2012-2013 Programs of the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

1MARINE FISHERIES RESEARCH

FISH AND WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Programs of the

2012–2013

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation CommissionMyFWC.com

Contents4 FWRI at a Glance6 FWRI Locations8 Marine Fisheries

Research20 Freshwater Fisheries

Research30 Wildlife Research40 Ecosystem Assessment

and Restoration52 Information Science

and Management60 OfficeoftheDirector64 Partnerships69 Publications72 2012–2013 Budget90 Current Grant Awards

On the cover: A researcher collects coral demographic (population) data for the Coral Reef Evaluation and

Monitoring Project, a long-term monitoring effort that began in 1996. At permanent monitoring stations, FWRI

staff members identify each coral colony to species, measure them, and record any diseases and partial

colony mortality. With these data, researchers can assess the health and status of the population over time.

GilMcRae,DirectorFWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

ThemagnificentresourcesofthestateofFloridasupport numerous multi-billion dollar industries that form the foundation of our state’s economy. Our world-renowned beaches, spectacular varietyoffishandwildlife,diversehabitats,and navigable waters attract businesses and visitors alike. There is no mistaking the fact that economic prosperity, quality of life for Floridians, and the satisfaction of our many visitors are all dependent on a healthy environment. Florida’s ecosystemssupportfishingandhunting,natureviewing, and other recreational and commercial activities easily exceeding $20 billion in value annually.

Despitethenaturalwonderssurroundingus in Florida, too many people view the natural world as somehow separate from their everyday life. This is especially true for young people, many of whom are less connected to the outdoors than in previous generations. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) operates under the reality that people are a part of our ecosystems, not separate from them. As one of the most rapidly growing states in the nation, Florida faces many environmental challenges in the years ahead and it is critical that managers adopt forward-looking, informed management policies to protect critical resources and balance competing demands for limited resources. These management decisions must be driven by sound scientificinformation.Planningandconductingresearch to provide this information is the core of the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute’s (FWRI) mission.

As the research division within FWC, FWRI operates programs statewide that focus on obtaining the wide-ranging data and information neededbyfish,wildlife,andecosystemresource managers. We have established many collaborative partnerships with other government, academic,non-profit,andprivatefishandwildliferesearch institutions. Our programs are diversely fundedfromuserfeessuchashuntingandfishinglicenses, specialty license plates, grants, and state general revenue and are organized to rapidly providethevitalscientificinformationnecessaryto conserve and protect Florida’s precious natural resources.

This annual science programs document provides an overview of our major programs and is intended to present readers with an enhanced understanding of the scope and purpose of the technical information we produce. This summary document cannot convey the details of each project within our programs. Additional information is available on our Web site.

Thank you for your interest in FWRI and the health of Florida’s resources. I assure you that FWRI will continue to focus on the most pressing needs relative to our resources. We encourage you to become an active participant with us in thewisemanagementofourfishandwildlifeandtheir habitats and encourage you to provide us with issues, concerns, and comments related to our programs and our mission.

PROGRAMS OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE 2012—20134

at a glance...Fish and Wildlife Research InstituteTotal Budget: $49,182,774Staff: 633

Funding Sources

GENERAL REVENUE (3.41%)

PRTF (1.18%)

MRCTF (33.83%)

NGWTF/GRANTS (0.05%)

MRCTF/GRANTS (7.24%)NGWTF

(3.83%)STMTF (4.37%)

SGTF (7.55%)

SGTF/GRANTS (0.97%)

FGTF (35.71%)

GDTF (1.34%)

CARLTF (0.52%)

Fund Terms CARLTF—Conservation/Recreation Lands Program Trust Fund FGTF—Federal Grants Trust Fund GDTF—Grants and Donations Trust Fund MRCTF—Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund MRCTF/Grants—Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund Grants ProgramNGWTF—Nongame Wildlife Trust Fund NGWTF/Grants—Nongame Wildlife Trust Fund Grants Program PRTF—Florida Panther Research and Management Trust Fund SGTF—State Game Trust Fund SGTF/Grants—State Game Trust Fund Grants ProgramSTMTF—Save the Manatee Trust Fund

5FWRI AT A GLANCE

Officeof theDirector

Science ProgramsMarine

Fisheries Research

Keys Fisheries Research

Keys Marine

Laboratory

Marine Fisheries Biology

Marine Fisheries- DependentMonitoring

Marine Fisheries-

Independent Monitoring

Marine Fisheries

Stock Assessment

Marine Fisheries

Stock Enhancement

Freshwater Fisheries Research

Freshwater Fisheries Biology

Freshwater Fisheries Resource

Assessment

Wildlife Research

Avian Research

Marine Mammal Research

Marine Turtle

Research

Reptile and

Amphibian Research

Terrestrial Mammal Research

Ecosystem Assessment and

Restoration

Fish and

Wildlife Health

Habitat Research

Harmful Algal

Blooms Research

Information Science and

Management

Center for

Biostatistics and

Modeling

Center for

Spatial Analysis

Information Access

Socioeconomic Assessment

Research Operations

BudgetOffice

Facilities Management

Outreach Coordination


Pensacola

Holt

Eastpoint

Quincy Tallahassee

Cedar Key

Jacksonville

Gainesville

DeLeon Springs

Eustis

LakelandSt. Petersburg

Melbourne

Port Charlotte Tequesta

Naples

Long Key

Marathon

Port Manatee

2

2

2

3

LegendOne FWRI location in this city

2 Multiple FWRI locations in this city (number of locations indicated on dot)

Panama City

2

a look inside...FWRI Locations

7FWRI LOCATIONS

Cedar KeySenator George G. Kirkpatrick Marine Laboratory11350 SW 153rd CourtCedar Key, FL 32625

DeLeon SpringsDeLeon Springs Field Laboratory5450 US Highway 17DeLeonSprings,FL32130

EastpointApalachicola Field Laboratory350 Carroll StreetEastpoint, FL 32328

EustisEustis Freshwater Fisheries Research Laboratory 601 West Woodward AvenueEustis, FL 32726

GainesvilleGainesville Freshwater Fisheries Field Office 7922 NW 71st StreetGainesville, FL 32653

Gainesville Wildlife Research Laboratory1105 SW Williston RoadGainesville, FL 32601

HoltBlackwater Fisheries Laboratory8384 Fish Hatchery RoadHolt, FL 32564

JacksonvilleAlumni River House – Marine Fisheries Research2800 University Boulevard NorthJacksonville, FL 32211

Jacksonville Zoo Field Laboratory – Marine Mammals370 Zoo ParkwayJacksonville, FL 32218

LakelandFWC Southwest Regional Office3900DraneFieldRoadLakeland, FL 33811

Long KeyKeys Marine LaboratoryPO Box 968Mile Marker 68 ½, US Highway 1Long Key, FL 33001

MarathonSouth Florida Regional Laboratory2796 Overseas Highway, Suite 119Marathon, FL 33050

MelbourneIndian River Field Laboratory1220 Prospect Avenue, Suite 285Melbourne, FL 32901

Melbourne Beach Field LaboratorySebastian Inlet State Recreation Area9700 South A1A HighwayMelbourne, FL 32951

Melbourne Freshwater Fisheries Laboratory2595 McGraw AvenueMelbourne, FL 32934

NaplesBig Cypress Field Office298 Sabal Palm RoadNaples, FL 34114

Panama CityFWC Northwest Regional Office3911 Highway 2321Panama City, FL 32409

PensacolaPensacola Field Office (LE)1101 East Gregory StreetPensacola, FL 32502

Port CharlotteCharlotte Harbor Field Laboratory 585 Prineville StreetPort Charlotte, FL 33954

Port ManateeStock Enhancement Research Facility14495 Harllee RoadPort Manatee, FL 34221

QuincyJoe Budd Field Office5300 High Bridge RoadQuincy, FL 32351

St. PetersburgHeadquarters100 Eighth Avenue SESt. Petersburg, FL 33701

Marine Mammal Pathobiology Laboratory3700 54th Avenue SouthSt. Petersburg, FL 33711

TallahasseeBryant Building620 South Meridian StreetTallahassee, FL 32399

Koger Center – Marathon Building2574SeagateDriveSuite 250Tallahassee, FL 32301

TequestaTequesta Field Laboratory 19100 SE Federal HighwayTequesta, FL 33469

Marine Fisheries Research

Luiz Barbieri, Section Administrator | [email protected]


a look inside...Marine Fisheries ResearchThe waters along Florida’s coastline attract millions of recreational anglers and thousands of commercial fishers.MarineFisheriesResearchbiologistsstudythefishandinvertebratesfoundinthestate’ssaltwater environments, gathering data important for the management of these species. The section’s researchincludescollectingandanalyzingfishingdata, monitoring species status and abundance, investigating biological information, and breeding and rearing certain species to enhance or rebuild their populations.

Top: Researchers grade and count hatchery-reared fish as they are added to a recirculating aquaculture system. This method of rearing fish “intensively” in tanks is an emerging alternative to traditional pond culture.

Bottom: Interviews with anglers help describe how harvests and anglers change in response to management regulations, and allow researchers to monitor trends in the harvests of marine fish and invertebrates.

Previous page: Researchers collect staghorn coral fragments selected for outplanting. FWRI scientists remove corals that have been growing on a line nursery and transport them to an out-plant site, where staff will affix them to a reef with depleted Acropora populations.


Top: Researchers monitor the abundance of recreational and

commercial fishes in six estuaries around the state. This data is

also used to describe the health of the estuarine ecosystems in which Florida’s economically

important fishes live.

Bottom: A researcher tags juvenile oysters before they

are placed in cages--one type allowing access by large

predators, the other excluding large predators--at natural reefs

in the St. Lucie estuary. FWRI staff members will monitor

the growth and survival of the tagged oysters monthly.


Above: A diver records data during a goliath grouper survey at an artificial reef. FWRI staff members are monitoring specific sites over time to determine the relative abundance and size distribution of this species. Researchers record goliath grouper presence and size, and the species composition of other fish present during each visual survey.

Right: A spiny lobster is released after having a sonic tag attached to its shell. FWRI scientists analyze the information transmitted to underwater receivers to better understand patterns of movement and habitat use.

Opposite page: An FWRI Stock Enhancement Research Facility scientist shows an intern how to biopsy a female red drum brood fish for reproductive conditioning. This procedure enables scientists to anticipate when brood fish are ready to spawn offspring that will supply the fish culturing process and later stocking of state waters.


at a glance...Marine Fisheries ResearchProgram Budget: $20,942,354Staff: 273

Funding SourcesBayShellfishCo.,CSAInternational,Inc./MartinCounty; Florida Atlantic University; Florida DepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection;FloridaSeaGrant Program; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; National Sea Grant Program; South FloridaWaterManagementDistrict;SouthwestFloridaWaterManagementDistrict;St.JohnsRiverWaterManagementDistrict;SuwanneeRiverWaterManagementDistrict;TheNatureConservancy;U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S. Geological Survey

MRCTF (42.88%)

MRCTF/GRANTS (4.01%)GDTF

(0.20%)

FGTF (52.91%)


Bonefish. Image credit: [Aaron Adams].

Uncovering a new species through bonefishDNAWhile studying two bonefish species in the Florida Keys, researchers discovered a third physically and genetically unique species.

AnglersflocktotheFloridaKeys to take on the challenge ofcatchingabonefishwhichthey know to be a feisty, elusive target.Butfishingenthusiastsmay be unaware that when they have a “grey ghost” on the line, they could be reeling in a bonefishspeciesthatwas–untilrecently – unknown. Though it hasbeenapopularsportfishforsome time, scientists only began studyingbonefishgeneticsinrecent years. Worldwide, there are eight formally recognized species, two of which have been known to occur in the Keys. WhileFWRImarinefisheriesscientists were studying these two species a few years ago, they discovered a third.

Genetics was already used to

distinguish the two previously knownFloridabonefishspecies,which are otherwise impossible to tell apart. FWRI scientists uncovered evidence of the third species while studying the habitat locations and seasonal distributions of the other two. The newly discovered species is very different genetically from the previously known species. It also has a physical distinction, though it’s not visible to the nakedeye.Thisbonefishhasadifferent number of vertebrae in its spinal column.

Headingintothefinalyearof the project, geneticists are working to develop a formal description of the third Florida bonefishspeciesanddefineits relationship to the other

bonefishfoundintheKeys.Project scientists are also mapping the distribution of all three species in the state. They have found that the newly discovered species is not limited to the Sunshine State, but is found in waters along parts of Mexico and other areas of the Caribbean. Back in Florida, the discovery of the additional species led to a requirement that scientists now account for the subtle differences between the threespeciesinanybonefishstudy. Fisheries managers have also acknowledged the newly discovered species by changing statefishingregulations.

Partners in this project include Mote Marine Laboratory and the University of Miami.


AcloserlookatDNAanalysisScientists at the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) use DNA analysis to “fingerprint” individual members of a number of fish and wildlife species. By identifying and comparing certain genetic markers, staff can track individuals and learn about a species’ biology and ecology. Analysis of a DNA sample can even reveal a new species or subspecies. Such was the case when a study of two bonefish species in the Florida Keys led to the discovery of a third genetically and physically distinct species.

An FWRI scientist prepares a chemical process that allows researchers to locate, reproduce, and “tag” certain partsofDNAforlateranalysis.

A scientist loads samples into a centrifuge to isolate the processedDNAproducts.ADNAAnalyzeristhenusedtodisplaygeneticprofilesforeach specimen.

Usinggeneticprofileslikethese, FWRI staff members were able to characterize the three different species of bonefishinhabitingFloridawaters.


How old are Florida’s blue crabs? Scientists are testing a new method for determining the age of Florida’s blue crabs, which is an important part of population assessment.

Until recently, state researchers have looked to the width of the shell for the answer. Blue crabs shed their shells as they grow, but that growth is inconsistent, so pinpointing the age of these crustaceansisadifficulttask.Because age is important in population assessments of thefishery,researcherswithFWRI’s crustacean group are

investigating the accuracy of a different technique.

Biologists have already used lipofuscin extraction to determine the age of crustaceans in colder climates with pronounced seasonal changes. Lipofuscin is a pigment that accumulates over time regardless of how much

the animals grow. It can be extracted from crustaceans’ eyestalks. FWRI scientists are testing whether this aging method will also work for Florida’s blue crabs. To use lipofuscin to indicate age, researchers need samples from crabs at each stage of life.


Top left: Researcher sampling pond for blue crabs that will be used for lipofuscin analysis. Top right: Researcher measuring carapace width of a blue crab. Bottom left: Researcher examining crab after dissecting it and removing the

eyestalk. Bottom right: Researcher placing eyestalk in a vial for further processing and lipofuscin extraction.

Opposite page: Researcher holding a male blue crab.

Project scientists began their laboratoryworkforthisfive-year project in 2008. In 2010, the research proceeded to full-scale pond studies at the FWRI Stock Enhancement Research Facility in Port Manatee. Researchers stocked a pond with wild juvenile blue crabs collected near the mouth of the Little Manatee River. Since blue crab life stages from fertilization to early juvenile are reasonably predictable, researchers were able to estimate that these

crabs were 13 weeks old at the time of capture. Biologists monitored the pond for salinity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen. They also weighed the crabs and measured the crabs’ shells weekly to track growth and the health of the population. Every three months, researchers randomly trapped 25 of these crabs, from which they extracted and analyzed lipofuscin.

Once the project scientists analyzed the lipofuscin,

they cataloged the data by age, establishing a basis for comparison with wild crab populations. The results of the project will provide new insight into the life cycle and age structure of Florida blue crabs. This information will improve the quality of biological data available for blue crab stock assessments throughout the Gulf of Mexico, enhancing the preservation of this popular fisheryforyearstocome.


Top: A researcher records data for an undersized red snapper before it is tagged and released.

Bottom: A researcher inserts a dart tag between the dorsal spines of an undersized gag prior to release.

Capturing catch-and-release numbersResearchers collect detailed information on caught-and-released reef fish and evaluate survival under various conditions.

When anglers head out on the water, they could come home with a catch, reel-in and releaseafishortwo,orcomeback empty-handed. While a fruitless trip may lead to tales of the one that got away, it is the other two outcomes that allow researchers to learn more about Floridafisheries.Traditionally,surveysofrecreationalfisherscountharvestedfishduringdockside interviews, where anglers can easily show biologists their catch. However, anglersoftenreleaseotherfishthat are illegal to harvest. To accountforthesefish,FWRI’sFisheries-DependentMonitoringresearchers, in a project under way since 2009, collect detailed information on caught and releasedreeffishandevaluatefishsurvivalundervariousconditions.

Over the years, scientists have discovered that catching andreleasingfishcanleadtosome uncounted deaths. Fish caught from great depths may not recover after surfacing, and internal injuries can occur

whenfishswallowbaitedhooks.Solutions are available: venting afish’sinflatedswimbladderhelps it return to the bottom, and circle hooks may lessen chances of severe trauma. However, it is important to understand how anglers use these methods and to determine the true health impacts of catch-and-releasefishing.FWRIresearchers are tackling this challenge with the help of more than 100 charter and headboat vessel operators from Tampa Bay to the Florida Panhandle.

Each week, a project scientist boards one randomly chosen boat to observe recreational hook-and-linefishingduringatypical trip. The biologist records depthswherethefishingtakesplace, the type of gear used, thenumbersandtypesoffishcaught and released, and the conditionofthefishafterthecatch. When an angler catches a red snapper, red grouper, gag, or other targeted species, theresearchertagsthefishbefore release. A recreational or commercialfisherwhocatches


thatfishagaincanreportthecatch to FWC’s Tag Return Hotline, allowing researchers to monitorthesurvivalofthefish.Volunteer anglers also provide information during their private fishingtripsbysubmitting“catch cards”—postage-paid data cards that project staff hand out at boat ramps and marinas.

