Researchers finish weeklong study of post-Ian Gulf water quality

Marine scientists across the state want to know how the Gulf of Mexico has changed and if it has improved nearly six months since Hurricane Ian. One group of researchers is making a weeklong voyage through the eastern Gulf to find out.

The work began just moments after setting sail.

“We’re doing this cruise this time six months after Hurricane Ian—we want to know what the long-term impacts are,” said Adam Catasus, chief scientist on the research cruise. “How is the system doing? Gulf of Mexico, Southwest Florida, the whole central west coast of Florida down all the way to Marco Island. So, we’ll find out”

Scientists from Florida Gulf Coast University and the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation will use a series of tests to evaluate the state of the water.

One test involves a massive device called the CTD rosette grabbing samples of the Gulf waters.

“The beauty of having the 12 bottles is we can take water at any depth,” said James Javaruski, a former FGCU graduate student. “Some sites, we’ll take three bottles at surface, three bottles in the middle and three bottles at the bottom.”