Ocean Commotion
Aug 26, 2011
Lee Campus – Aug. 26, 2011
Ocean Commotion to entertain seafood lovers of all ages
FORT MYERS, Fla. – A passionate educator with a love for marine biology, Rozalind Jester has delivered Southwest Florida’s latest can’t miss event – Ocean Commotion.
The Sept. 10 festival is designed to celebrate the local seafood industry and stimulate the economy through heightened awareness. The second installment, hosted by Edison State College, is free to the public and promises a fun environment the entire family will enjoy from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the terrace at Taeni Hall (Building S, Edison State College, 8099 College Parkway).
“My vision is to see it grow into an annual event that inspires our community to make healthy, sustainable choices, both for themselves and our ocean,” said Jester, an Oceanography professor at Edison State.
Ocean Commotion offers something for all with music, games, educational booths, guest speakers and a variety of food options. Many of the games and activities, like free face painting, are sponsored by Edison State’s Office of Student Life and Phi Theta Kappa.
Educational booths range from live marine “touch tanks” from the Imaginarium to the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary’s remote control boat Coastie, which displays safe boating practices, and displays on sustainable aquaculture. The event also features a raffle to win a 2-night stay at the Outrigger Beach Resort on Fort Myers Beach sponsored by Lee County Seafood Savvy Coalition.
The Timbers Restaurant and Fish Market also will be preparing samples of Mote’s sustainable farmed sturgeon.
“My hope is to bring awareness to marine environment issues that affect the health of fisheries in a way that is fun and enjoyable for the whole family,” Jester said. “I want to teach people how to identify which types of seafood are the best to choose when at a restaurant or market; ones that are fished or farmed in environmentally friendly ways.”
Jester earned her doctorate in Ocean Science from the University of California, Santa Cruz. The focus of her doctoral research was on the food-web ecology of toxic algae, specifically the organisms responsible for Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning along the west coast of North America and elsewhere.
Among the activities at Ocean Commotion will be exhibits emphasizing the best practices to protect marine animals and vital habitats from groups like Ostego Bay Foundation, Keep Lee County Beautiful, Turtle Time, Inc. and Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation.
For more information about Ocean Commotion please contact Dr. Roz Jester at 239-489-9428 or rjester@edison.edu.
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Last Updated: June 5, 2020
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