So far, project scientists have found that the use of circle hooks does increase the likelihood of lip-hooking—which is thought to result in fewer hooking injuries—in seven of the ten species studied. Researchers are using tag reporting data

to evaluate conditions that influencethesurvivalofreleasedfish.Forexample,iffishcaughtin shallow waters are more likely to live to be caught againthanfishfromgreaterdepths, scientists can use that information to better determine survival rates in relation to depth. Those conclusions could lead to alternative methods for handlingandreleasingfish.Inaddition, the catch-and-release information from this project, combined with existing harvest data, will provide enhanced tools for stock assessments and fisherymanagers.

After tagging this gag, a researcher

vents the fish (releases air from

the swim bladder) prior to release.

Freshwater Fisheries ResearchJasonDotson,SectionAdministrator|[email protected]


a look inside...Freshwater Fisheries ResearchThefishinFlorida’slakesandriversareanimportantnaturalresource.Fishingintheselocationsisasignificantcontributor to tourism and the state’s economy. Biologists with the Freshwater Fisheries Research section gather and analyze information about the populations and abundanceofFlorida’sfreshwaterfishandinvertebratespecies. Section researchers combine the information they learn about these species with data from studies of habitats and human impacts to provide assessments to resource managers.

23FRESHWATER FISHERIES RESEARCH

Previous spread: Electrofishing is a primary sampling method freshwater fisheries researchers use to assess the

fish community in Florida lakes. They use a generator to produce pulsed DC

current that temporarily stuns the fish, and then researchers weigh, measure,

and return fish to the lake. This sampling is performed each fall in 55 Florida lakes as part of FWRI’s Long-

Term Monitoring Program. Researchers collect information on fish species,

aquatic habitat, and water quality that promotes understanding of how fish populations in fresh water function

and what elements are important to maintain a healthy fish community.

This page: As part of the Long-Term Monitoring Program, FWRI

researchers use fyke nets to survey small fish that live in the nearshore

areas. Staff members gather data about the species composition and

relative abundance of species, as well as fish biomass. This method yields

information about less-known fish species – such as Florida flagfish, Lake

Eustis pupfish, golden topminnow or tadpole madtom – that are part of the

ecosystem in Florida lakes.

Opposite, top: The FWC cooperates with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

to evaluate stocking success of striped bass in the St. Johns River. Researchers

use angler surveys along with photo estimation of Morone species (both

striped bass and hybrid striped bass) to track year-to-year changes in the

population. To get the best estimate, they conduct photo surveys when fish

gather in areas such as Silver Glen Springs that serve as thermal refuges

during the summer.

Opposite, bottom: FWRI conducts long-term monitoring of 55 Florida lakes in partnership with the FWC Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management. A

portion of that evaluation uses gill nets to sample the fish of the open-water

zone. Researchers use this method to examine species composition and

relative biomass of species.


Above: To optimize the number of healthy fish that survive to adulthood, FWRI is evaluating how successfully largemouth bass raised in hatchery conditions adapt to life in the wild. Researchers put bass raised at the Florida Bass Conservation Center and wild fish in ponds that contained both forage and predators to approximate wild conditions. At the end of the trial staff collected all of the fish and compared survival between the groups.

Right: Black crappie is an important sport fish species in Florida that typically inhabits the offshore areas of a lake, making them more difficult to sample. FWRI researchers use a trawl to capture young black crappie to measure relative abundance, as well as their growth, year by year. These data are important to build a better understanding of how juvenile fish abundance compares to what anglers catch in later years.


at a glance...Freshwater Fisheries ResearchProgram Budget: $2,957,871Staff: 63

Funding SourcesLake County Water Authority; St. Johns RiverWaterManagementDistrict;Southwest Florida Water Management District;U.S.DepartmentoftheInterior

SGTF (59.58%)

SGTF/GRANTS (3.05%)

FGTF (37.37%)

The black crappie tagging project is a collaborative

effort between FWRI and the FWC Division of Freshwater

Fisheries Management to address angler concern

about potential overharvest on Lake Istokpoga. Black crappie were collected by

electrofishing and haul seine, tagged with a reward tag,

and released. Data collected from tag returns will yield

an estimate of how many fish are caught and kept

by anglers compared to the lake’s capacity to sustain the

fishing pressure.


Study helping water managers strike a balanceBiologists help managers determine minimum flows and levels that serve the public’s demand for freshwater resources, while safeguarding these important aquatic habitats.

Fresh water is a precious commodity, especially in Florida, where rain can be scarce for months at a time. Water is vital to people for a variety of reasons, but the state’s many lakes, rivers, creeks, and other water bodies are also essential habitatforfreshwaterfish.Thechallenge for regulators is to manage the public’s demand for water while safeguarding this important habitat.

One way resource managers address this balance is to establishminimumflowsand levels in water bodies to preventsignificantharmtoaquatic life. The Southwest Florida Water Management Districthasadopted15percentloss of habitat as the point at whichtheyconsidersignificantecological harm is occurring. However, a peer review panel recommended taking a second look at that benchmark. As a result,theDistrictdesignedaproject to assess the effects of reducedwaterflowsandlevelsonfishandwildlife.

In 2009, FWRI Freshwater

Fisheries Research biologists were asked to collaborate on the project, which takes place at Gum Slough, a pristine, four-mile long, spring-fed tributary of the Withlacoochee River in Sumter County. Researchers set out to determine the speciescompositionofthefishcommunity and the abundance and habitat preferences of largemouth bass, spotted sunfish,andredeyechubundernormalflowconditions.To establish which habitats these species prefer, snorkeling scientistssearchforfishinrandomly selected locations and documentwheretheyfirstseeeachfish.Theyalsorecordwaterdepth and velocity, noting other habitat characteristics such as plants and woody debris.

Biologists compare these data with the same data from the rest of the slough. Project scientists then calculate an index of habitat suitability for the target species, which they use to predict the amount of habitat available as stream flowisreduced.Toverifythosepredictions, researchers plan to

monitor changes in abundance of the three species under various flowconditionsbysamplingfishtwice a year at sites with both unaltered and manipulated flows.Biologistsblockoffsampleareaswithnetsandcollectfishbyelectrofishing(amethodthatstunsthefishbutcausesnopermanent harm). They then estimate the abundance of each species.

Severalmoreyearsoffishmonitoringandflowexperimentsremain. Researchers hope to alter some sections of Gum Sloughtoreceivelessflowwhilemaintaining normal conditions in other sections to determine ifdecreasedflowaffectsabundance of the target species. TheDistrictwillbeabletoreferto this project as it develops and implementsminimumflowsandlevels to prevent unwanted loss offishandaquatichabitats.As many water management regulations are designed to protectfishandaquatichabitats,the data gathered in this project could aid water management agencies throughout the state and beyond.

Left: A researcher observes the microhabitat use of spotted sunfish, largemouth bass, and redeye chub. When one of these fish is seen, the observer measures water velocity and depth, and the type of cover and substrate (bottom) the fish is occupying.


Conditioning hatchery largemouth bass for survivalBiologists condition hatchery largemouth bass to better prepare fish for life in the wild.

Anglers across North America agree: largemouth bass are one of the most exciting sport fisharound.Theirspunky,combative behavior when hooked makes them popular targetsforseasonedfishers.Largemouth bass are especially prevalent in the southeastern U.S., and Florida is noted as oneofthetopstatesforfishingfor this species. Stocking lakes and rivers is a common method usedbyfisheriesmanagers

attempting to enhance or restore largemouth populations, but many stocking projects in Florida and across the country have resulted in low survival of hatchery-raisedfish.In2008,FWRI Freshwater Fisheries Research biologists began a project to investigate these survival rates and improve them bybetterpreparingthefishforlife in the wild.

To set a baseline, biologists

stocked traditionally raised hatchery bass into Lake Carlton in Lake County. There, they tracked the hatchery fishandselectwildbassusing radio transmitters to compare behavior and survival. The differences were stark. Researchers found that hatchery bass tended to leave cover more often than wild bass, exposing them to predators and leading to higher death rates. Biologists also collected both


hatchery-raised and wild bass from the lake months later and noted that wild bass grew at a significantlyhigherrate.

Thesefindingsledscientiststo test a new method for raising hatcheryfishattheFWC’sFlorida Bass Conservation Center in Sumter County, with the goal of improving their survival. Rather than raising all of the largemouth bass exclusively indoors, researchers movedhalfofthefishoutsideten days before they were to be stocked.Theoutdoorfishwereconditioned to seek out live prey in a natural environment in earthen ponds and exposed to predators along with natural days and nights. The indoor fishwereraisedinatraditionalmanneronartificialfeedinconcrete tanks. Researchers then combined the conditioned fishandthenaïveindoorfishinto one-acre hatchery ponds meant to simulate natural water bodies and then measured survival one month after stocking.

So far, project scientists have found that conditioning produces positive effects. Pond studies have shown highersurvivalratesforfishconditioned to predators and liveprey.Theconditionedfishalsotendtooutgrowtheirnaïvecounterparts. Moving forward, researchers will evaluate the long-term survival of these hatchery-raised largemouth bass in the wild by stocking both the conditionedandnaïvefishintonatural lakes. If conditioning is found to improve stocking success, the added step could become a necessary part of the stock enhancement process for a variety of species and locations.

Top: Biologists seine fish from a collection trough after draining a pond in which they

conducted a 30 day study to compare survival of hatchery fish to that of wild fish.

Bottom Left: A biologist surgically implants a radio transmitter into an

advanced fingerling largemouth bass.

Bottom Right: This radio-tagged bass was captured by electrofishing near

the end of the field experiment.

Opposite page: A biologist uses radio telemetry to track the location of hatchery-reared largemouth bass.

Wildlife ResearchTim O’Meara, Section Administrator | [email protected]

31WILDLIFE RESEARCH

Wildlife ResearchTim O’Meara, Section Administrator | [email protected]


a look inside...Wildlife ResearchFrom the tiny beach mouse to the not so tiny right whale, Florida is home to a wide array of wildlife species. Biologists with the Wildlife Research section monitor the status of Florida’s birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, including species important to hunters such as deer, alligator and waterfowl, and imperiled species such as the Florida panther and the Florida manatee. Wildlife managers rely on the information this research provides to develop conservation and restoration plans that ensure the long term persistence of wildlife populations.

Top: During the breeding season, American oystercatcher nests can be found in Florida’s coastal habitats, including sand or shell beaches, dunes, salt marshes, mudflats, and dredge spoil islands. Researchers are monitoring this species to learn the following: how habitat characteristics influence nesting site selection; productivity of monitored nests; and distribution and movement patterns.

Bottom: Researchers fit a GPS tracking collar to an adult male black bear. The collar uses a cell phone network to transmit geographic coordinates via text messages. This allows researchers to obtain near-real-time locations of study bears up to 27 times per day as they move within the Ocala to Osceola wildlife corridor.

Previous page: An adult female loggerhead sea turtle is released back into the Gulf of Mexico. The turtle received a satellite transmitter that will broadcast information on the turtle’s location and diving habits. The study is part of an effort to understand how loggerheads use deepwater reef habitat where fisheries also occur.

33WILDLIFE RESEARCH

Above: When FWRI receives calls from the public reporting

manatees in distress, field staff members coordinate a network of personnel from various agencies

and organizations to rescue and, when necessary, transport

manatees to rehabilitation facilities.

Left: Florida’s coastlines provide important habitat for a variety

of shorebirds and seabirds, such as this nesting willet.

FWRI scientists are trying to understand how human activity is affecting coastal habitats and the behavior and distribution of

the bird species they support.


Above: FWRI researchers take measurements of a juvenile alligator captured from Lake Apopka during a night survey. This project focuses on juvenile alligator home range in relation to impounded wetland restoration areas.

Right: North Atlantic right whale Catalog #1208 and calf sighted off Amelia Island, FL on March 17, 2012. Catalog #1208 was the sixth and final whale documented with a calf by researchers in the waters off of the southeast U.S. coast during the 2011-2012 calving season.

Opposite page: A large, male Florida panther (FP197) receives a radio-tracking collar after being captured by the FWC Panther Capture Team, which uses trained hounds to track panthers and tranquilizers to immobilize them. The 142-pound four-year-old was collared to allow researchers to monitor panther population demographics with the ultimate goal of aiding the endangered state animal’s recovery.

35WILDLIFE RESEARCH

at a glance...Wildlife ResearchProgram Budget: $9,326,443Staff: 112

Funding SourcesFloridaDepartmentofMilitaryAffairs;FloridaPowerand Light Company; John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance; National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Sea Turtle Conservancy; Tampa Electric Company; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S.DepartmentofAgriculture;U.S.FishandWildlife Service; University of South Florida; Wildlife Conservation Society; Wildlife Foundation of Florida

PRTF (4.67%)

MRCTF (26.42%)

MRCTF/GRANTS(0.66%)

NGWTF (16.00%)STMTF

(22.69%)

SGTF (11.14%)

GDTF (0.33%)

CARLTF (0.11%)

FGTF (17.98%)


Loss of habitat spells trouble for kestrelDisappearing sandhill habitat is impacting survival of the threatened southeastern American kestrel.

An animal and its habitat are closely linked. If the landscape that an animal calls home begins to change or disappear, the species’ numbers will likely dwindle. That is the situation facing the threatened southeastern American kestrel, a nonmigratory falcon whose fortunes are tied to sandhill habitat. Sandhill habitat, made up of dry, sandy ridges dominated by an open longleaf pine forest and a ground cover ofgrassesandwildflowers,haslargely disappeared. Much of what remains is fragmented and overgrown. This has spelledtrouble for kestrels, which have long made their nests in longleaf pine snags (dead or decaying trees that remain standing) found in sandhills.

FWRI Wildlife Research staff and partners set out in 2009 to learn more about the number of kestrels left in Florida and their habitat requirements in hopes of increasing their numbers.

To begin, researchers developed a standardized data collection system and a database to manage annual monitoring data. Project staff work with partners on public lands to repair and maintain nest boxes, install new ones, and monitor nesting activity during the breedingseason.Duringspringand summer 2011, project staff and partners monitored more than 520 nest boxes in 15 counties. They found more than 40 percent of the nest boxes occupied.

To learn more about the birds’ habitat requirements, project staff collected and analyzed vegetation data from selected sandhill sites. Researchers discovered that kestrels preferred nest boxes on sites with an open tree canopy where grasses dominated the ground cover. Sandhills intermixed with open areas such as unimproved pastures were more likely to attract kestrels than large, unbroken patches of sandhills, likely because most sandhill pine forests are currentlyovergrownfromfiresuppression. Researchers are also gathering data on kestrel nesting success and productivity in the farmlands that have replaced some sandhills in the contemporary Florida landscape.

37WILDLIFE RESEARCH

In conjunction with their research, project staff are educating land managers, birdwatchers, and other biologists about the plight of the southeastern American kestrel and its habitat with public talks and printed materials. They have also posted species information, along with photos and descriptions, on the FWC Web site.

As this phase of the project winds down in 2012, researchers will analyze the data they have gathered to establish population targets for kestrels on FWC Wildlife Management Areas and other public lands. Project staff are also working with other FWC staff to develop a statewide kestrel management plan that will include strategies for increasing the size of kestrel populations and creating greater connectivity among them.

Partners in this study include the Florida Forest Service, the Florida Park Service, and various local chapters of the National Audubon Society.

Right: A researcher inspects a kestrel nest box in Marion County.

Opposite page: Two-day-old kestrels in a nest box.


“Dinosaurofturtles”proves to be weighty subject for studyBiologists are working to learn more about Suwannee River alligator snapping turtles and provide the first estimate of this potentially distinct population.

Florida is well known as home to more than a million alligators. One “alligator,” however, is actually a turtle. The alligator snapping turtle—nicknamed the “dinosaur of turtles”—is the largest freshwater turtle in North America. Its distinctive appearance includes

a heavily-ridged shell and a large head with a hooked beak. The alligator snapper lives in river systems from the Suwannee River to eastern Texas. Recent research on Suwannee River turtles suggests that they are physically and genetically distinct from other

populations—meaning they could be a separate species. Researchers know little about this Suwannee population, so FWRI Wildlife Research biologists are working to learn more about these turtles and providethefirstpopulationestimate.

39WILDLIFE RESEARCH

Beginning in July 2011, project scientists picked 12 sites representing all habitat types along the Suwannee from White Springs to the Gulf of Mexico. Repeatedly at each location, researchers bait hoop nettrapswithpiecesoffishinthe afternoon and check traps thefollowingmorning―becauseturtles are most active at night. Biologists measure and weigh captured turtles and mark them by drilling holes along the margin of their shells and implanting microchips in their long tails. Project scientists also X-ray many of the captured turtles for the presence of

swallowed “bush hooks” that anglers suspend from branches alongtherivertocatchcatfish.As turtles can die from ingesting these hooks, researchers will use the information to assess the potential effect on the population.

So far, almost one-third of turtles captured weighed between 100 and 125 pounds, which represent large adult males. Researchers think large turtles account for a high percentage of those captured because the population has experienced little harvest pressure and adult males move

around more than juveniles and females. The alligator snapping turtle is listed as a Species of Special Concern in Florida, but that designation will be removed after a management plan is approved. If researchers determine the Suwannee turtles represent a separate species, the population data from this project will be crucial in determining that species’ conservation status.

