠 Biology/Ecology
🌲 The Environment/Climate
#MarineLife
November 17, 2024 at 2:36 PM
The “who am I?” post!
I’m a PhD student studying the movement patterns and feeding behaviors of sharks in the Gulf of Mexico 🦈
I’m trying to find connections with people who have a passion for:
🌊 The Ocean
🦀 Marine Life
🧬 Science
🦠 Biology/Ecology
🌲 The Environment/Climate
#MarineLife
I’m a PhD student studying the movement patterns and feeding behaviors of sharks in the Gulf of Mexico 🦈
I’m trying to find connections with people who have a passion for:
🌊 The Ocean
🦀 Marine Life
🧬 Science
🦠 Biology/Ecology
🌲 The Environment/Climate
#MarineLife
Every shark that is captured has a small piece of it’s fin removed, called a fin clip. This fin sample is used for genetic analysis to help us understand how populations are connected across the extent of their movement range to aid with recruitment and recovery efforts for these species #MarineLife
November 16, 2024 at 6:53 PM
Every shark that is captured has a small piece of it’s fin removed, called a fin clip. This fin sample is used for genetic analysis to help us understand how populations are connected across the extent of their movement range to aid with recruitment and recovery efforts for these species #MarineLife
1.1 grams of fish muscle tissue neatly package into a tin container for stable isotope analysis. Only another 200 to go 😂
October 18, 2024 at 4:45 AM
1.1 grams of fish muscle tissue neatly package into a tin container for stable isotope analysis. Only another 200 to go 😂
Collected some fish samples for a food web study off of Vancouver Island, BC last month! Here’s a vermillion rockfish I ended up catching!
#MarineLife
#MarineLife
October 14, 2024 at 9:35 PM
Collected some fish samples for a food web study off of Vancouver Island, BC last month! Here’s a vermillion rockfish I ended up catching!
#MarineLife
#MarineLife
One of my favorite skills I’ve developed working with all sorts of fish throughout graduate school! Extracting blood from the caudal vein!
October 10, 2024 at 1:33 PM
One of my favorite skills I’ve developed working with all sorts of fish throughout graduate school! Extracting blood from the caudal vein!
Found a spotted ratfish on the beach while visiting Vancouver Island!!
October 8, 2024 at 12:01 AM
Found a spotted ratfish on the beach while visiting Vancouver Island!!
My first interaction with a deep water shark! Meet the little gulper shark!
September 11, 2024 at 5:43 PM
My first interaction with a deep water shark! Meet the little gulper shark!
My home for the next 3 weeks! Heading out on a bottom longline survey with NOAA trying to catch some of my target shark species!!
September 2, 2024 at 3:18 PM
My home for the next 3 weeks! Heading out on a bottom longline survey with NOAA trying to catch some of my target shark species!!
My home for the next 3 weeks! Heading out on a bottom longline survey with NOAA trying to catch some of my target shark species!!
September 2, 2024 at 3:18 PM
My home for the next 3 weeks! Heading out on a bottom longline survey with NOAA trying to catch some of my target shark species!!
Here are some newly painted satellite tags! Ready to deployed on hammerhead sharks next month!
August 30, 2024 at 3:57 PM
Here are some newly painted satellite tags! Ready to deployed on hammerhead sharks next month!