About the Mural

Bait & Switch

Local legends, the Vitale Bros, designed this mural to highlight the impact of a diverse marine ecosystem.

The mural includes a red snapper and a sea turtle. The fish species displayed are native to our region and playfully interact with classic cartoon imagery and pop art to appeal to a younger generation. The concept is reminiscent of old comic books that featured ‘sea monkeys’ (an ecosystem in a sphere – “Just add water”) while juxtaposing concepts of fishing characters throughout pop-culture history and our nostalgic romance with the ocean.

As fathers of young children, Johnny and Paul Vitale created this mural to emphasize the impact we have on our oceans, because the next generation will be left to suffer the consequences.

Ecosystem-based fisheries management is a holistic way of managing fisheries and marine resources by taking into account the entire ecosystem of the species being managed. Funding for this project was provided in part through the NOAA Heritage Program.