Partners in this project include: Suwannee River Water ManagementDistrict,FloridaState Parks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, University of Florida, Sonotronics

FWRI biologists capture alligator snapping turtles in the Suwannee River to learn more about the freshwater giant. Every captured turtle is measured (left), weighed (middle), and marked by drilling a hole

along the margin of its shell. Biologists also implant a microchip in its long tail (right) to aid with future identification and attach a transmitter to the shell to track movement and determine microhabitat use.

Opposite page: A biologist carrying an alligator snapping turtle captured in the Suwannee River.

Ecosystem Assessment and Restoration

Leanne Flewelling, Subsection Administrator for Fish and Wildlife Health and Harmful Algal Blooms Research

[email protected]

Amber Whittle, Subsection Administrator for Habitat Research [email protected]


a look inside...Ecosystem Assessment and RestorationFlorida’sdiversecollectionoffishandwildlifespeciesfaces threats every day. Biologists with the Ecosystem Assessment and Restoration section track many of these threats. Researchers monitor harmful algal blooms including Florida red tide which can cause human health and economic problems,andmonitorandinvestigatefishandwildlifediseases and die-offs. Section researchers also evaluate the status of habitats, providing data that aid in preservation, management, and restoration decision-making.

Above: A Fish and Wildlife Health scientist conducts a necropsy on a goliath grouper that died as a result of cold stress. Opportunistic sampling during natural events allows researchers to learn more about endangered species.

Right: The diver is marking the bases of turtle grass shoots inside the square quadrat marked off by PVC pipe. Two weeks after marking, FWRI scientists harvest the shoots and estimate the increase in biomass (productivity) by measuring how far the mark has “moved” as the blades grew. This field effort was part of the NASA UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) project, in which aerial data is compared to in-the-water estimates of seagrass and coral biomass and productivity.

Previous page: A researcher in the field identifies frog larvae as part of an effort to monitor amphibian diseases to protect species of greatest conservation need.

43ECOSYSTEM ASSESSMENT AND RESTORATION

Above: Water samples are collected on a red tide research

cruise. The sampling device captures water at different

depths, providing information on the entire water column.

Left: A researcher conducts a field survey to evaluate the

accuracy of aerial photography-based maps of freshwater plant

communities. Staff members can then analyze the resulting maps

using GIS to identify areas of high, medium, and low-quality

habitat for fish and wildlife. The FWC uses this information

to guide habitat management efforts on Florida’s large lakes.


Above: Researchers sample plants along a transect placed inside a cattle exclosure designed to keep cows out of this part of a basin wetland in Half Moon Wildlife Management Area. FWRI staff will compare the data with information gathered from areas in which cows are allowed to graze to monitor the impact of cattle grazing on wetland habitat.

Right: A researcher examines slides of tissues from red drum reared at the FWC’s saltwater hatchery in Manatee County. Health examinations are performed before hatchery fish can be stocked in the wild.


at a glance...Ecosystem Assessment and RestorationProgram Budget: $6,122,398Staff: 81

Funding SourcesConservation and Recreation Lands Program Trust Fund; Conserve Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund; Florida DepartmentofEnvironmentalProtection;Florida Coastal Management Program; FWC Florida Wildlife Legacy Initiative - State Wildlife Grants Program; FWC Habitat and Species Conservation (HSC) Aquatic Habitat Restoration and Enhancement; FWC HSC Terrestrial Habitat Conservation and Restoration; Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observatory System; Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund; Mote Marine Laboratory; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service; NationalParkService,DryTortugas;Panther Trust Fund; South Florida WaterManagementDistrict;St.JohnsRiverWaterManagementDistrict;StateGameTrustFund;U.S.DepartmentofAgriculture, APHIS-Veterinary Services; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; University of North Carolina at Wilmington

GR (27.44%)

PRTF (2.26%)

MRCTF (23.69%)

MRCTF/GRANTS (4.64%)

SGTF (5.61%)

CARLTF (2.65%)

FGTF (33.71%)

A researcher measures pillar coral tissue in the Upper Keys. The site is home to research projects on coral spawning, coral disease and storm restoration methods for state-listed species. Researchers try to monitor these corals one to two times each month to assess growth rate, survival rate, and disease prevalence.


Pyrodinium bahamense : A toxic threat in Tampa BayFWRI researchers routinely monitor blooms of Pyrodinium bahamense in the Tampa Bay area.

Harmful algal blooms are a familiar occurrence to coastal dwellers, even if the tongue-twisting names of these microorganisms are hardly household words. Many Sunshine State residents know how Florida red tide affects their beach days and marine life, yet several are unaware of the other harmful algal blooms that occur

regularly, especially during the summer months.

For a number of years, Pyrodinium bahamense has bloomed in Tampa Bay, noticeably discoloring the water. Florida strains of this organism were initially thought to be nontoxic, but in 2002, human illnesses associated

witheatingpufferfishweretraced to toxins from a bloom in the Indian River Lagoon. After an extensive bloom in Old Tampa Bay during 2008, FWRI Ecosystem Assessment and Restoration biologists began routine monitoring of summer P. bahamense blooms in the Tampa Bay area.


Researchers with the Harmful Algal Blooms group—with help from Marine Fisheries Research biologists and other partners—sample bay waters from shore and by boat. Sampling is most frequent during the summer months, when annual blooms occur, as well as anytime a bloom takes place outside that period. Project scientists analyze the sampled water to count the microorganisms and measure toxins and dissolved nutrients. They also record environmental data such as salinity, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen. With these data and data collected during laboratory

experiments, researchers can examine the relationship between water quality and bloom toxicity.

Project scientists have confirmedthatP. bahamense blooms in Tampa Bay produce toxins, though at lower levels than in the Indian River Lagoon. Experiments suggest that the amounts and types of nutrients in the water can affect toxicity. Understanding how will help researchers better predict when these blooms are most threatening.

Since water quality can vary greatly along Florida’s coastline,

the relationship between water quality and bloom toxicity has important water management implications. Other regulatory agencies can use the results of this study when assessing health risks associated with algal blooms. Among those health risksisshellfishpoisoning,ascertainshellfishspeciescantakeup the toxins and cause Paralytic ShellfishPoisoninginthosewho eat them. As researchers continue to analyze samples and compare data from the Indian River Lagoon and Tampa Bay, they develop a greater understanding of these blooms and their potential to harm marine life and public health.

Above and opposite page: During sampling, researchers measure water clarity with a secchi disk (opposite, left) and use a YSI data logger to record other water quality parameters such as salinity, temperature, and pH (acidity) (opposite, right). They also collect water samples to analyze for harmful algal blooms (above).


Looking out for deadly disease outbreaksBiologists are conducting a three-year project to monitor Florida’s bats and amphibians for signs of deadly disease outbreaks or the pathogens that cause them.

For species with already diminishing numbers, a disease outbreak could lead to extinction. Globally, emerging pathogens such as fungi, viruses, and parasites have taken a toll on amphibian species in the last decade. White nose syndrome has wiped out more than a million insect-eating bats across several northeastern states and parts of Canada since its discovery in New York in 2006, and the fungal disease has rapidly moved south and west. FWRI Fish and Wildlife Health scientists and veterinarians are

alert to these dangers, especially as they affect animals that the FWCidentifiesasSpeciesofGreatest Conservation Need.

In July 2010, supported by a State Wildlife Grant, FWRI personnel with the Ecosystem Assessment and Restoration and Wildlife Research sections, along with FWC Habitat and Species Conservation biologists and other partners, began a three-year project to monitor Florida’s bats and amphibians for signs of deadly disease outbreaks or the pathogens that cause them.

From late winter into spring, researchers survey amphibian habitats and catch specimens to swab for samples. In the laboratory, scientists test the swabs and other tissue samples for signs of pathogens or disease. From late fall to winter, project scientists observe bats for signs of white nose syndrome, which has not yet been documented in Florida. Researchers also respond year-round to reports ofsignificantdie-offsofbatandamphibian species. They examine the dead animals to determine whether disease was a factor.


Already, biologists have responded to a die-off of American bullfrogs, southern leopard frogs, and gopher frogs, a Species of Greatest Conservation Need. Researchers determined that a combination of disease-causing parasites and ranavirus likely killed the frogs. Ranavirus has been responsible for massive amphibian die-offs throughout the United States; thoughthismarkedthefirstdocumented case in Florida.

For the remainder of the project, researchers are expanding amphibian disease surveys and coordinating efforts to monitor for bat die-offs and disease outbreaks. To better monitor future bat die-offs,

project scientists are developing a method for the public to report these occurrences through the FWC Web site, much like other agency reporting mechanisms that already exist for birds and fish.Researchersarealsosettingup a system to coordinate response to such reports and to coordinate the diagnosis of potential bat diseases.

The diagnosis and die-off response methods developed in this project will lay the groundwork for responders handling future disease outbreaks. The project’s findingswillhelptheFWCassess disease or die-off risks to vulnerable bat and amphibian populations in Florida and

build that information into management plans with a goal of lessening the impact of these environmental factors. The findingswillalsobeusefultoamphibian and bat managers in other locales as disease-related threats to these animals continue.

Partners in this study are the Central Florida Zoological Park and Gardens, the Florida Museum of Natural History, the University of Florida, the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center, the Southeastern Cooperative WildlifeDiseaseStudy,andthe Albuquerque New Mexico Biopark.

Above and opposite page: During amphibian disease surveillance, biologists use dip nets to collect amphibian larvae from ponds.


Objective-Based Vegetation Management: Home security for Florida’s wildlifeResearchers study how Florida’s vegetation responds to specific land management actions.

Many of Florida’s wildlife species face shrinking habitat as once undisturbed land is developed. The disappearance of natural environments can have devastating effects on wildlife populations. To curb this habitat loss in Florida, the state has maintained more than 5 million acres of land that the FWC oversees as Wildlife Management Areas and Wildlife Environmental Areas. Managers maintain these lands with controlled burns and other methods to limit invasive vegetation and secure a foothold for native plants and animals.

Until recently, land managers had no method of measuring the effects of their actions on the plant communities that provide habitat. In 2001, FWRI’s Ecosystem Assessment and

Restoration researchers began assisting the FWC’s DivisionofHabitatandSpecies Conservation with a project called Objective-Based Vegetation Management (OBVM), which measures the cause-and-effect relationships between land management actions and habitat conditions.

Each year, researchers select several random locations in natural plant communities on state-managed lands. Project scientists, with the help of staff fromthenon-profitorganizationFlorida Natural Areas Inventory, obtain information about vegetation and tree cover and density and shrub height on those sites. Researchers compare that information with the features of ideal habitats to evaluate the effectiveness of management actions.

Summaries of their observations help land managers decide whether to adjust management strategies to reach ideal habitat conditions.

This project makes FWC one of the few public agencies in the nation able to constantly fine-tuneitslandmanagementstrategies based on habitat data. Since sampling began in 2006, researchers have compiled data on hundreds of plant communities across the state. Project scientists believe that, in time, the study will reveal trends in vegetation responses to specificmanagementpractices.A look at those trends will help land managers throughout the state make plans appropriate for local plant communities and the animals that call them home.

Left: An FWRI researcher, with the help of a partner from the Florida Natural Areas Inventory, demonstrates proper vegetation sampling methods to private contractors during an OBVM training workshop. Private contractors must be certified before collecting OBVM monitoring data.

Information Science and Management

Henry Norris, Section Administrator | [email protected]


a look inside...Information Science and ManagementResearchers in this section address complex natural resource issues by integrating ecological, cultural, and socioeconomic information using statistical and spatial analysis techniques. Staff develop maps and model distributionpatternsoffishandwildlife,identifylandsand waters that are conservation priorities, and assess economic impacts of recreational activities. The section’s database experts, statisticians, research librarians, specimencollectionmanagers,andscientificeditorprovideadditional support to FWRI scientists.

Above: Scientists throughout Florida use FWRI’s extensive reprint collection to find historical information on the state’s plants, fish, and wildlife.

Right: Remote sensing techniques and GIS (Graphic Information Systems) are tools FWRI staff members use to create a variety of maps, including this one for oil spill responders.

Previous page: FWRI freshwater fisheries researchers are studying the Chipola River to identify shoal bass habitat and nesting microhabitat. They use side scan sonar to map the river bottom type. This staff member is conducting an accuracy assessment of the map.

55INFORMATION SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT

A research technician sorts invertebrates into monospecific lots, which are collections that contain only one species. These specimens were collected during Southeast Area

Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP) surveys, which is a collaborative effort among state, regional, and federal agencies to collect fishery-independent data.


Above: An FWRI intern conducts a post-burn assessment at Bell Ridge Longleaf Mitigation Park. Staff used the data collected to calibrate satellite imagery collected after the burn, which will be used to map the extent and intensity of the prescribed fire.

Right: Data Access staff review modifications to the collections database.

Opposite page: Staff participates in an oil spill preparation drill with representatives from NOAA, U.S. Coast Guard, and other agencies. Here, the participants are viewing the results of an oil spill characteristics model.


at a glance...Information Science and ManagementProgram Budget: $4,989,409Staff: 58

Funding SourcesCoastalProtectionTrustFund;FloridaDepartmentof Environmental Protection; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; South Atlantic Fishery ManagementCouncil;SouthCarolinaDepartment of Natural Resources; South Carolina Sea Grant; SouthFloridaWaterManagementDistrict;Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association; State Wildlife Grants Program; U.S. Coast Guard; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S. Geological Survey; Wildlife Foundation of Florida

PRTF (0.04%)

MRCTF (45.15%)

MRCTF/GRANTS (9.19%)

NGWTF (9.25%)

SGTF (10.15%)

CARLTF (1.84%)

GDTF (0.25%)

FGTF (24.13%)


Project maps location and coral cover of Florida Keys’ patch reefs To learn more about their status, researchers are mapping patch reefs in the Upper, Middle, and Lower Florida Keys to determine their coral cover.

Around the world, a vital habitat for marine life is in peril. Coral reefs are declining in health and dwindling in size, clouding the future for the countless species that rely on reef habitat. Large-scale die-offs of coral species can occur after bleaching, typically a consequence of above-normal water temperatures. Poor water quality, algae overgrowth, and disease also threaten one of the most diverse and highly productive ecosystems on the planet.

The Florida Keys represent the southern extent of the Florida Reef Tract, which is the largest coral structure in North America and faces an uncertain future. Prevalent in the Keys are patch reefs—small, often circular formations separate from larger reef structures.

To paint a better picture of the current state of those reefs, FWRI Center for Spatial Analysis researchers began a project to map patch reefs in the Upper, Middle, and Lower Florida Keys and determine their coral cover.

The researchers used satellite data to map the number, location, and size of patch reefs in the region. Project scientiststhenperformedfieldchecks at random locations to verify the satellite data and record the percentage of coral cover for each reef. They further divided the Upper, Middle, and Lower Keys into zones based on depth and distance from shore. Within those zones, scuba divers measured coral cover at randomly selected sites. Throughout the Florida

Keys, researchers have found significantlyhighernumbersofpatch reefs than they expected: 1,242 in the Upper Keys (not including Biscayne Bay National Park), 351 in the Middle Keys, and 1,975 in the Lower Keys. Average live coral cover is 18.5 percent but varies greatly by location.

To allow open access to their fieldandsatelliteinformation,as well as data from other sources, project scientists are creating a Web site to display the geospatial data. Once the project is complete, it will provide the most comprehensive map available of Florida Keys patch reef habitat. Making this collection of data openly accessible assures its value to coral reef researchers and resource managers.

Left: A researcher records live coral cover in the Florida Keys.

Officeof theDirectorGilMcRae,FWRIDirector|[email protected]


a look inside...Office of theDirectorProgram Budget: $5,419,476Staff: 46

TheOfficeoftheDirectorisresponsibleformanaginga budget of over $49,000,000, which supports all programs and operations of the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI). FWRI’s director leads the science sections and oversees Institute-wide functions, such as Research Operations, which provides facilities and budget-related support, and Outreach Coordination.

Approximately 630 staff members make up FWRI. FWRI’s headquarters, located in downtown St. Petersburg, is home base to nearly half of the employees.Morethan20fieldstationsenableotherFWRI staff members to be strategically located throughout the state.

PRTF (0.36%)

MRCTF (52.18%)MRCTF/

GRANTS (37.26%)

NGWTF (1.64%)

STMTF (2.68%)

SGTF (5.24%)

CARLTF (0.09%)

FGTF/GRANTS (0.03%)

GR (0.52%)

Right: Keys Marine Laboratory, located in Long Key. FWRI field offices are located statewide.

More than 8,400 people attended the three days of MarineQuest 2012, the 18th annual open house of the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI). Each year at MarineQuest, visitors of any age can explore Florida’s fish and wildlife and their habitats at FWRI headquarters in downtown St. Petersburg.

63OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR


a look inside...PartnershipsABQ BioPark

AlabamaDepartmentofConservation and Natural Resources

AlabamaDepartmentofPublicHealth

American Museum of Natural History

Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve

Aquatic Systems, Inc.

