Limited Edition Shirts from TrueFlies

Commemorating the Mote Marine Laboratory’s new field office, Boca Grande-based TrueFlies Clothing announced the release of a limited edition Bokeelia Woven Shirt at the recent dedication ceremony that included former first lady Laura Bush and former congressman Andy Ireland. Shirts are available now for purchase via the field office, with all proceeds going to benefit the laboratory’s extensive tarpon tagging project.

Read more in the press release below.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Boca Grande, Florida – January 12, 2013 – TrueFlies Clothing, a fishing apparel company based out of Boca Grande, Florida  announces the limited edition “Mote Marine Laboratory Boca Grande Field Office” Bokeelia Woven Shirt.

TrueFlies has provided the newly dedicated Mote Marine Laboratory Boca Grande Field office with their popular “Bokeelia” Woven shirt, emblazoned with the new lab’s logo embroidered on the chest.

The shirts are available at the “Mote Marine Laboratory – Boca Grande” office, located at Railroad Plaza, 480 E. Railroad Ave., Boca Grande, Fl. All proceeds will go toward funding an extensive acoustic tagging project for tarpon, enlisting guides and fishermen to capture 50 adult tarpon yearly. Researchers will tag each fish, then record their movements with 100 receivers placed in various habitats around the harbor.

This new office is about “Pure Conservation”. In the words of Mike Crosby, the lab’s head of research is to provide “unvarnished, un-political, straight-talking science” from which an informed public can make intelligent decisions.

Capt. Philip O’Bannon, the lab’s Executive Director has an ambitious plan for the new office, with far more than Tarpon on his mind. Other studies revolve around Snook, and include: Acoustic tagging, Genetic tracking, as well as Otolith chemistry. Other projects studying Red tide are also being planned.

Co-owners Michael Lintz, and Capt. Cole Fairbanks, of Boca Grande, Florida, formed TrueFlies Clothing. Conceived on the notion of function, folded into fashion, TrueFlies produces clothing with technical features, while incorporating classic sporting style. The result is a garment made to help one manage the elements on a hot, sun-drenched flat somewhere in the tropics… and look damn good while doing so.

Capt. Cole Fairbanks says of the new lab: “We are so thankful to Capt. O’Bannon and Mote for putting this office in place in an attempt to preserve such a precious watershed. We feel compelled to assist – at whatever capacity we can, those who seek to maintain the water, and all of its denizens that are so much a part of our, and so many others lives.”

For more information on TrueFlies, Please call Capt. Cole Fairbanks, V.P. True Flies L.L.C.  (941) 258-1683, visit our website:   http://www.trueflies.com, or also on Facebook at facebook.com/TrueFlies.

Get a great shirt… and support a great cause!

Make sure to get your TrueFlies limited edition “Mote Marine” Bokeelia shirt, and do some real good for the Charlotte harbor watershed! TrueFlies has donated the shirts to the new Mote Marine Field office to commemorate their opening!

The dedication of Mote Marine Laboratory’s new office in Boca Grande was really more like a “homecoming” of sorts, back to where it all began – Mote was created in 1954 by philanthropist Anne Vanderbilt, whose family owned 36,000 acres of land near Placida on Gaspirilla Bay. She convinced renowned marine researcher Eugenie Clark to move there the following year, and together they created the Cape Haze Marine Laboratory. By 1960, the success of the lab made it clear that a bigger facility was needed. Since then Mote’s main offices have been in Sarasota Fl.

The dedication’s fanfare included an address from former first lady Laura Bush, as well as former congressman Andy Ireland. After a brief message from the new office’s executive director, Capt. Philip O’Bannon, Eugenie Clark herself performed the ribbon cutting (at 91, she still dives, and works at Mote!).

Capt. Philip O’Bannon and Mike Crosby worked tirelessly to bring the Mote Marine satellite facility to Boca Grande. Mote Marine’s executive director Kumar Mahadevan said of the new facilities re-directed focus on Charlotte harbor “It is a presence in Boca Grande, where every waterman’s input is distinguished, and important”.

The new lab will be laying plans for an extensive acoustic tagging program for Tarpon, as well as for Snook (genetic tagging and Otolith chemistry will also be used in Snook research). A study on Red Tide is in the planning stages as well.

For information regarding your acquisition of the TrueFlies Limited edition Mote Bokeelia, Please contact the Mote Marine – Boca Grande Field Office –(941)-855-9251