Tonya Wiley is our speaker this meeting. Sawfish are large shark-like rays that
once were relatively common in Florida's coastal waters. Now, Florida's smalltooth sawfish is endangered and scientists are striving to learn as much as possible about this iconic and fascinating fish. Tonya will provide a presentation with interesting facts about sawfish, updates on Florida sawfish research including the recent mortality events in the Keys, explanations of management tools such as the Endangered Species Act, and descriptions of ways you can be involved in the conservation of smalltooth sawfish. Join us to see a three-foot sawfish replica, feel some real sawfish rostra (saws), and get some great free sawfish swag!
Tonya grew up far from saltwater in Michigan and north Texas but developed a love for the ocean during family vacations to Florida and caught her first shark while fishing with her dad in Charlotte Harbor. Following a stint in the US Navy she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Fisheries from Texas A&M University at Galveston. She completed an internship with the White Shark Research Institute in South Africa, and then a temporary research project on endangered suckers with US Geological Survey in Oregon. Tonya has worked for the Coastal Fisheries Division of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as a Marine Finfish Hatchery Technician, Ecosystem Management Technician, and Fisheries Outreach Specialist; and for Mote Marine laboratory’s Center for Shark Research on the Sawfish Research Project leading field surveys for endangered smalltooth sawfish from Tampa Bay to the Florida Keys. Tonya is now the President of Havenworth Coastal Conservation, founded to promote the sustainable use and conservation of marine resources through research, outreach, and education. Tonya has been conducting field studies of sharks and rays since 2001, including research on the endangered smalltooth sawfish in Florida, becoming an authority on the biology and ecology of the species. Tonya now leads sawfish research in the Tampa Bay area and outreach efforts throughout the country. She serves as a Vice President for the Sawfish Conservation Society and is an appointed member of and team leader for the U.S. Smalltooth Sawfish Recovery Implementation Team, a multi-institutional panel of experts working to protect the remaining sawfish population in the U.S. and prevent the species from going extinct.