Archbold Biological Station

Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

Auburn University

Avian Research and Conservation Institute

Bat Conservation International

Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo

Big Cypress National Preserve

Bonefish&TarponTrust

Boston University

Brevard Zoo

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management—Mapping and Boundary Branch

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge

Center for Snake Conservation

Centro de Investigación en AlimentaciónyDesarrolloA.C.,Unidad Mazatlán en Acuicultura y Manejo Ambiental

Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida—the Critical Lands and Waters IdentificationProject

Charlotte County Animal Control

Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program

Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance

Coastal Plains Institute

Collier County Pollution Control andPreventionDepartment

Cornell University—Human DimensionsResearchUnit

DefendersofWildlife

Disney’sAnimalKingdom

DucksUnlimited

Eckerd College

Ecostudies Institute

Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County

Escambia County—Community andEnvironmentDepartment

FloridaA&MUniversity—Graduate Council

Florida Atlantic University

Florida Caribbean Science Center

Florida Coastal Ocean Observing System

Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

FloridaDepartmentofAgriculture and Consumer Services(FDACS)

FDACS—DivisionofAquaculture

FloridaDepartmentofEnvironmental Protection (FDEP)

FDEP—CoastalManagementProgram

FDEP—DivisionofLawEnforcement

FDEP—DivisionofRecreationand Parks

FDEP—DivisionofStateLands

FDEP—FloridaGeologicalSurvey

FDEP—OfficeofCoastalandAquatic Managed Areas

FDEP—OfficeofTechnologyandInformation Services

65PARTNERSHIPS

FDEP—OuterContinentalShelfProgram

FloridaDepartmentofHealth(FDOH)

FDOH—DivisionofEnvironmental Health

FloridaDepartmentofState—DivisionofHistoricalResources

FloridaDepartmentofState—DivisionofLibraryandInformation Services

FloridaDepartmentofTransportation—Environmental ManagementOffice

FloridaDivisionofEmergencyManagement

Florida Forest Service

Florida Gulf Coast University

Florida Institute of Oceanography

Florida Institute of Technology

Florida LakeWatch

Florida Museum of Natural History

Florida National Guard

Florida Natural Areas Inventory

Florida Oceanographic Society

Florida Oceans and Coastal Council

Florida Ornithological Society

Florida Park Service

Florida Sea Grant

Florida State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation

Florida State University

George Mason University

GeorgiaDepartmentofNaturalResources

Governors’ South Atlantic Alliance

Greenwater Laboratories

Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve

Gulf Coast Joint Venture

Gulf of Mexico Alliance

Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council

Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission

Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

Hart Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies

Harvard University

Hillsborough County

Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park

Hubbs SeaWorld Research Institute

Idaho State University

Illinois Natural History Survey

Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program

InoMedic Health Applications, Inc. (IHA)—Environmental Protection

InstituteofParasitology,ČeskéBudějovice,CzechRepublicBiology Centre

Interagency Ocean Observation Committee—DataManagementand Communications

International Crane Foundation—North America

Jacksonville University

Jacksonville Zoo

James Cook University

Lake County Water Authority

Lee County

Loyola University

Manatee County

ManateeCounty—Departmentof Animal Services

Massachusetts Institute of Technology


a look inside...Partnerships (cont.)Medical University of South Carolina and Hollings Marine Lab

Miami Seaquarium

Michigan State University

MissouriDepartmentofConservation

Mote Marine Laboratory

MuseuNacional/UFRJ-Dept.Invertebrados

Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Australia

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

NASA—Ames Research Center

NASA—Earth Science

NASA—Stennis Space Center

National Audubon Society

National Cancer Institute

National Cancer Research Institute

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

National Museum of Natural History

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

NOAA—Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

NOAA—National EnvironmentalSatellite,Data,and Information Service

NOAA—National Marine Fisheries Service

NOAA—National Ocean Service

NOAA—National Weather Service

NOAA—OfficeofOceanicandAtmospheric Research

NOAA—Undersea Research Program

NOAA—U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System

National Park Service (NPS)

NPS—Biscayne National Park

NPS—Canaveral National Seashore

NPS—DryTortugasNationalPark

NPS—Everglades National Park

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

Natural History Museum—Vienna, Austria

NatureServe

Northwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict

Nova Southeastern University

Nova Southeastern University—National Coral Reef Institute

Ohio University

OldDominionUniversity

Oregon State University

Palm Beach County

Palm Beach County Reef Research Team

Palm Beach Zoo

Penn State University

Pinellas County

Pinellas County Public Works

PuertoRicoDepartmentofNatural and Environmental Resources

Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

SanDiegoZooInstituteforConservation Research

Sanibel Sea School

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation

Santa Fe College

Sarasota Bay Estuary Program

Sarasota County

Save the Manatee Club

Sea to Shore Alliance

Sea Turtle Conservancy

SeaWorld Orlando

67PARTNERSHIPS

Skidaway Institute of Oceanography

Smithsonian Institution—National Museum of Natural History

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Snook&GamefishFoundation

Solutions to Avoid Red Tide, Inc.

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council

SouthCarolinaDepartmentofNatural Resources

South Carolina Sea Grant

South Florida Water ManagementDistrict

Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership

Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association

Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative

Southeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation

SoutheasternBatDiversityNetwork

Southeastern Cooperative WildlifeDiseaseStudy

Southeastern Fisheries Association, Inc.

Southwest Florida Water ManagementDistrict

St. Johns River Water ManagementDistrict

Stanford Research Institute

State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Stony Brook University

Suwannee River Water ManagementDistrict

Tall Timbers Research Station

Tampa Bay Estuary Program

Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo

TexasA&MUniversity

TexasA&MUniversity-HarteResearch Institute

Texas Christian University

The Field Museum

The Nature Conservancy

The Orianne Society

U.S. Air Force

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) District7MSUCharleston

USCGDistrict7MSUSavannah

USCGDistrict7SectorKeyWest

USCGDistrict7SectorJacksonville

USCGDistrict7SectorMiami

USCGDistrict7SectorSanJuan

USCGDistrict7SectorSt.Petersburg

USCGDistrict8SectorMobile

U.S.DepartmentofAgriculture(USDA),AnimalandPlantHealth Inspection Service (APHIS)—Veterinary Services

USDA,APHIS—WildlifeServices

U.S.DepartmentofDefense

U.S.DepartmentoftheInterior

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)

USEPA—GulfEcologyDivisionLaboratory

USEPA—Gulf of Mexico Program

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)

USFWS—Endangered Species Program

USFWS—Florida Peninsular Landscape Conservation Cooperative


a look inside...Partnerships (cont.)USFWS—National Conservation Training Center

USFWS—National Wildlife Refuge System

U.S.FoodandDrugAdministration

U.S. Forest Service

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

USGS—Coastal and Marine Science Center

USGS—Earth Resources Observation and Science Center

USGS—NationalSpatialDataInfrastructure

USGS—National Wetlands Research Center

USGS—National Wildlife Health Center

Universidad Nacional Autónoma deMéxico-InstitutodeCienciasdel Mar y Limnología

University of British Columbia

UniversityofCalifornia,Davis

University of Central Florida (UCF)

UCF—College of Education

University of Charleston

UniversityofDelaware

University of Florida (UF)

UF—College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

UF—Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit

UF—H. T. Odum Center for Wetlands

UF—Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

University of Georgia

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

University of Maryland

University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth

University of Miami (UM)

UM - Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science

University of Michigan

University of North Carolina at Wilmington

University of North Florida

University of North Texas

University of Puerto Rico

University of South Alabama

University of South Florida (USF)

USF—Environmental Science and Policy Program

USF—College of Marine Science

USF—DepartmentofIntegrativeBiology

USF St. Petersburg—College of Business

University of Southern Mississippi (USM)

USM—Gulf Coast Research Laboratory

University of Tennessee

University of the Virgin Islands

University of Virginia

University of West Florida

University of Windsor

University of Wisconsin

Virginia Institute of Marine Science

White Oak Conservation Center

Wildlife Foundation of Florida

Wright State University

Zoo Miami

69RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS

a look inside...Research publicationsAdams,DouglasH.andRichardPaperno. 2012. Stable isotopes and mercury in a model estuarinefish:Multibasincomparisons with water quality, community structure, and available prey base. Science of the Total Environment, 414:445-455.

Appeldoorn, Richard S., Erick Castro Gonzalez, Robert Glazer, and Martha Prada. 2011. Applying EBM to queen conch fisheriesintheCaribbeanin Fanning, L., R. Mahon, and P. McConney, eds. Towards ecosystem-based management in the wider Caribbean. MARE Publication Series, Amsterdam University Press, Amsterdam, 425(6):177-186.

Benson, John F., Jeffrey A. Hostetler,DavidP.Onorato,Warren E. Johnson, Melody E. Roelke, Stephen J. O’Brien, DeborahJansen,andMadanK.Oli. 2011. Intentional genetic introgressioninfluencessurvivalof adults and subadults in a small, inbred felid population. Journal of Animal Ecology, 80:958-967.

Benson, John F., Mark A. Lotz, E.DarrellLand,andDaveP.Onorato. 2012. Evolutionary and practical implications of pseudo-estrus behavior in Florida panthers (Puma concolor coryi). Southeastern Naturalist, 11(1):149-154.

Bert, Terrie M., William S. Arnold, Anne L. McMillen-Jackson, Ami E. Wilbur, and Charles Crawford. 2011. Natural and anthropogenic forces shape the population genetics and recent evolutionary history of eastern United States bay scallops (Argopecten irradians). JournalofShellfishResearch,30(3):583-608.

Colella, M.A., R.R. Ruzicka, J.A. Kidney, J.M. Morrison, and V.B. Brinkhuis. 2012. Cold-water event of January 2010 results in catastrophic benthic mortality on patch reefs in the Florida Keys. Coral Reefs, 12 pp. doi: 10.1007/s00338-012-0880-5.

Cranford, Ted W., Wesley R. Elsberry, William G. Van Bonn, Jennifer A. Jeffress, Monica S. Chaplin,DianeJ.Blackwood,DonaldA.Carder,TriciaKamolnick, Mark A. Todd, and Sam H. Ridgway. 2011. Observation and analysis of sonar signal generation in the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus): Evidence for two sonar sources. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 407:81-96.

Curtis,TobeyH.,DouglasH.Adams, George H. Burgess. 2011. Seasonal distribution and habitat associations of bull sharks in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida: A 30-year synthesis. Transactions of the

American Fisheries Society, 140:1213-1226.

Dance,MichaelA.,WilliamF.PattersonIII,andDustinAddis.2011. Fish community and trophicstructureatartificialreef sites in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Bulletin of Marine Science, 87(3):301-324.

Downs,JoniA.,JustinH.Heller,RebeccaLoraamm,DanaOppenheim Stein, Cassandra McDaniel,andDaveOnorato.2012. Accuracy of home range estimators for homogeneous and inhomogeneous point patterns. Ecological Modeling, 225:66-73.

Flaherty, Kerry E. and Cameron B. Guenther. 2011. Seasonal distribution and abundance of blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) in the Tampa Bay Estuary. Gulf of Mexico Science, 2:91-110.

Gore, Jeffery A., Louis Lazure, and Mark E. Ludlow. 2012. Declineinthewinterpopulationof gray bats (Myotis grisescens) in Florida. Southeastern Naturalist, 11(1):89-98.

Hostetler,JeffreyA.,DavidP.Onorato, Benjamin M. Bolker, Warren E. Johnson, Stephen J.O’Brien,DeborahJansen,and Madan K. Oli. 2012. Doesgeneticintrogressionimprove female reproductive


a look inside...Research publications (cont.)performance? A test on the endangered Florida panther. Oecologia, 168:289-300.

Kritsky,DelaneC.,Willis J. McAleese, and MicahD.Bakenhaster.2011. Heteronchoineans (Monogenoidea) from the gills of crevalle jack, Caranx hippos (Perciformes, Carangidae), from Everglades National Park, Florida, with a redescription of Protomicrocotyle mirabilis (Gastrocotylinea, Protomicrocotylidae). Comparative Parasitology, 78(2):265-274.

Krysko, Kenneth L., Joseph P. Burgess, Michael R. Rochford, ChristopherR.Gillette,DanielCueva, Kevin M. Enge, Louis A. Somma, Jennifer L. Stabile, DustinC.Smith,JosephA.Wasilewski, Guy N. Kieckhefer III, Michael C. Granatosky, and StuartV.Nielsen.2011.Verifiednon-indigenous amphibians and reptiles in Florida from 1863 through 2010: Outlining the invasion process and identifying invasion pathways and stages. Zootaxa, 3028:1-64.

Lirman,Diego,StephanieSchopmeyer,DerekManzello,Lewis J. Gramer, William F. Precht, Frank Muller-Karger, Kenneth Banks, Brian Barnes, Erich Bartels, Amanda Bourque, JamesByrne,ScottDonahue,JaniceDuquesnel,Louis

Fisher,DavidGilliam,JamesHendee, Meaghan Johnson, KerryMaxwell,ErinMcDevitt,JamieMonty,DignaRueda,RobRuzicka, and Sara Thanner. 2011. Severe 2010 cold-water event caused unprecedented mortality to corals of the Florida Reef Tract and reversed previous survivorship patterns. PLoS ONE, 6(8):1-10.

McBride,RichardS.,DerkeJGSnodgrass,DouglasH.Adams, Steven J. Rider, and James Colvocoresses. 2012. An indeterminate model to estimate egg production of the highly iteroparous and fecund fish,dolphinfish,(Coryphaena hippurus). Bulletin of Marine Science, 88(2):283-303.

McVay, Matthew J., Micah D.Bakenhaster,andStephenA. Bullard. 2011. Cardicola larueiShort,1953(Digenea:Aporocotylidae) from heart of seatrout, Cynoscion spp., (Perciformes: Sciaenidae) in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean: Taxonomic redescription, firstobservationsofeggandmiracidium, and comments on geographic distribution and hostspecificity.ComparativeParasitology, 78(2):291-305.

Meylan, Peter A., Anne B. Meylan, and Jennifer A. Gray. 2011. The ecology and migrations of sea turtles, 8. Tests of the developmental

habitat hypothesis. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 357: 70 pp.

Millbrandt, Eric C., Richard D.Bartleson,LorenD.Coen,Olexandr Rybak, Mark A. Thompson, Jacquelyn A. DeAngelo,PhilipW.Stevens.2012. Local and regional effects of reopening a tidal inlet on estuarine water quality, seagrasshabitat,andfishassemblages. Continental Shelf Research, 41:1-16.

Moore, Clinton T., Sarah J. Converse, Martin J. Folk, Michael C. Runge, and Stephen A. Nesbitt. 2012. Evaluating release alternatives for a long-lived bird species under uncertainty about long-term demographic rates. Journal of Ornithology, 152(2): S339-S353.

Moravec, František and Micah Bakenhaster. 2011. New observations on philometrid nematodes (Philometridae) in marinefishesfromthenorthernGulf of Mexico and the Indian River Lagoon of Florida (USA), withfirstdescriptionofthemaleof Caranginema americanum. Journal of Parasitology, 98(2):398-403.

Morrison, Jennifer M., Rob Ruzicka, Michael A. Colella, Vanessa I. Brinkhuis, Kathleen S. Lunz, James A. Kidney,

71RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS

Meredith K. Meyers, and James W. Porter. 2012. Comparison of image-acquisition technologies used for benthic habitat monitoring. Proceedings of the 12th International Coral Reef Symposium, Cairns, Australia, July 2012:9-13.

Nam,Dong-Ha,DouglasH.Adams, Eric A. Reyier, and Niladri Basu. 2011. Mercury and selenium levels in lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) in relation to a harmful red tide event. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 176:549-559.

Porter, James W., Cecilia Torres, Kathryn Patterson Sutherland, Meredith K. Meyers, Michael K. Callahan, Rob Ruzicka, and Michael Colella. 2011. Prevalence, severity, lethality, and recovery of dark spots syndrome among three Floridian reef-building corals. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 408:79-87.

Poulakis, Gregg R., Philip W. Stevens, Amy A. Timmers, Tonya R. Wiley, and Colin A. Simpfendorfer. 2011. Abiotic affinitiesandspatiotemporaldistribution of the endangered smalltoothsawfish,Pristis pectinata, in a south-western Florida nursery. Marine and Freshwater Research, 62:1165-1177.

Rodgers, Jr., James A. and Henry T. Smith. 2012. Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of NorthAmericaOnline:http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/145

Seyoum,Seifu,MichaelD.Tringali, Ronald R. Bielefeld, Jamie C. Feddersen, Richard J. Benedict Jr., Andrew T. Fanning, Brandon L. Barthel, Caitlin Curtis, Cecilia Puchulutegui, Alicia C. M. Roberts, Vicki L. Villanova, and Emily C. Tucker. 2012. Fifty-nine microsatellite markers for hybridclassificationstudiesinvolving endemic Florida MottledDuck(Anas fulvigula fulvigula) and invasive Mallards (A. platyrhynchos). Conservation Genetics Resources, 7 pp. doi: 10.1007/s12686-012-9622-9.

Stevely,JohnM.,DonaldE.Sweat, Theresa M. Bert, Carina Sim-Smith, and Michelle Kelly. 2011. Sponge mortality at Marathon and Long Key, Florida: Patterns of species response and population recovery in Proceedings of the 63rd Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute, November 10-14, 2010: 384-400.

Taylor, Christopher A., Guenter A. Schuster, Courtney L. Graydon, and Paul E. Moler.2011.Distributionandconservation status of the rusty gravedigger, Cambarus miltus, a poorly known Gulf Coastalcrayfish.SoutheasternNaturalist, 10(3):547-552.

Switzer, Theodore S., Timothy C.MacDonald,RobertH.McMichael Jr., and Sean F. Keenan. 2012. Recruitment of juvenile gags in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and factors contributing to observed spatial and temporal patterns of estuarine occupancy. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 141:707-719.

