Tonya Wiley established Havenworth Coastal Conservation in 2010 to promote the sustainable use and conservation of marine resources through research, outreach, and education. Tonya received a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Fisheries from Texas A&M University at Galveston in 1998. Following graduation, she completed internships with the South African White Shark Research Institute and the U.S. Geological Survey-Biological Resources Division. Tonya previously 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 Sawfish Research Project conducting conservation biology studies of the endangered smalltooth sawfish. Tonya then founded Havenworth Coastal Conservation to combine her passions for conservation research and public outreach to promote the protection of imperiled marine species and their habitats. Tonya’s current research focuses on investigating the occurrence, distribution, habitat use, movements, and trends of endangered smalltooth sawfish, sharks, and cownose rays in the greater Tampa Bay region of Florida to inform conservation and management. She conducts public outreach for promoting sawfish conservation and encouraging public reporting of sawfish interactions to ensure the recovery of endangered sawfish in the United States. Tonya currently serves as the Leader for the U.S. Smalltooth Sawfish Recovery Implementation Team, as Administrative Associate for the Sawfish Conservation Society, and as Treasurer and Conservation Committee member of the American Elasmobranch Society.
Dr. Andrea Kroetz received her Ph.D. in Marine Science from the University of South Alabama in 2015. Andrea’s primary research interest is the ecology and conservation of migratory and threatened elasmobranchs and their habitats, which includes trophic ecology, species distribution models, age and growth, and movement ecology. From 2015 - 2024, Andrea was an affiliate with the National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center where she began her research on the conservation biology of smalltooth sawfish. Her research focuses on monitoring the relative abundance, distribution, and movement ecology of juvenile and mature sawfish in south Florida and in Andros, The Bahamas, assessing population status and habitat use of all size classes of smalltooth sawfish. Andrea currently serves as the Secretary for the U.S. Smalltooth Sawfish Recovery Implementation Team and as Chair of the Sawfish Conservation Society Research Committee.
Kennedy began volunteering with Havenworth Coastal Conservation in 2019 during her undergraduate studies at University of South Florida, while also volunteering with Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and Projects Abroad. She completed internships with Saving the Blue Foundation, Mote Marine Laboratory, University of South Florida, and NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division, and has previously worked for Clearwater Marine Aquarium and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Kennedy received her Master of Science degree in Biology from the University of Georgia in 2024. She is a PADI certified Rescue and Nitrox diver. Kennedy currently serves as store coordinator for the American Elasmobranch Society Student Affairs Committee.
Kroetz, A.M., A.B. Brame, M. Bernanke, M. McDavitt, T.R. Wiley. 2021. Tracking public interest and perceptions about smalltooth sawfish conservation in the USA using Instagram. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. Link»
Smith, K.L., K. Feldheim, J.K. Carlson, T.R. Wiley, S.S. Taylor. 2021. Female philopatry in smalltooth sawfish Pristis pectinata: Conservation and Management Implications. Endangered Species Research. Link»
Friess, C., S. Lowerre-Barbieri, G. Poulakis, N. Hammerschlag, J. Gardiner, A. Kroetz, K. Bassos-Hull, J. Bickford, E. Bohaboy, B. Ellis, H. Menendez, W. Patterson, M. Price, J. Rehage, C. Shea, M. Smukall, S. Walters Burnsed, K. Wilkinson, J. Young, A. Collins, B. DeGroot, C. Peterson, C. Purtlebaugh, M. Randall, R. Scharer, R. Schloesser, T. Wiley, G. Alvarez, A. Danylchuck, A. Fox, D. Grubbs, A. Hill, J. Locascio, P. O'Donnell, G. Skomal, F. Whoriskey, L. Griffin. 2021. Regional scale variability in the movement ecology of marine fishes revealed by an integrative acoustic tracking network. Marine Ecology Progress Series 663:157-177. Link»
Gardiner, J.M., T.R. Wiley. 2020. Escaped bait: bull shark Carcharhinus leucas with an intentionally attached harness rig. Journal of Fish Biology 98(3): 891-894. Link»
Wiley, T. 2020. Sawfish. In J. Royal & M. Rosquillo (eds.), Changing Tides: A Pact Press Anthology (pp. 60-68). Raleigh, NC: Regal House Publishing. Link»
Postaire, B.D., J. Bakker, J.M. Gardiner, T.R. Wiley, D.D. Chapman. 2020. Environmental DNA detection tracks established seasonal occurrence of blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) in a semi-enclosed subtropical bay. Scientific Reports 10, 11847. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-68843-0 Link»
Smith, K.L., M. Kaller, J.K. Carlson, D.M. Bethea, K. Feldheim, T.R. Wiley, W. Kelso and S. Taylor. In review. Estimates of Contemporary Census and Effective Population Size of Juvenile Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis pectinata).