Woodward, Allan R., H. Franklin Percival, R. Heath Rauschenberger, Timothy S. Gross, Kenneth G. Rice, and Roxanne Conrow. 2011. Abnormal alligators and organochlorine pesticides in Lake Apopka, Florida in Elliott, J.E., et al., eds. Wildlife Ecotoxicology: Forensic approaches (Emerging topics in ecotoxicology), Springer, New York, 3: 153-187.


a look inside...2012–2013 Budget

Total Budget: $49,182,774

Total appropriations for FWRI in fiscal year 2012–2013 are $49,182,774 (includes adjustments through August 2012). Slight differences in the total of all programs represented in this document are due to overhead assessments to the programs. FWRI assesses overhead to programs to supplement operational costs of the Office of the Director, Budget Office, Outreach Coordination, and Facilities Management. Overhead assessments also fund services used Institute-wide such as the Research Information Center, Specimen Collections, and Computer and Network Support. The assessments are represented in this document as part of each program budget and are also represented in the costs of the Institute operations and services mentioned above.

Funding Sources

GENERAL REVENUE (3.41%)

PRTF (1.18%)

MRCTF (33.83%)

NGWTF/GRANTS (0.05%)

MRCTF/GRANTS (7.24%)NGWTF

(3.83%)STMTF (4.37%)

SGTF (7.55%)

SGTF/GRANTS (0.97%)

FGTF (35.71%)

GDTF (1.34%)

CARLTF (0.52%)

732012–2013 BUDGET

Marine Fisheries ResearchSection Contact:Luiz Barbieri [email protected] The waters along Florida’s coastline attract millions of recreational anglers and thousands of commercial fishers. Marine Fisheries Research biologists study the fish and invertebrates found in the state’s saltwater environments, gathering data important for the management of these species. The section’s research includes collecting and analyzing fishing data, monitoring species status and abundance, investigating biological information, and breeding and rearing certain species to enhance or rebuild their populations.

Total Section Budget $20,942,354

#FTE FTE SALARIES OPS SALARIES OPS CONTRACT EXPENSE EQUIPMENTSPECIAL

CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

MRCTF 81.0 $4,763,978 $1,115,364 $1,219,810 $1,178,545 $50,216 $0 $8,327,913 $652,221 $8,980,134

MRCTF/ Grants 2.0 $109,504 $0 $0 $0 $0 $690,675 $800,179 $39,445 $839,624

GDTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $42,235 $42,235 $0 $42,235

FGTF 53.5 $2,675,693 $0 $0 $0 $0 $6,906,510 $9,582,203 $1,498,158 $11,080,361

Totals 136.5 $7,549,175 $1,115,364 $1,219,810 $1,178,545 $50,216 $7,639,420 $18,752,530 $2,189,824 $20,942,354


Administrative Costs


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

MRCTF 3.0 $188,549 $3,084 $229,050 $35,242 $4,090 $0 $460,015 $45,035 $505,050

FGTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $83,714 $83,714 $0 $83,714

Totals 3.0 $188,549 $3,084 $229,050 $35,242 $4,090 $83,714 $543,729 $45,035 $588,764

Keys Fisheries ResearchSubsection Contact: John H. Hunt, [email protected]

Keys Fisheries Research encompasses a variety of research and monitoring programs focused on the recreationally and commercially important fish and invertebrate species inhabiting the Florida Keys’ ecosystems.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

MRCTF 13.0 $808,030 $164,226 $19,407 $229,491 $31,894 $0 $1,253,048 $104,600 $1,357,648

MRCTF/ Grants 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $2,084 $2,084 $0 $2,084

FGTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $309,388 $309,388 $45,551 $354,939

Totals 13.0 $808,030 $164,226 $19,407 $229,491 $31,894 $311,472 $1,564,520 $150,151 $1,714,671

Keys Marine LaboratorySubsection Contact: John H. Hunt, [email protected]

This joint operation with the Florida Institute of Oceanography encourages and supports academic research programs that benefit the unique Florida Keys ecosystem.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

MRCTF 4.0 $189,392 $0 $94,341 $0 $0 $0 $283,733 $0 $283,733

Totals 4.0 $189,392 $0 $94,341 $0 $0 $0 $283,733 $0 $283,733

752012–2013 BUDGET


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

MRCTF 4.0 $189,392 $0 $94,341 $0 $0 $0 $283,733 $0 $283,733

Totals 4.0 $189,392 $0 $94,341 $0 $0 $0 $283,733 $0 $283,733

Marine Fisheries BiologySubsection Contact: Ryan Gandy, [email protected]

Researchers collect and provide data concerning the life history, biology, age structure, stock abundance, and fishery characteristics of important commercial and recreational fish and invertebrate species in Florida.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

MRCTF 11.0 $725,827 $409,660 $290,210 $179,529 $0 $0 $1,605,226 $157,152 $1,762,378

MRCTF/ Grants 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $171,477 $171,477 $8,140 $179,617

GDTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $42,235 $42,235 $0 $42,235

FGTF 13.0 $664,728 $0 $0 $0 $0 $648,130 $1,312,858 $311,889 $1,624,747

Totals 24.0 $1,390,555 $409,660 $290,210 $179,529 $0 $861,842 $3,131,796 $477,181 $3,608,977

Marine Fisheries-Dependent MonitoringSubsection Contact: Richard Cody, Ph.D., [email protected]

Researchers collect and analyze data on the number of fish caught and the number of trips made by commercial and recreational fishers, using this information to monitor trends in marine fisheries throughout Florida. These data provide assessments of how management regulations affect harvest and fishers.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

MRCTF 13.0 $651,270 $35,265 $23,000 $50,457 $14,232 $0 $774,224 $75,797 $850,021

MRCTF/ Grants 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

FGTF 13.5 $580,406 $0 $0 $0 $0 $4,093,223 $4,673,629 $703,240 $5,376,869

Totals 26.5 $1,231,676 $35,265 $23,000 $50,457 $14,232 $4,093,223 $5,447,853 $779,037 $6,226,890

Marine Fisheries-Independent MonitoringSubsection Contact: Robert H. McMichael, Jr., [email protected]

Researchers capture, identify, count, and release millions of fish each year to monitor the status and relative abundance of economically important fish and invertebrate species from six estuaries around the state.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

MRCTF 29.0 $1,645,562 $256,829 $263,802 $498,509 $0 $0 $2,664,702 $223,104 $2,887,806

MRCTF/ Grants 2.0 $109,504 $0 $0 $0 $0 $517,114 $626,618 $31,305 $657,923

FGTF 20.0 $1,047,352 $0 $0 $0 $0 $1,712,852 $2,760,204 $437,478 $3,197,682

Totals 51.0 $2,802,418 $256,829 $263,802 $498,509 $0 $2,229,966 $6,051,524 $691,887 $6,743,411


Marine Fisheries Stock AssessmentSubsection Contact: Michael D. Murphy, [email protected]

Researchers integrate available physical, biological, and fisheries data to evaluate the condition of Florida’s marine fisheries resources. Stock assessment staff uses data from FWRI’s Marine Fisheries-Independent Monitoring, Marine Fisheries-Dependent Monitoring, and Marine Fisheries Biology programs and from various state and federal agencies. Assessment analyses and the determined status of resources are provided to marine fisheries managers.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

MRCTF 5.0 $385,890 $83,526 $0 $5,900 $0 $0 $475,316 $46,533 $521,849

FGTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

Totals 5.0 $385,890 $83,526 $0 $5,900 $0 $0 $475,316 $46,533 $521,849

Marine Fisheries Stock EnhancementSubsection Contact: Chris Young, [email protected]

Biologists focus on breeding and rearing marine sport fish and molluscs for release and evaluate the use of hatchery-reared animals as a management tool to enhance or rebuild coastal fisheries.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

MRCTF 3.0 $169,458 $162,774 $300,000 $179,417 $0 $0 $811,649 $0 $811,649

FGTF 7.0 $383,207 $0 $0 $0 $0 $59,203 $442,410 $0 $442,410

Totals 10.0 $552,665 $162,774 $300,000 $179,417 $0 $59,203 $1,254,059 $0 $1,254,059

772012–2013 BUDGET

Freshwater Fisheries ResearchSection Contact:Jason Dotson [email protected] The fish in Florida’s lakes and rivers are an important natural resource. Fishing in these locations is a significant contributor to tourism and the state’s economy. Biologists with the Freshwater Fisheries Research section gather and analyze information about the populations and abundance of Florida’s freshwater fish and invertebrate species. Section researchers combine the information they learn about these species with data from studies of habitats and human impacts to provide assessments to resource managers.



CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

SGTF 25.0 $1,403,106 $81,459 $20,000 $137,052 $47,073 $0 $1,688,690 $73,700 $1,762,390

SGTF/GRANTS 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $86,973 $86,973 $3,095 $90,068

FGTF 11.0 $599,764 $0 $0 $0 $0 $505,649 $1,105,413 $0 $1,105,413

Totals 36.0 $2,002,870 $81,459 $20,000 $137,052 $47,073 $592,622 $2,881,076 $76,795 $2,957,871




CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

SGTF 2.0 $143,087 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $143,087 $0 $143,087

Totals 2.0 $143,087 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $143,087 $0 $143,087

Freshwater Fisheries BiologySubsection Contact: Steve Crawford, [email protected]

Researchers study the life histories, ecology, and population changes of important Florida sport fish species and evaluate management practices, methodologies, and sample gear to provide data that biologists need for population studies and assessments.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

SGTF 8.0 $458,742 $81,459 $20,000 $137,052 $47,073 $0 $744,326 $37,216 $781,542

Totals 8.0 $458,742 $81,459 $20,000 $137,052 $47,073 $0 $744,326 $37,216 $781,542

Freshwater Fisheries Resource AssessmentSubsection Contact: Dick Krause, [email protected]

Researchers combine the data gathered by Freshwater Fisheries Biology researchers with data from studies of habitats and human impacts on freshwater fish species to provide assessments to resource managers.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

SGTF 15.0 $801,277 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $801,277 $36,484 $837,761

SGTF/GRANTS 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $86,973 $86,973 $3,095 $90,068

FGTF 11.0 $599,764 $0 $0 $0 $0 $505,649 $1,105,413 $0 $1,105,413

Totals 26.0 $1,401,041 $0 $0 $0 $0 $592,622 $1,993,663 $39,579 $2,033,242

792012–2013 BUDGET

Wildlife ResearchSection Contact:Tim O’Meara Tim.O’[email protected] From the tiny beach mouse to the not so tiny right whale, Florida is home to a wide array of wildlife species. Biologists with the Wildlife Research section monitor the status of Florida’s birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, including species important to hunters such as deer, alligator and waterfowl, and imperiled species such as the Florida panther and the Florida manatee. Wildlife managers rely on the information this research provides to develop conservation and restoration plans that ensure the long term persistence of wildlife populations.



CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

PRTF 2.0 $109,841 $27,000 $7,000 $36,993 $0 $246,500 $427,334 $8,230 $435,564

MRCTF 7.5 $493,132 $114,811 $1,710,300 $88,926 $10,000 $0 $2,417,169 $47,050 $2,464,219

MRCTF/Grants 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $61,546 $61,546 $0 $61,546

NGWTF 13.0 $837,151 $200,312 $71,672 $215,687 $102,586 $0 $1,427,408 $64,800 $1,492,209

STMTF 15.0 $908,235 $661,725 $92,173 $332,938 $11,625 $0 $2,006,696 $109,700 $2,116,396

SGTF 10.5 $630,065 $70,673 $54,887 $137,000 $112,705 $0 $1,005,330 $33,475 $1,038,805

CARLTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $10,000 $10,000 $0 $10,000

GDTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $30,804 $30,804 $0 $30,804

FGTF 6.0 $296,828 $0 $0 $0 $0 $1,227,755 $1,524,583 $152,318 $1,676,901

Totals 54.0 $3,275,252 $1,074,521 $1,936,032 $811,544 $236,916 $1,576,605 $8,910,870 $415,573 $9,326,444




CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

NGWTF 0.0 $0 $40,168 $69,372 $102,012 $4,000 $0 $215,552 $4,207 $219,759

SGTF 1.0 $103,348 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $103,348 $0 $103,348

CARLTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $10,000 $10,000 $0 $10,000

FGTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

Totals 1.0 $103,348 $40,168 $69,372 $102,012 $4,000 $10,000 $328,900 $4,207 $333,107

Avian ResearchSubsection Contact: James A. Rodgers, Ph.D., [email protected]

Researchers provide data on the life history, population biology, and ecology of Florida’s bird species to aid managers in developing conservation plans and to assist recovery efforts.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

NGWTF 7.0 $455,629 $52,622 $2,300 $43,475 $90,107 $0 $644,133 $32,207 $676,340

SGTF 2.0 $129,323 $16,800 $10,000 $33,000 $0 $0 $189,123 $0 $189,123

GDTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $12,128 $12,128 $0 $12,128

FGTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $162,295 $162,295 $8,115 $170,410

Totals 9.0 $584,952 $69,422 $12,300 $76,475 $90,107 $174,423 $1,007,679 $40,322 $1,048,001

Marine Mammal ResearchSubsection Contact: Leslie Ward, [email protected]

Priority research and monitoring efforts focus on advancing knowledge of marine mammal populations, including Florida manatees and North Atlantic right whales, to contribute to conservation recovery actions and to support healthy populations of marine mammals.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

MRCTF 3.5 $209,415 $0 $1,704,000 $24,239 $0 $0 $1,937,654 $0 $1,937,654

MRCTF/ Grant 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $61,546 $61,546 $0 $61,546

STMTF 15.0 $908,235 $661,725 $92,173 $332,938 $11,625 $0 $2,006,696 $109,700 $2,116,396

GDTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $11,628 $11,628 $0 $11,628

FGTF 3.0 $166,279 $0 $0 $0 $0 $886,570 $1,052,849 $104,218 $1,157,067

Totals 21.5 $1,283,929 $661,725 $1,796,173 $357,177 $11,625 $959,744 $5,070,373 $213,918 $5,284,291

812012–2013 BUDGET

Marine Turtle ResearchSubsection Contact: Anne Meylan, Ph.D., [email protected]

Researchers help promote the recovery of sea turtle populations by studying their life history, population biology, ecology, behavior, and migrations.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

MRCTF 4.0 $283,717 $114,811 $6,300 $64,687 $10,000 $0 $479,515 $47,050 $526,565

MRCTF/ Grants 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

FGTF 2.0 $97,447 $0 $0 $0 $0 $171,239 $268,686 $39,985 $308,671

Totals 6.0 $381,164 $114,811 $6,300 $64,687 $10,000 $171,239 $748,201 $87,035 $835,236

Reptile and Amphibian ResearchSubsection Contact: Allan R. Woodward, [email protected]

Researchers study a broad variety of topics related to amphibians and reptiles other than sea turtles, monitor species populations, and support conservation efforts.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

NGWTF 2.0 $136,900 $71,872 $0 $21,800 $0 $0 $230,572 $11,529 $242,101

SGTF 6.5 $341,929 $53,873 $44,887 $104,000 $112,485 $0 $657,174 $33,475 $690,649

GDTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $7,048 $7,048 $0 $7,048

FGTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $40 $40 $0 $40

Totals 8.5 $478,829 $125,745 $44,887 $125,800 $112,485 $7,088 $894,834 $45,004 $939,838

Terrestrial Mammal ResearchSubsection Contact: Jeffery A. Gore, Ph.D., [email protected]

Researchers investigate the behavior, ecology, and population biology of land-based mammals and provide wildlife managers with the information they need to conserve Florida’s native mammals.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

PRTF 2.0 $109,841 $27,000 $7,000 $36,993 $0 $246,500 $427,334 $8,230 $435,564

NGWTF 4.0 $244,622 $35,650 $0 $48,400 $8,479 $0 $337,151 $16,858 $354,009

SGTF 1.0 $55,465 $0 $0 $0 $220 $0 $55,685 $0 $55,685

FGTF 1.0 $33,102 $0 $0 $0 $0 $7,611 $40,713 $0 $40,713

Totals 8.0 $443,030 $62,650 $7,000 $85,393 $8,699 $254,111 $860,883 $25,088 $885,971


Ecosystem Assessment and RestorationSection Contacts:Fish and Wildlife Health, Harmful Algal Blooms Research

Leanne Flewelling [email protected]

Habitat ResearchAmber [email protected]

Florida’s diverse collection of fish and wildlife species faces threats every day. Biologists with the Ecosystem Assessment and Restoration section track many of these threats. Researchers monitor harmful algal blooms including Florida red tide which can cause human health and economic problems, and monitor and investigate fish and wildlife diseases and die-offs. Section researchers also evaluate the status of habitats, providing data that aid in preservation, management, and restoration decision-making.



CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

General Revenue 0.0 $0 $439,967 $443,750 $126,997 $0 $640,993 $1,651,707 $28,050 $1,679,757

PRTF 1.0 $74,157 $19,418 $22,000 $16,970 $0 $0 $132,545 $5,990 $138,535

MRCTF 20.0 $1,222,450 $31,310 $10,389 $71,012 $26,750 $0 $1,361,911 $88,681 $1,450,592

MRCTF/ Grants 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $275,280 $275,280 $8,461 $283,741

SGTF 3.0 $179,412 $16,841 $0 $39,480 $96,178 $0 $331,911 $11,720 $343,631

CARLTF 2.0 $93,756 $0 $0 $0 $0 $68,683 $162,439 $0 $162,439

FGTF 12.0 $554,419 $0 $0 $0 $0 $1,450,749 $2,005,168 $58,535 $2,063,703

Totals 38.0 $2,124,194 $507,536 $476,139 $254,459 $122,928 $2,435,705 $5,920,961 $201,437 $6,122,398

832012–2013 BUDGET



CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

MRCTF 3.0 $172,314 $0 $0 $52,639 $0 $0 $224,953 $0 $224,953

SGTF 0.0 $0 $2,841 $0 $11,480 $0 $0 $14,321 $0 $14,321

Totals 3.0 $172,314 $2,841 $0 $64,119 $0 $0 $239,274 $0 $239,274

Fish and Wildlife HealthAquatic Health Program Contact: Jan Landsberg, Ph.D., [email protected] Sport Fish Health Program Contact: Theresa Cody, [email protected] Wildlife Health Program Contact: Mark W. Cunningham, DVM, [email protected]

Researchers monitor, investigate the causes of, and assist in the management of fish and wildlife diseases and die-offs. Staff members also conduct wildlife veterinary research.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

General Revenue 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

PRTF 1.0 $74,157 $19,418 $22,000 $16,970 $0 $0 $132,545 $5,990 $138,535

MRCTF 3.0 $186,723 $31,310 $10,389 $13,373 $0 $0 $241,795 $24,180 $265,975

MRCTF/ Grants 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

SGTF 1.0 $52,340 $4,000 $0 $11,000 $0 $0 $67,340 $0 $67,340

FGTF 5.0 $242,515 $0 $0 $0 $0 $93,328 $335,843 $0 $335,843

Totals 10.0 $555,735 $54,728 $32,389 $41,343 $0 $93,328 $777,523 $30,170 $807,693


Habitat ResearchCoastal Wetland Program Contact: Ryan Moyer, Ph.D. [email protected] Coral Habitat Program Contact: Rob Ruzicka , [email protected] Freshwater Plants Program Contact: Craig Mallison, [email protected] Seagrass Habitat Program Contact: Penny Hall, Ph.D., [email protected] Upland Habitat Program Contact: Kent Williges, [email protected]

Ecologists collect and analyze freshwater, marine, and upland habitat and species data to aid effective management, preservation, and restoration decision-making.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

MRCTF 7.0 $472,177 $0 $0 $5,000 $0 $0 $477,177 $22,702 $499,879

MRCTF/Grants 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $275,280 $275,280 $8,461 $283,741

SGTF 2.0 $127,072 $10,000 $0 $17,000 $96,178 $0 $250,250 $11,720 $261,970

CARTF 2.0 $93,756 $0 $0 $0 $0 $68,683 $162,439 $0 $162,439

FGTF 4.0 $179,129 $0 $0 $0 $0 $1,250,271 $1,429,400 $58,134 $1,487,534

Totals 15.0 $872,134 $10,000 $0 $22,000 $96,178 $1,594,234 $2,594,546 $101,017 $2,695,563

Harmful Algal Blooms ResearchSubsection Contact: Alina Corcoran, [email protected]

Researchers in this group study Florida red tide and other harmful algal blooms, monitoring blooms that adversely affect natural resources or present a human-health risk.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

General Revenue 0.0 $0 $439,967 $443,750 $126,997 $0 $640,993 $1,651,707 $28,050 $1,679,757

MRCTF 7.0 $391,236 $0 $0 $0 $26,750 $0 $417,986 $41,799 $459,785

MRCTF/ Grants 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

FGTF 3.0 $132,775 $0 $0 $0 $0 $107,150 $239,925 $401 $240,326

Totals 10.0 $524,011 $439,967 $443,750 $126,997 $26,750 $748,143 $2,309,618 $70,250 $2,379,868

852012–2013 BUDGET

Information Science and ManagementSection Contact:Henry [email protected] Researchers in this section address complex natural resource issues by integrating ecological, cultural, and socioeconomic information using statistical and spatial analysis techniques. Staff develop maps and model distribution patterns of fish and wildlife, identify lands and waters that are conservation priorities, and assess economic impacts of recreational activities. The section’s database experts, statisticians, research librarians, specimen collection managers, and scientific editor provide additional support to FWRI scientists.



CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

PRTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $1,671 $0 $0 $1,671 $74 $1,745

MRCTF 20.0 $1,214,418 $145,982 $168,129 $165,213 $10,000 $0 $1,703,742 $170,374 $1,874,116

MRCTF/ Grants 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $400,097 $400,097 $1,362 $401,459

NGWTF 4.0 $222,247 $4,000 $60,600 $80,556 $0 $0 $367,403 $16,640 $384,043

SGTF 6.0 $388,392 $0 $0 $13,137 $0 $0 $401,529 $19,970 $421,499

CARLTF 1.0 $62,981 $0 $0 $3,952 $0 $9,281 $76,214 $0 $76,214

GDTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

FGTF 9.0 $493,911 $0 $0 $0 $0 $1,205,359 $1,676,850 $153,483 $1,830,333

Totals 40.0 $2,381,949 $149,982 $228,729 $264,529 $10,000 $1,614,737 $4,627,506 $361,903 $4,989,409




CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

PRTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $1,671 $0 $0 $1,671 $74 $1,745

MRCTF 5.0 $321,893 $13,042 $3,800 $64,729 $0 $0 $403,464 $40,346 $443,810

CARLTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $9,281 $9,281 $0 $9,281

Totals 5.0 $321,893 $13,042 $3,800 $66,400 $0 $9,281 $414,416 $40,420 $454,836

Center for Biostatistics and ModelingSubsection Contact: Erin Leone, [email protected]

Researchers help make scientific results more reliable and useful by providing statistical consulting support; developing study designs and statistical analysis plans; helping analyze scientific data; and producing user-friendly software tools for statistical analysis, modeling procedures, and information visualization.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

SGTF 2.0 $136,476 $0 $0 $13,137 $0 $0 $149,613 $7,481 $157,094

CARLTF 1.0 $62,981 $0 $0 $2,952 $0 $0 $65,933 $0 $65,933

Totals 3.0 $199,457 $0 $0 $16,089 $0 $0 $215,546 $7,481 $223,027

Center for Spatial AnalysisSubsection Contact: Henry Norris, [email protected]

Using computer mapping and geographic data analysis methods, researchers map habitats, model animal distributions, develop mapping applications, and produce digital and hard-copy maps and graphics for distribution to natural resource managers and the public.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

MRCTF 6.0 $380,661 $132,940 $164,329 $87,400 $10,000 $0 $775,330 $77,533 $852,863

MRCTF/ Grants 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $27,219 $27,219 $1,362 $28,581

NGWTF 4.0 $222,247 $4,000 $60,600 $80,556 $0 $0 $367,403 $16,640 $384,043

SGTF 3.0 $181,029 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $181,029 $8,945 $189,974

FGTF 8.0 $436,501 $0 $0 $0 $0 $1,031,654 $1,468,155 $136,532 $1,604,687

Totals 21.0 $1,220,438 $136,940 $224,929 $167,956 $10,000 $1,058,873 $2,819,136 $241,012 $3,060,148

872012–2013 BUDGET

Information AccessData Access Program Contact: Shane Collier, [email protected] Research Information Center Contact: Jan Boyett, [email protected] Specimen Information Services Contact: Joan Herrera, [email protected]

Program staff design, develop, and manage databases; oversee digital and hard-copy publications in the science library; provide editing, illustration, graphics, and publications-production services; and maintain one of the largest collections of marine fish and invertebrate specimens in the southeastern U.S.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

MRCTF 9.0 $511,864 $0 $0 $12,084 $0 $0 $523,948 $52,395 $576,343

MRCTF/ Grants 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $372,878 $372,878 $0 $372,878

GDTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

FGTF 1.0 $57,410 $0 $0 $0 $0 $173,705 $208,695 $16,951 $225,646

Totals 10.0 $569,274 $0 $0 $12,084 $0 $546,583 $1,105,521 $69,346 $1,174,867

Socioeconomic AssessmentSubsection Contact: David Harding, [email protected]

Staff conducts economic studies that provide information to support management decisions such as determining whether to purchase lands for protection, determining economic consequences of raising fees, and assessing the optimal location of a future boat ramp.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

MRCTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $1,000 $0 $0 $1,000 $100 $1,100

SGTF 1.0 $70,887 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $70,887 $3,544 $74,431

CARLTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $1,000 $0 $0 $1,000 $0 $1,000

Totals 1.0 $70,887 $0 $0 $2,000 $0 $0 $72,887 $3,644 $76,531


Office of the DirectorSection Contact:Gil McRae, FWRI [email protected] The Office of the Director is responsible for managing a budget of over $49,000,000, which supports all programs and operations of the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI). FWRI’s director leads the science sections and oversees Institute-wide functions, such as Research Operations, which provides facilities and budget-related support, and Outreach Coordination.

Approximately 630 staff members make up FWRI. FWRI’s headquarters, located in downtown St. Petersburg, is home base to nearly half of the employees. More than 20 field stations enable other FWRI staff members to be strategically located throughout the state.



CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

General Revenue 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $28,050 $0 $0 $28,050 $0 $28,050

PRTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $14,326 $0 $5,334 $19,660 $0 $19,660

MRCTF 16.0 $932,512 $0 $0 $897,681 $164,156 $833,309 $2,827,658 $0 $2,827,658

MRCTF/ Grants 7.0 $404,318 $0 $0 $0 $0 $1,615,076 $2,019,394 $0 $2,019,394

NGWTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $18,033 $3,335 $67,386 $88,754 $0 $88,754

STMTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $109,700 $0 $35,674 $145,374 $0 $145,374

SGTF 3.0 $141,588 $0 $0 $69,244 $0 $72,922 $283,754 $0 $283,754

CARLTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $5,114 $5,114 $0 $5,114

FGTF/Grants 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $1,718 $1,718 $0 $1,718

Totals 26.0 $1,478,418 $0 $0 $1,137,034 $167,491 $2,636,533 $5,419,476 $0 $5,419,476

892012–2013 BUDGET

Office of the DirectorSubsection Contact: Gil McRae, [email protected]

The Director of FWRI leads the major science sections: Marine Fisheries Research, Freshwater Fisheries Research, Wildlife Research, Ecosystem Assessment and Restoration, and Information Science and Management. The Office of the Director also oversees Institute-wide functions such as Outreach Coordination and Research Operations.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

PRTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $5,334 $5,334 $0 $5,334

MRCTF 5.0 $388,037 $0 $0 $0 $164,156 $507,364 $1,059,557 $0 $1,059,557

MRCTF/ Grants 1.0 $58,830 $0 $0 $0 $0 $333,982 $392,812 $0 $392,812

NGWTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $3,335 $67,386 $70,721 $0 $70,721

STMTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $35,674 $35,674 $0 $35,674

SGTF 1.0 $60,857 $0 $0 $0 $0 $72,922 $133,779 $0 $133,779

CARLTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $5,114 $5,114 $0 $5,114

Totals 7.0 $507,724 $0 $0 $0 $167,491 $1,027,776 $1,702,991 $0 $1,702,991

Research OperationsSubsection Contact: Trang Nguyen, [email protected]

The Research Operations Section supports the scientific activities of FWRI and consists of work groups such as the Budget Office and Facilities Management. The Budget Office includes a small Grants Office that provides central-division coordination and support for securing grant-funded resources.


CATEGORIES

PROGRAM OPERATIONAL

BUDGETOVERHEAD

ASSESSMENT

TOTAL PROGRAM

BUDGET

General Revenue 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $28,050 $0 $0 $28,050 $0 $28,050

PRTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $14,326 $0 $0 $14,326 $0 $14,326

MRCTF 11.0 $544,475 $0 $0 $897,681 $0 $325,945 $1,768,101 $0 $1,768,101

MRCTF/Grants 6.0 $345,488 $0 $0 $0 $0 $1,281,094 $1,626,582 $0 $1,626,582

NGWTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $18,033 $0 $0 $18,033 $0 $18,033

STMTF 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $109,700 $0 $109,700 $0 $109,700

SGTF 2.0 $80,731 $0 $0 $69,244 $0 $0 $149,975 $0 $149,975

FGTF/Grants 0.0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $1,718 $1,718 $0 $1,718

Totals 19.0 $970,694 $0 $0 $1,137,034 $0 $1,608,757 $3,716,485 $0 $3,716,485


a look inside...Current Grant AwardsNote: New awards and amendments to existing awards are received throughout the year

GRANT NAMEGranting AgencyGrant start date

# State Wildlife Grant (SWG), administered by FWC, Division of Habitat and Species Conservation as of November 1, 2012

MARINE FISHERIES RESEARCH

CHARLOTTE HARBOR/LEMON BAY WATER QUALITY MONITORINGSouthwest Florida Water Management DistrictMay 7, 2001

$414,285 Grantor$0 State/In-Kind

$414,285 Total

FISHERIES-INDEPENDENT MONITORING OF LOWER CHARLOTTE HARBOR AND CALOOSAHATCHEE ESTUARYSouth Florida Water Management DistrictApril 21, 2004

$450,000 Grantor$150,000 State/In-Kind$600,000 Total

HYDRO-BIOLOGICAL MONITORING PROGRAM FOR TAMPA BYPASS CANAL/ALAFIA RIVER WATER SUPPLY PROJECTSUniversity of South Florida, College of Marine ScienceOctober 1, 2004


$671,616 Total

INVESTIGATION OF FISH AND INVERTEBRATE USE OF THE CHASSAHOWITZKA RIVER ESTUARYUniversity of South Florida, College of Marine ScienceAugust 17, 2005


$79,500 Total

DISTRIBUTION OF LOBSTER TRAPS AND EFFECTS ON CORAL HABITAT - YEAR 5U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationSeptember 12, 2005


$24,999 Total

FISH HABITAT ASSESSMENT AND DIET ANALYSIS, TAMPA BAY TIDAL TRIBUTARIESTampa Bay Estuary ProgramOctober 1, 2005


$149,750 Total

SOUTHEAST AREA MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM 2006-2011U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationFebruary 1, 2006

$1,757,101 Grantor$0 State/In-Kind

$1,757,101 Total

91CURRENT GRANT AWARDS

INVESTIGATION OF FISH AND INVERTEBRATE USE OF THE UPPER MANATEE RIVER AND GAMBLE CREEK ESTUARINE SYSTEMS (B204)Southwest Florida Water Management DistrictFebruary 10, 2006


$70,800 Total

MONITORING POPULATIONS OF FISH AND MACROINVERTEBRATES IN FLORIDA BAYU.S. Department of the Interior, National Park ServiceMay 30, 2006


$450,000 Total

DEVELOP A LARVAL DISPERSAL MODEL, VALIDATE THE MODEL USING FIELD SAMPLING TECHNIQUES, MONITOR RECRUITMENT AND ASSESS THE SUCCESS OF OYSTER REEF RESTORATION PROJECTSGulf States Marine Fisheries Commission U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationOctober 1, 2006


$424,280 Total

FISHERIES-INDEPENDENT MONITORING PROGRAM INTO MOSQUITO LAGOON IN THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON SYSTEMSt. Johns River Water Management DistrictJanuary 24, 2007


$194,550 Total

SOUTHEAST AREA MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM SUPPLEMENTU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationFebruary 1, 2007


$402,079 Total

AN INVESTIGATION OF FRESHWATER INFLOW EFFECTS ON FISH AND INVERTEBRATE USE OF THE HOMOSASSA RIVER ESTUARYUniversity of South Florida, College of Marine ScienceMarch 1, 2007


$122,338 Total

FLORIDA AND NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE REGIONAL COOPERATIVE STATISTICS PROGRAMU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationApril 1, 2007


$530,530 Total

#SWG - ASSESSING IMPORTANCE OF HORSESHOE CRAB EGGS IN DIETS OF MIGRATING SEABIRDS…FLORIDA BEACHESU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJune 1, 2007


#SWG - BIODIVERSITY LINKS TO HABITAT IN FLORIDA WEST COAST WATERSU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJune 1, 2007


REEF FISH MONITORING AND RESEARCH IN DRY TORTUGAS, FLORIDANational Fish and Wildlife FoundationAugust 1, 2007

$286,000 Grantor$85,264 State/In-Kind

$371,264 Total


FLORIDA ATLANTIC COAST STOCK ASSESSMENTSU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationSeptember 1, 2007


$1,124,028 Total

JUVENILE FISH MONITORING - FISH ANALYSIS IN THE CALOOSAHATCHEE RIVER ESTUARYSouth Florida Water Management DistrictNovember 19, 2007


$20,000 Total

FISHERIES-INDEPENDENT MONITORING - DATA ANALYSIS FOR ESTERO BAYSouth Florida Water Management DistrictNovember 20, 2007


$20,000 Total

ECONOMIC RELIEF TO FLORIDA’S FOR-HIRE FISHING FLEETGulf States Marine Fisheries Commission U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationDecember 1, 2007


$460,000 Total

2008-2013 INTERJURISDICTIONAL MARINE FISHERIES RESEARCHU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationFebruary 1, 2008


OYSTER MONITORING IN THE NORTHERN ESTUARIES ON THE COAST OF FLORIDASouth Florida Water Management DistrictApril 10, 2008


$540,410 Total

INVESTIGATION OF FRESHWATER INFLOW EFFECTS ON FISH AND INVERTEBRATES USE OF THE CRYSTAL RIVER ESTUARYUniversity of South Florida, College of Marine Science June 1, 2008