Brame, A.B., T.R. Wiley, J.K. Carlson, S.V. Fordham, R.D. Grubbs, J. Osborne, R.M. Scharer, D.M. Bethea, G.R. Poulakis. 2019. Biology, Ecology, and Status of Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis pectinata) in the United States. Endangered Species Research 39:9-23. Link»
Chen, X., Wiley, T., Kyne, P.M., and Feutry, P. (2015). Complete mitochondrial genome of the Critically Endangered Smalltooth Sawfish Pristis pectinata (Rajiformes: Pristidae). Mitochondrial DNA. doi: 10.3109/19401736.2015.1018208. Link»
Waters, J. D., Coelho, R., Fernandez-Carvalho, J., Timmers, A. A., Wiley,T., Seitz, J. C., McDavitt, M. T., Burgess, G. H., and Poulakis, G. R. (2014). Use of encounter data to model spatio-temporal distribution patterns of endangered smalltooth sawfish, Pristis pectinata, in the western Atlantic. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 24, 760-776. Link»
Faria, V.V., McDavitt, M.T., Charvet, P., Wiley, T.R., Simpfendorfer, C.A., Naylor, G.J.P. 2014. Taxonomy: How many sawfish species are there? Pages 22-25. In: Harrison, L.R. and Dulvy, N.K. (eds). Sawfish: A Global Strategy for Conservation. IUCN Species Survival Commission's Shark Specialist Group, Vancouver, Canada. Link»
Carlson, J., Wiley, T. & Smith, K. 2014. Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis pectinata) Global. Page 36. In: Harrison, L.R. and Dulvy, N.K. (eds). Sawfish: A Global Strategy for Conservation. IUCN Species Survival Commission's Shark Specialist Group, Vancouver, Canada. Link»
Wiley, T., Carlson, J. & Smith, K. 2014. Smalltooth Sawfish Western Atlantic subpopulation. Page 36. In: Harrison, L.R. and Dulvy, N.K. (eds). Sawfish: A Global Strategy for Conservation. IUCN Species Survival Commission's Shark Specialist Group, Vancouver, Canada. Link»
Carlson, J., Wiley, T. & Smith, K. 2014. Smalltooth Sawfish Eastern Atlantic subpopulation. Page 36. In: Harrison, L.R. and Dulvy, N.K. (eds). Sawfish: A Global Strategy for Conservation. IUCN Species Survival Commission's Shark Specialist Group, Vancouver, Canada. Link»
Wiley, T., Carlson, J. & Smith, K. 2013. Pristis pectinata (Western Atlantic subpopulation). In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1. Link»
Carlson, J., Wiley, T. & Smith, K. 2013. Pristis pectinata (Eastern Atlantic subpopulation). In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1. Link»
Carlson, J., Wiley, T. & Smith, K. 2013. Pristis pectinata. In: IUCN 2013. In: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1. Link»
Faria, V.V., McDavitt, M.T., Charvet, P., Wiley, T.R., Simpfendorfer, C.A., Naylor, G.J.P. 2013. Species delineation and global population structure of Critically Endangered sawfishes (Pristidae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 167: 136-164. Link»
Norton, S., Wiley, T.R., Carlson, J.K., Frick, A.L., Poulakis, G.R., and Simpfendorfer, C.A. 2012. Designating critical habitat for juvenile endangered smalltooth sawfish in the United States. Marine and Coastal Fisheries: Dynamics, Management, and Ecosystem Science: 4(1): 473-480. Link»