$115,709 Total

#SWG - CHARACTERIZATION OF NEKTON ASSEMBLAGES W/SEAGRASS WITHIN NEW RNA AND ADJACENT DTNPU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJuly 1, 2008


COOPERATIVE REEF FISH RESEARCH AND MONITORING INITIATIVE FOR THE WEST FLORIDA SHELFU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationSeptember 1, 2008


$1,670,833 Total

ENVIRONMENTAL DREDGING OF THE SEBASTIAN RIVER: FISH EFFECTSSt. Johns River Water Management DistrictOctober 1, 2008


$66,508 Total


ALTERNATIVE GEAR TO REDUCE DEBRIS IN THE FLORIDA LOBSTER FISHERYNational Fish and Wildlife FoundationNovember 1, 2008


ST. JOHNS RIVER FISHERIES-INDEPENDENT MONITORING PROJECT EXPANSION PROJECT IIISt. Johns River Water Management DistrictJanuary 6, 2009


$166,700 Total

HYDRO-BIOLOGICAL MONITORING PROGRAM FOR TAMPA BYPASS CANAL/ALAFIA RIVER WATER SUPPLY PROJECTSUniversity of South Florida, College of Marine ScienceJanuary 12, 2009


$656,640 Total

ASSESSMENT OF COASTAL WATER RESOURCES AND WATERSHED CONDITIONS IN AND ADJACENT TO CANAVERAL NATIONAL SEASHOREFlorida Institute of TechnologyFebruary 13, 2009


$10,000 Total

ST. JOHNS RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT FRESHWATER INFLOW EFFECTS ON FISHES AND INVERTEBRATESSt. Johns River Water Management DistrictMarch 19, 2009


$20,000 Total

CONTINUATION OF RELATIVE ABUNDANCE MONITORING AND SAMPLE PROCESSING OF SMALLTOOTH SAWFISH IN THE CHARLOTTE HARBOR ESTUARINE SYSTEM, FLORIDAU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationApril 8, 2009


$40,000 Total

LEMON BAY FISHERIES-INDEPENDENT MONITORING PROJECTSouthwest Florida Regional Planning CouncilApril 27, 2009


$42,000 Total

CORAL REEF FISH SPAWNING AGGREGATION RESEARCH IN THE FLORIDA KEYSNational Fish and Wildlife FoundationMay 15, 2009


$113,794 Total

AN ECOSYSTEM APPROACH TO BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN MERCURY CONCENTRATIONSFlorida Atlantic UniversityMay 21, 2009


$8,178 Total

A DIRECTED STUDY OF THE RECREATIONAL RED SNAPPER FISHERIES IN THE GULF OF MEXICO ALONG THE WEST FLORIDA SHELFU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJune 1, 2009


$999,000 Total


SARASOTA BAY FISHERIES-INDEPENDENT MONITORING SAMPLINGSarasota Bay Estuary ProgramJune 24, 2009


$175,000 Total

CHARACTERIZATION OF RECREATIONAL-DISCARD COMPOSITION AND MORTALITY RATES FOR GRAY SNAPPER AND OTHER ESTUARINE-DEPENDENT REEF FISHES WITHIN A GULF COAST ESTUARY AND NEARSHORE FLORIDA WATERSU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationAugust 1, 2009


$222,495 Total

DERELICT SPINY LOBSTER TRAPS IN FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY: TRAP DEGRADATION RATES, HABITAT IMPACTS, AND LOBSTER MORTALITYU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationAugust 1, 2009


$91,296 Total

EVALUATION OF LOBSTER GEAR MODIFICATIONS DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE MOVEMENT OF SPINY LOBSTER TRAPSU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationAugust 1, 2009


$145,744 Total

IMPROVED INDICES OF JUVENILE AND PRE-FISHERY ABUNDANCE FOR GRAY SNAPPER, GAG AND OTHER ESTUARINE-DEPENDENT REEF FISHES ALONG THE GULF COAST OF FLORIDAU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationAugust 1, 2009


$218,245 Total

REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY OF IMPORTANT SHALLOW-WATER SNAPPER SPECIES IN SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE FLORIDA KEYSU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationAugust 1, 2009


$195,500 Total

SURVIVAL OF DISCARDED REEF FISH SPECIES IN THE RECREATIONAL FISHERY USING AT-SEA OBSERVER SURVEYS AND MARK-RECAPTURE METHODS OFF THE FLORIDA COAST IN THE GULF OF MEXICOU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationAugust 1, 2009


$185,427 Total

TESTING THE EFFICACY OF COMMERCIALLY- AND RECREATIONALLY-USED HOOKED GEAR TO AUGMENT EXISTING FISHERIES-INDEPENDENT SURVEYS OF REEF FISHES ON THE WEST FLORIDA SHELFU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationAugust 1, 2009


$321,813 Total

RECRUITMENT AND ADULT ABUNDANCE OF OYSTERS IN THE LOWER ST. LUCIE ESTUARY AND IN FRINGE HABITATSU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceSeptember 1, 2009


$15,986 Total


RECOVERY ACT - THREATENED CORAL RECOVERY IN FLORIDA AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDSNature ConservancySeptember 2, 2009


$234,323 Total

FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION, FISH AND WILDLIFE RESEARCH/GULF STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION RECFIN/COM/FIN INFORMATION AND DATA MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJanuary 1, 2010


$6,579,121 Total

FEATHER SOUND RESTORATIONTampa Bay Estuary ProgramFebruary 19, 2010


$60,000 Total

DEFINING FISH NURSERY HABITATS: AN APPLICATION OF OTOLITH ELEMENTAL FINGERPRINTING IN TAMPA BAY, FLORIDAU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological SurveyApril 1, 2010


$20,000 Total

SMALLTOOTH SAWFISH RESEARCH AND OUTREACH: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATIVE PROGRAMU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJune 1, 2010

$1,490,898 Grantor$188,874 State/In-Kind

$1,679,772 Total

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF MARINE ZONING IN THE FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARYU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJune 18, 2010


$250,000 Total

SAN SEBASTIAN RIVER WATER QUALITY MONITORINGCamp Dresser & McKee, Inc. (CDM)June 25, 2010


$9,325 Total

MARINE RECREATIONAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (MRIP) - PILOT LOGBOOK STUDYU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJuly 1, 2010


$49,950 Total

INCREASE INTERCEPT SAMPLING LEVELS FOR THE MARINE RECREATIONAL FISHERIES STATISTICS SURVEY, FOR-HIRE METHODOLOGY OF THE CHARTER BOAT AND HEADBOAT FISHERY ON THE ATLANTIC COAST (FLORIDA PORTION)U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationAugust 1, 2010


$218,495 Total


EVALUATION OF GOLIATH GROUPERU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationAugust 1, 2010


$178,885 Total

DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL: ASSESSING IMPACTSFlorida Atlantic UniversityAugust 13, 2010


$39,400 Total

MULTISPECIES APPROACH FOR IMPROVING MANAGEMENT OF ESTUARINE/COASTAL FISH STOCKS IN FLORIDA - SEGMENT 5U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceAugust 15, 2010


REVIEW OF THE BIOLOGY AND POPULATION DYNAMICS OF THE BLUE CRABSouthwest Florida Water Management DistrictSeptember 10, 2010


$5,103 Total

AN ECOSYSTEM-BASED APPROACH TO EVALUATING THE BURDEN AND EFFECTS OF DIETARY MERCURY ON ATLANTIC BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINSFlorida Atlantic UniversitySeptember 23, 2010


$19,170 Total

BAY SCALLOP RESTORATION, EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCYBay Shellfish CompanyOctober 1, 2010


IMPACTS OF THE 2010 DEEP-WATER HORIZON OIL SPILL ON ESTUARINE BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN POPULATIONS IN THE WEST FLORIDA PANHANDLEUniversity of Central FloridaNovember 30, 2010


$22,000 Total

IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ECONOMIC ADD-ON SURVEY TO ESTABLISHED MARINE RECREATIONAL FISHERIES STATISTICS SURVEY IN FLORIDAGulf States Marine Fisheries Commission U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJanuary 1, 2011


$48,888 Total

SOUTHEAST AREA MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM 2011-2016U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationFebruary 1, 2011


$1,097,052 Total


USE OF OTOLITH MICROCHEMISTRY TO IMPROVE FISHERIES-INDEPENDENT INDICES OF RECRUITMENT FOR GAG (MYCTEROPERCA MICROLEPIS): LINKING ESTUARINE NURSERIES TO NEARSHORE REEFS IN THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICOUniversity of South Florida, College of Marine ScienceMarch 1, 2011


$19,525 Total

ASSESSMENT OF FLORIDA’S MARINE AND FRESHWATER HATCHERY PROGRAMS (MARINE COMPONENT) - SEGMENT 2U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceApril 1, 2011


$1,058,583 Total

FLORIDA MARINE RECREATIONAL FISHERY STASTICAL DATA COLLECTION - SEGMENT 27U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceApril 1, 2011


$1,670,242 Total

INVESTIGATIONS INTO MARINE GAMEFISH ABUNDANCE, ECOLOGY, AND LIFE HISTORY IN FLORIDA - SEGMENT 24U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceApril 1, 2011


$1,677,412 Total

POPULATION GENETICS OF MARINE SPORTFISH SPECIES FOR FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND STOCK ENHANCEMENT - SEGMENT 19U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceApril 1, 2011


FRESHWATER FLOW EFFECTS ON FISH AND INVERTEBRATES IN THE LOWER ST. JOHNS RIVER ESTUARYSt. Johns River Water Management DistrictApril 13, 2011


$7,000 Total

FISHERY-DEPENDENT SPORT-FISH DATA COLLECTION - SEGMENT 1U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJune 1, 2011


VALIDATION OF COMMERCIAL FINFISH AND SHELLFISH CONVERSION FACTORSU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationAugust 1, 2011


$42,590 Total

MULTI-SPECIES APPROACH TO ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF ESTUARINE AND COASTAL SPORT FISH STOCKS, FLORIDAU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceAugust 15, 2011



COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: THE ROLE OF SPONGES IN THE COASTAL NITROGEN CIRCLEUniversity of North CarolinaSeptember 1, 2011


$45,827 Total

EXPLORING THE UTILITY OF SIDE-SCAN SONAR AND EXPERIMENTAL Z-TRAPSU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationSeptember 1, 2011


$329,987 Total

FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION, FISH AND WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE/GULF STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION MARINE RECREATIONAL INFORMATION PROGRAM STRATIFICATION PROJECTGulf States Marine Fisheries Commission U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationSeptember 1, 2011


$402,102 Total

UTILITY OF A HOOKED-GEAR SURVEY IN DEVELOPING A FISHERIES-INDEPENDENT INDEX OF ABUNDANCE FOR RED SNAPPER ALONG FLORIDA’S ATLANTIC COASTU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationSeptember 1, 2011


$293,807 Total

CHARLOTTE HARBOR MONITORING NETWORK STRATA PROJECTCharlotte Harbor National Estuary ProgramOctober 1, 2011


$53,550 Total

FLORIDA MARINE MAMMAL STRANDING NETWORK COORDINATION AND RESPONSE IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDAU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationOctober 1, 2011


$103,360 Total

FLORIDA KEYS COMMUNITY COLLEGE 2011-12 FLORIDA WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAMFlorida Keys Community CollegeNovember 28, 2011


OYSTER MONITORING IN THE NORTHERN ESTUARIES ON THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF FLORIDASouth Florida Water Management DistrictDecember 1, 2011


$408,000 Total

FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION, FISH AND WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE/GULF STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION BIOLOGICAL SAMPLING PROGRAMGulf States Marine Fisheries Commission U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJanuary 1, 2012


$260,853 Total


WATER QUALITY MONITORING IN LOWER CHARLOTTE HARBOR Charlotte Harbor National Estuary ProgramJanuary 1, 2012


$6,885 Total

ASSESSMENT OF FLORIDA’S MARINE AND FRESHWATER HATCHERY PROGRAMS (MARINE COMPONENT) - SEGMENT 3U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceApril 1, 2012


FLORIDA MARINE RECREATIONAL FISHERY STASTICAL DATA COLLECTION - SEGMENT 28U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceApril 1, 2012


$1,503,218 Total

FLORIDA/NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE REGIONAL COOPERATIVE STATISTICS PROGRAMU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationApril 1, 2012


$600,101 Total

INVESTIGATIONS INTO MARINE GAMEFISH ABUNDANCE, ECOLOGY, AND LIFE HISTORY IN FLORIDA - SEGMENT 25U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceApril 1, 2012


$1,509,671 Total

POPULATION GENETICS OF MARINE SPORTFISH SPECIES FOR FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND STOCK ENHANCEMENT - SEGMENT 20U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceApril 1, 2012


UPDATE THE SITE REGISTER FOR THE MARINE RECREATIONAL INFORMATION PROGRAMAtlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationMay 1, 2012


$41,953 Total

SCIENTIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM SUPPORT FOR FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARYU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJune 18, 2012


$80,000 Total

FISHERY-DEPENDENT SPORT-FISH DATA COLLECTION - SEGMENT 3U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJune 1, 2012


$229,141 Total

LOWER ST. JOHNS RIVER FISHERIES-INDEPENDENT MONITORING PROGRAMSt. Johns River Water Management DistrictJune 20, 2012


$179,936 Total


FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION, FISH AND WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE/GULF STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION FLORIDA EAST AND WEST COAST HEAD-BOAT DATA COLLECTION Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJuly 1, 2012


$305,000 Total

INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE INTERACTION BETWEEN TERRAPINS AND CRAB TRAPSWildlife Foundation of FloridaJuly 1, 2012


$75,000 Total

LEVEL 1 AND 2 NECROPSY TRAINING FOR INCREASED QUALITY OF LEVELS A, B, C DATA COLLECTION BY SOUTHEAST CETACEAN STRANDING NETWORKU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationAugust 1, 2012


$144,798 Total

MULTI-SPECIES APPROACH TO ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF ESTUARINE AND COASTAL SPORT FISH STOCKS, FLORIDA - SEGMENT 7U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceAugust 15, 2012


FLORIDA ATLANTIC COAST STOCK ASSESSMENTSU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationSeptember 1, 2012


$207,943 Total

RED DRUM SPAWNING STOCK SIZE AND STRUCTURE IN THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICOU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationSeptember 1, 2012


$215,394 Total

SURVEY-CHARACTERIZE HARVEST AND REGULATORY DISCARDS IN OFFSHORE RECREATIONAL CHARTER FISHERY, ATLANTIC COAST FLORIDAU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationSeptember 1, 2012


$458,646 Total

BIOLOGICAL SAMPLING AND CATCH/EFFORT ESTIMATION DURING EMERGENCY SOUTH ATLANTIC RED SNAPPER RE-OPENINGU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationSeptember 13, 2012


$13,603 Total

FISH HABITAT ASSESSMENT IN TIDAL RIVER ESTUARIESSouthwest Florida Water Management DistrictSeptember 20, 2012


$43,860 Total


ASSESS THE EFFECTS OF MOSQUITO CONTROL PESTICIDES ON NON-TARGETED ORGANISMS IN THE FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARYMote Marine LaboratoryOctober 1, 2012


$35,120 Total

EFFICIENT MAPPING OF HARD-BOTTOM HABITATS AT REEF MORPHOLOGY SCALES TO IMPROVE SAMPLING DESIGNS AND ANALYSES OF SPATIAL DYNAMICS FOR REEF FISHES IN THE GULF OF MEXICOUniversity of FloridaOctober 1, 2012


$9,570 Total

FISCAL YEAR 13 COASTAL CHARLOTTE HARBOR MONITORING NETWORK WATER-QUALITY MONITORING IN SIX UPPER CHARLOTTE HARBOR STRATA PROJECTCharlotte Harbor National Estuary ProgramOctober 1, 2012


$55,080 Total

WATER QUALITY MONITORING IN LOWER CHARLOTTE HARBOR Charlotte Harbor National Estuary ProgramOctober 1, 2012


$9,160 Total

FWC-FWRI’S PARTICIPATION IN THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL AND CONSUMER SERVICES SEAFOOD SAFETY SCOPE OF WORK PLANFlorida Department of AgricultureOctober 15, 2012


$221,109 Total

FRESHWATER FISHERIES RESEARCH

STATEWIDE LONG-TERM MERCURY MONITORING IN LARGEMOUTH BASS AND OTHER BIOINDICATORSFlorida Department of Environmental ProtectionJanuary 26, 2007


$411,074 Total

#SWG - FRESHWATER MUSSELS OF FLORIDAU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJune 1, 2007


FISH COLLECTION FOR MERCURY IN BROWARD, MARTIN, MIAMI-DADE, OKEECHOBEE, PALM BEACH, ST. LUCIE COUNTIESSouth Florida Water Management DistrictOctober 1, 2007


$336,945 Total


SPAWNING MICROHABITATS FOR AMERICAN SHAD IN THE ST. JOHNS $90,000 GrantorRIVER: POTENTIAL FOR USE IN ESTABLISHING MINIMUM FLOWS AND LEVELSSt. Johns River Water Management District

$266,409$356,409

State/In-KindTotal

February 19, 2008

LAKE OKEECHOBEE BENTHIC MACROINVERTEBRATES $70,917 GrantorCOMMUNITY STRUCTURESouth Florida Water Management DistrictMarch 20, 2009

$0$70,917

State/In-KindTotal

REPORT ON BLACK CRAPPIE FISHERY IN NEWNANS LAKE $11,950 GrantorSt. Johns River Water Management District $0 State/In-KindOctober 1, 2009 $11,950 Total