Chapman, D.D., Simpfendorfer, C.A., Wiley, T.R., Poulakis, G.R., Tringali, M., Carlson, J.K., and Feldheim, K.A. 2011. Genetic diversity despite population collapse in a critically endangered marine fish: the smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata). Journal of Heredity 102(6): 643-652. Link»
Poulakis, G.R., Stevens, P.W., Timmers, A.A., Wiley, T.R., and Simpfendorfer, C.A. 2011. Abiotic affinities and spatiotemporal distribution of the endangered smalltooth sawfish, Pristis pectinata, in a southwest Florida nursery. Marine & Freshwater Research 62:1165-1177. Link»
Simpfendorfer, CA, Yeiser, BG, Wiley, TR, Poulakis, GR, Stevens, PW, and Heupel, MR 2011. Environmental Influences on the Spatial Ecology of Juvenile Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis pectinata): Results from Acoustic Monitoring. PLoS ONE 6(2): e16918. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0016918. Link»
Wiley, T.R. and Simpfendorfer, C.A. 2010. Using public encounter data to direct recovery efforts for the endangered smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata). Endangered Species Research. 12:179-191. Link»
Feldheim, K.A., Chapman, D.D., Simpfendorfer, C.A., Richards, V.P., Shivji, M.S., Wiley, T.R., Poulakis, G.R., Carlson, J.K., Eng, R., and Sagarese, S. 2010. Genetic tools to support the conservation of the endangered smalltooth sawfish, Pristis pectinata. Conservation Genetics Resources 2:105-113. Link»
Simpfendorfer, C.A., Wiley, T.R., and Yeiser, B.G. 2010. Improving conservation planning for an endangered sawfish using data from acoustic telemetry. Biological Conservation 143(6): 1460-1469. Link»
Wiley, T.R., and Norton, S. 2009. Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis pectinata Latham) 5-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation. Draft report to National Marine Fisheries Service. Link»
Wiley, T.R. 2009. Sawfish: Texas' Lost Species. Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine, Vol. 19, No. 2. Link»
Wiley, T.R., Simpfendorfer, C.A., Faria, V.F., and McDavitt, M.T. 2008. Range, sexual dimorphism and bilateral asymmetry of rostral tooth counts in the smalltooth sawfish Pristis pectinata Latham (Chondrichthyes:Pristidae) of the southeastern United States. ZooTaxa 1810: 51-59. Link»
Simpfendorfer, C.A., Poulakis, G.R., O'Donnell, P.M., and Wiley, T.R. 2008. Growth rates of juvenile smalltooth sawfish Pristis pectinata Latham in the western Atlantic. Journal of Fish Biology 72: 711-723. Link»
Wiley, T.R., and Simpfendorfer, C.A. 2007. The Ecology of Elasmobranchs Occurring in the Everglades National Park, Florida: Implications for Conservation and Management. Bulletin of Marine Science 80(1): 171-189. Link»
Wiley, T.R., and Simpfendorfer, C.A. 2007. Occurrence of Carcharhinus isodon (Finetooth shark) in Florida Bay. Southeastern Naturalist 6(1): 183-186. Link»
Simpfendorfer, C.A., Freitas, G.G., Wiley, T.R., and Heupel M.R. 2005. Distribution and habitat partitioning of immature bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) in a southwest Florida estuary. Estuaries 28(1): 76-83. Link»
Wiley, T. R. 2002. Did You See What I Saw? Sawfish Are Struggling to Survive in a Changing Marine Environment. Coastal Conservation Association's Tide Magazine, Vol. 25, Issue 6.
2024 Anonymous Foundation
$30,000-Emergency Sawfish Efforts in South Florida
2024 Shark Conservation Fund (joint award with Shark Advocates International)
$430,900-Ensuring Recovery of Endangered U.S. Sawfish (2024-2026)
2023 National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources
$2,498-Maintaining Smalltooth Sawfish Outreach Efforts
2023 National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources
$1,982-Facilitating the 2023 SSRIT meeting and the 20th Listing Anniversary Public Meet and Greet
2022 Disney Conservation Fund
$16,000-Conserving Florida's Endangered Smalltooth Sawfish
2021 Tampa Bay Environmental Restoration Fund (joint award with New College of Florida)
$165,111- Assessing Data Gaps in the Status and Trends of Sharks in the Tampa Bay
2021 American Geophysical Union-Sharing Science Grant
$1,000- Respect-Release-Report: endangered sawfish interaction guidelines video
2021 Disney Conservation Fund
$33,600- Conserving Florida's Endangered Smalltooth Sawfish
2021 Save Our Seas Foundation
$14,997-Investigating the use of Tampa Bay by Endangered Smalltooth Sawfish
2021 National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources
$2,498- Maintaining Smalltooth Sawfish Outreach Efforts
2020 Save Our Seas Foundation
$13,700 Investigating the use of Tampa Bay by Endangered Smalltooth Sawfish
2020 National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources
$2,498 Promoting Public Reporting of Sawfish Interactions
2020 Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund
$12,250 Benefitting Florida’s sawfish by using media activities and public events
2019 Disney VoluntEARS Grants Program
$1,000 Public Outreach for Sawfish Conservation
2019 National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources
$9,980 Outreach for the Endangered Smalltooth Sawfish
2019 Save Our Seas Foundation
$27,100 Investigating the use of Tampa Bay by Endangered Smalltooth Sawfish
2019 Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund (joint award with Shark Advocates International)
$19,743 Benefitting Florida’s sawfish by using media activities and public events
2018 Shark Conservation Fund (joint award with Shark Advocates International and SeaLife Law)
$317,000 Saving Caribbean Sawfishes (2018-2020)
2018 National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources
$10,621 Outreach for the Endangered Smalltooth Sawfish
2018 National Marine Sanctuaries Foundation
$56,641.85 Endangered Sawfish Outreach in the Florida Keys
2018 Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund
$50,487 Benefit Florida’s sawfish by using media activities and public events (joint award with Shark Advocates International)
2017 National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources
$6,793 Outreach Activities for the Endangered Smalltooth Sawfish
2017 Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund
$30,003 Benefit Florida’s sawfish by using media activities and public events (joint award with Shark Advocates International)
2016 National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources
$14,976.90 Smalltooth Sawfish Outreach Services
2015 National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources
$11,040 Update the Smalltooth Sawfish Recovery Plan and Conduct a 5-year ESA Review.
2015 National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources
$2,500 Smalltooth Sawfish Outreach and Placard Distribution
2014 The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund
$10,000 Educational outreach to improve awareness, appreciation, handling, release, reporting, and recovery of Critically Endangered Smalltooth Sawfish in Florida. (joint award with Shark Advocates International)
2010-2012 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
$14,169 annually Smalltooth Sawfish Research and Outreach: a collaborative program
2008 National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources
$2,400 Five Year Review of the Endangered U.S. Distinct Population Segment of Smalltooth Sawfish
2007 Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund
$10,000 Endangered Sawfish Satellite Tagging
2007 Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation
$10,000 Endangered Sawfish Conservation and Education
2007 National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources
$74,846 National Smalltooth Sawfish Encounter Database and Outreach
2007 National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources
$71,995 Monitoring of Sawfish Nursery Areas throughout Florida
2006 John Ball Zoological Society
$1,500 Involving the Public in the Conservation of the Smalltooth Sawfish through the "Release It-Report It" campaign
2005 Florida Power & Light
$2,000 Smalltooth Sawfish Outreach
*Field activities are performed under ESA Protected Species permits issued by National Marine Fisheries Service and Special Activities License permits issued by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
American Elasmobranch Society
Member since 2001
Conservation Committee appointed member 2018-present
Grant Fund Committee elected member 2008-2011
Secretary elected 2018-present
American Fisheries Society
Member since 2008
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
Member since 2006
Coastal Brigade-Texas Brigades
Committee member 2015-2021
Curriculum Sub-committee Chair 2015 - 2021
Treasurer elected 2017-2019
Texas Brigades Program Committee 2020-2021
Coastal Conservation Association Florida
Member since 2016
Florida Association of Environmental Professionals
Member since 2016
Florida Chapter American Fisheries Society
Member since 2013
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Outreach and Education Technical Committee
Appointed member 2008-2010, 2019-present
New College Research Scholar
Appointed 2017-present
Sawfish Conservation Society
Board member 2018-present
Elected Secretary 2018-present
Smalltooth Sawfish Recovery Team
Secretary 2003-2006
Smalltooth Sawfish Recovery Implementation Team
Appointed member since 2007
Appointed team leader 2018-present
Tampa Bay Association of Environmental Professionals
Member since 2016
Texas Chapter American Fisheries Society
Member 2008-2012
"Promoting the sustainable use and conservation of marine resources through research, outreach, and education"
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