GUM SPRINGS FISH COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT AND HABITAT $7,500 GrantorSUITABILITY CURVE DEVELOPMENT - YEAR 2Southwest Florida Water Management DistrictMay 18, 2010

$0$7,500

State/In-KindTotal

BLACK CREEK CRAYFISH BASELINE SURVEY $26,500 GrantorFlorida Department of Military Affairs $0 State/In-KindSeptember 29, 2010 $26,500 Total

MICROHABITATS FOR AMERICAN SHAD - SEGMENT 3 $89,463 GrantorU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service $29,821 State/In-KindOctober 1, 2010 $119,284 Total

ASSESSMENT OF FLORIDA’S MARINE AND FRESHWATER HATCHERY $107,161 GrantorPROGRAMS (FRESHWATER COMPONENT) - SEGMENT 2U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceApril 1, 2011

$35,720$142,881

State/In-KindTotal

FRESHWATER FISHERIES RESEARCH - SEGMENT 1 $1,118,938 GrantorU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service $67,873 State/In-KindJuly 1, 2011 $1,186,811 Total

ASSESSMENT OF FLORIDA’S MARINE AND FRESHWATER HATCHERY $82,750 GrantorPROGRAMS (FRESHWATER COMPONENT) - SEGMENT 3U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceApril 1, 2012

$27,583$110,333

State/In-KindTotal

FLORIDA FRESHWATER FISHERIES RESEARCH - SEGMENT 2 $294,300 GrantorU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service $0 State/In-KindJuly 1, 2012 $294,300 Total


FISH COLLECTION WITHIN THE SOUTH FLORIDA WATER $1,992,074 GrantorMANAGEMENT DISTRICTSouth Florida Water Management DistrictOctober 1, 2012

$664,025$2,656,099

State/In-KindTotal

WILDLIFE RESEARCH

WHOOPING CRANE REINTRODUCTION IN FLORIDAU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceOctober 1, 1999


$1,245,000 Total

HABITAT USE, SURVIVAL AND MOVEMENTS OF ADULT FEMALE MOTTLED DUCKS USING THE EVERGLADES AGRICULTURAL AREA, FLORIDADucks UnlimitedOctober 14, 2004


$60,000 Total

BALD EAGLE POPULATION MONITORING IN FLORIDAWildlife Foundation of FloridaMarch 28, 2006


$281,828 Total

NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE AERIAL SURVEY AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM SUPPORT FOR RECOVERY PLANU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJune 28, 2006


$3,066,304 Total

A MOTTLED DUCK SURVEY REDESIGNU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceOctober 18, 2006


$130,000 Total

MANATEE BEHAVIORAL RESPONSE TO APPROACHING AND PASSING WATERCRAFT IN THE COASTAL WATERS OF FLORIDAWildlife Foundation of FloridaJuly 1, 2007


$19,400 Total

DOCUMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF SEA TURTLE MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY RESEARCH IN FLORIDAU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationSeptember 1, 2007


$294,290 Total

ENHANCEMENT OF WORK TO IDENTIFY DISEASES OF SEA TURTLES IN FLORIDAU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationSeptember 7, 2007


$19,975 Total


UPDATING THE COMPREHENSIVE FLORIDA SEA TURTLE STRANDING REPORT AND CONTINUING COORDINATION OF FLORIDA’S SEA TURTLE STRANDING SUPPORT NETWORKU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationSeptember 11, 2008


$25,000 Total

LONG-TERM STUDY OF SEA TURTLES IN FLORIDA BAY U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceMay 1, 2009


$88,100 Total

CONTINUATION OF LONG-TERM STUDY OF SEA TURTLES IN FLORIDA BAYU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJune 1, 2009


$145,618 Total

#SWG - EFFECTS OF HUMAN-INDUCED HABITAT MODIFICATION ON MULTIPLE SHOREBIRDS AND SEABIRDS IN FLORIDA U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJuly 1, 2009


NECROPSY TRAINING FOR INCREASED QUALITY OF LEVEL A, B, AND C DATA COLLECTION BY SOUTHEAST CETACEAN STRANDING NETWORKU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationAugust 1, 2009


$135,149 Total

OCALA BALD EAGLE MONITORINGU.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest ServiceSeptember 1, 2009


$12,500 Total

AERIAL SURVEYS OF EASTERN PINELLAS COUNTY SHORELINE TO COLLECT MANATEE DATAPinellas CountyOctober 1, 2009


$22,150 Total

#SWG - SURVEY OF WINTER-BREEDING AMPHIBIAN SPECIES IN THE PENINSULA U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJanuary 1, 2010


MANATEE CARCASS RECOVERY AND INVESTIGATIONU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJanuary 1, 2010


$90,000 Total

MARSH BIRD MONITORING IN COASTAL AND FRESHWATER HABITATS OF FLORIDAU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJanuary 27, 2010


$100,000 Total


DOCUMENTATION OF MANATEES AT TECO POWER PLANTS - 2010Tampa Electric CompanyMarch 2, 2010


$5,000 Total

TELEMETRY - CAPE CANAVERAL ENERGY CENTER CONVERSION PROJECTFlorida Power and LightMarch 3, 2010


$250,000 Total

FLORIDA MARINE TURTLE RESEARCH AND CONSERVATIONU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJune 1, 2010


GENETIC IDENTIFICATION OF MANATEES IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDAU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJune 1, 2010


$40,080 Total

AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER HABITAT RESTORATION (FLORIDA)National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Shell Marine Habitat ProgramSeptember 15, 2010


BLACK BEAR HABITAT USE STUDY - CAMP BLANDINGFlorida Department of Military AffairsSeptember 29, 2010


$112,100 Total

FLORIDA NESTING BEACH SURVEYS - STATEWIDE NESTING BEACH SURVEY AND INDEX NESTING BEACH SURVEY - SEGMENT 21U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceOctober 1, 2010


$25,488 Total

RIGHT WHALE AERIAL SURVEY EARLY WARNING SYSTEMU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationOctober 1, 2010


$1,043,803 Total

MAPPING AND FORECASTING OF PELAGIC SARGASSUM DRIFT HABITAT IN THE GULF OF MEXICO AND SOUTH ATLANTIC BIGHT FOR DECISION University of South Florida, College of Marine ScienceOctober 1, 2010


$22,450 Total

2010-11 BALD EAGLE NESTING SURVEY AND CONSERVATIONU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJanuary 26, 2011


$81,967 Total

DOCUMENTATION OF MANATEES AT TECO POWER PLANTS - 2011Tampa Electric CompanyFebruary 22, 2011


$5,000 Total


POPULATION STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE ALLIGATOR SNAPPING TURTLE IN THE SUWANNEE RIVER, FLORIDAWildlife Foundation of FloridaJuly 1, 2011


$39,095 Total

ENHANCED SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION PROGRAM, FLORIDA INDEX NESTING SURVEYS, INDEX NESTING BEACH SURVEY PROGRAMU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceOctober 1, 2011


$25,488 Total

RIGHT WHALE RECOVERY PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIESU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationOctober 1, 2011


$1,287,014 Total

DOCUMENTATION OF MANATEES AT TECO POWER PLANTS - 2012Tampa Electric CompanyFebruary 7, 2012


$5,000 Total

BALD EAGLE POPULATION MONITORINGWildlife Foundation of FloridaMay 23, 2012


$281,828 Total

DOCUMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF SEA TURTLE MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY IN FLORIDA U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJuly 1, 2012


$32,671 Total

ENHANCED SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION PROGRAM, FLORIDA INDEX NESTING SURVEYS, INDEX NESTING BEACH SURVEY PROGRAMU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceOctober 1, 2012


$25,488 Total

MANATEE WARM-WATER REFUGIA AND MORTALITYWildlife Foundation of FloridaOctober 1, 2012


$25,000 Total

ECOSYSTEM ASSESSMENT AND RESTORATION

SEAGRASS AND WATER QUALITY MONITORING IN BIG BEND REGIONSuwannee River Water Management DistrictMarch 25, 2003


$189,000 Total

RELATED RESEARCH TO THE OCEANS AND HUMAN HEALTH INITIATIVE/BREVETOXIN ACCUMULATION IN FISH AND POTENTIAL IMPACTSUniversity of North Carolina Wilmington U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationOctober 1, 2005


$222,706 Total


ANALYSIS OF BREVETOXINS IN STRANDED DOLPHINS, SEA TURTLES, AND SEABIRDSMote Marine LaboratorySeptember 1, 2006


$4,887,920 Total

ECOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY OF HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS, KARENIA NUTRIENT DYNAMICS IN THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICOU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationSeptember 1, 2006


$56,600 Total

FLORIDA HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM TASK FORCE 7 PUBLIC HEALTH TECHNICAL PANELFlorida Department of HealthOctober 1, 2006


$7,494 Total

#SWG - EVAL OF TECHNIQUE TO RESTORE SEVERE BOAT DAMAGE IN FLORIDA SEAGRASS HABITATSU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJune 1, 2007


JOHNSON’S SEAGRASS FIELD SURVEY ANALYSIS AND DOCK IMPACT STUDYU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJuly 15, 2007


$32,298 Total

JOHNSON’S SEAGRASS DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE SURVEY, MONITORING OF POPULATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN RANGE AND INVESTIGATION OF THE SOUTHERN LIMITU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationFebruary 29, 2008


$50,000 Total

INVESTIGATION THE EFFICACY OF CHOLESTYRAMINE AS A TREATMENT FOR BREVETOXICOSIS IN STRANDED LOGGERHEADS AND DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTSMote Marine LaboratorySeptember 1, 2008


$28,440 Total

DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK CORAL REEF MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROJECTU.S. Department of the Interior, National Park ServiceSeptember 25, 2008


$390,445 Total

DETECTION OF KARENIA BREVIS BLOOMS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO: EVALUATE TECHNOLOGIESU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOctober 1, 2008


$746,326 Total


SOUTHEAST FLORIDA CORAL REEF EVALUATION AND MONITORING PROJECT Florida Department of Environmental ProtectionFebruary 23, 2009


$520,000 Total

SOUTH FLORIDA FISHERIES HABITAT ASSESSMENT PROGRAMSouth Florida Water Management DistrictMarch 25, 2009


$756,500 Total

ACROPORA SPAWNING OBSERVATIONS AND OUTREACHU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationApril 8, 2009


$65,000 Total

JOHNSON’S SEAGRASS DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE SURVEY, MONITORING THE POPULATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN RANGE AND INVESTIGATION INTO THE BIOLOGICAL THREAT OF SALINITY THROUGHOUT THE SPECIES’ RANGEU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationApril 13, 2009


$355,767 Total

#SWG - ENHANCE SEAGRASS MONITOR TOOLKIT FOR CHARACTERIZING STATUS/TRENDS OF SEAGRASS ABUNDANCE U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJuly 1, 2009


$183,000 Total

SEAGRASS INTEGRATED MAPPING AND MONITORING PROGRAM - YEAR 3Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Coastal Management ProgramJuly 1, 2009


$178,000 Total

REMOTE SENSING DECISION SUPPORT FOR WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT AND SEAGRASS PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT IN FLORIDA’S BIG BEND REGIONNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationAugust 7, 2009


$399,260 Total

CORAL REEF/HARDBOTTOM MONITORING FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARYU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOctober 1, 2009


$1,422,241 Total

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY COASTAL WATERS SURVEYFlorida Department of Environmental ProtectionMay 1, 2010


$528,152 Total

MONITORING AND MAPPING OF THREATENED CORALS IN THE U.S. JURISDICTION: DEVELOPMENT OF A MULTI-STATE CONSERVATION PROGRAMU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJune 1, 2010


$2,941,710 Total


PYRODIMIUM CYST TRAINING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION COMMISSIONHillsborough County Environmental Protection CommissionJune 8, 2010


$3,000 Total

#SWG - DISEASE SURVEILLANCE IN SELECTED SPP OF GREATEST CONSERVATION NEED - BATS AND AMPHIBIANS U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJuly 1, 2010


AUTONOMOUS MEASUREMENT AND NETWORK MODELING OF WATER QUALITY IN SARASOTA BAYFlorida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Coastal Management ProgramJuly 1, 2010


$130,491 Total

SEAGRASS INTEGRATED MAPPING AND MONITORING PROGRAM - YEAR 4Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Coastal Management ProgramJuly 1, 2010


$150,000 Total

AVIAN INFLUENZA SURVEILLANCEU.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection ServiceJuly 20, 2010


$50,000 Total

DEVELOPMENT OF A JOHNSON’S SEAGRASS RESTORATION PLANU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJuly 22, 2010


$20,000 Total

CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE SURVEILLANCEU.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection ServiceAugust 1, 2010


$54,992 Total

SURVEILLANCE OF VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC SEPTICEMIA VIRUS IN WILD/FERAL SUSCEPTIBLE SPECIES AND IMPORTED BAITFISH TO FLORIDAU.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection ServiceSeptember 21, 2010


$29,266 Total

MONITORING OF TOXIC ALGAE IN THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOONSt. Johns River Water Management DistrictSeptember 27, 2010


$76,000 Total

HEALTH MONITORING OF FLORIDA’S SPORTFISH - SEGMENT 16U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJune 1, 2011



MARINE PLANKTON ANALYSIS BY THE FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTESt. Johns River Water Management DistrictJune 20, 2011


$5,152 Total

DEPREDATION/PREDATION RATES BY FLORIDA PANTHERS ON LIVESTOCK AND WILD PREYU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJuly 31, 2011


$95,159 Total

MANAGING CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE IN FREE RANGING CERVIDS FISCAL YEAR 2011U.S. Department of AgricultureAugust 1, 2011


RAPID DETECTION AND RESPONSE TO CETACEAN MORTALITIES IN WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORINGMote Marine LaboratoryAugust 4, 2011


$5,000 Total

BREVETOXIN METABOLISM AND PHYSIOLOGY - A FRESHWATER MODEL OF MORBIDITY IN ENDANGERED SEA TURTLESU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationSeptember 1, 2011


$51,800 Total

SURVEILLANCE OF VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC SEPTICEMIA VIRUS IN WILD/FERAL SUSCEPTIBLE SPECIES AND IMPORTED BAITFISH TO FLORIDAU.S. Department of AgricultureSeptember 21, 2011


$30,000 Total

NET ECOSYSTEM METABOLISM: DERIVATION AND MODELING OF A METRIC FOR ESTUARINE HEALTHFlorida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Coastal Management ProgramOctober 6, 2011


$149,951 Total

HIGH RESOLUTION ASSESSMENT OF CARBON DYNAMICS IN SEAGRASS AND CORAL REEF BIOMESUAV CollaborativeOctober 11, 2011


$163,402 Total

SOUTH FLORIDA FISH HABITAT ASSESSMENT MONITORING NETWORKSouth Florida Water Management DistrictDecember 1, 2011


$705,000 Total


NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION ATLANTIC OCEAN ACIDIFICATION TEST-BED CARBONATE CHEMISTRY VALIDATION SAMPLINGU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationMarch 6, 2012


$14,985 Total

CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF THE GULF OF MEXICO COASTAL OCEAN OBSERVINGTexas A&M UniversityMay 1, 2012


$24,994 Total

SURVEILLANCE FOR NEUROTROPIC VELOGENIC NEWCASTLE DISEASE VIRUS IN DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANTS IN FLORIDAWildlife Management InstituteMay 23, 2012


$50,000 Total

HEALTH MONITORING OF FLORIDA’S SPORTFISH - SEGMENT 17U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJune 1, 2012


PREVALENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF BAYLISASCARIS PROCYONIS IN FLORIDAWildlife Foundation of FloridaJuly 1, 2012


$29,000 Total

INFORMATION SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT

MAINTENANCE OF METADATA OF ONGOING RESEARCH AND MONITORING PROJECTS IN THE BIG CYPRESS BASINSouth Florida Water Management DistrictDecember 1, 2006


$93,000 Total

#SWG - TWO-YEAR EXTENSION , FWRI/CBM QUANTITATIVE DATA MANAGER POSITION U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJune 1, 2007


#SWG - MAPPING SHALLOW-WATER HABITATS, KEYS CORAL REEFU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceSeptember 10, 2007


FLORIDA OCEANS AND COASTAL COUNCIL RESEARCH ASSESSMENT AND REVIEWFlorida Department of Environmental ProtectionJanuary 15, 2008


$262,567 Total


SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES: SOUTHEAST AREA MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAMSouth Carolina Department of Natural ResourcesAugust 21, 2008


$104,004 Total

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE: LIDAR SURVEYS FOR OFFSHORE PORTIONS OF BISCAYNE BAYU.S. Department of the Interior, National Park ServiceSeptember 4, 2008


$15,000 Total

DIGITIZE AREA CONTIGENCY PLAN FOR SAN JUAN AND US VIRGIN ISLANDSU.S. Coast GuardSeptember 16, 2008


$65,000 Total

MAINTENANCE OF THE SOUTHEAST FLORIDA CORAL REEF INITIATIVE INTERNET MAP SERVICEFlorida Department of Environmental ProtectionJanuary 1, 2009


$30,000 Total

GEODATABASE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE FOR ACROPORA SPAWNINGU.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationMarch 23, 2009


$70,600 Total

#SWG - DETERMINE NUMBER, LOCATION, SIZE, CORAL COVER FOR PATCH REEFS, MIDDLE AND UPPER FLORIDA KEYSU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJuly 1, 2009


REVISION OF CHARLESTON AND SAVANNAH DIGITAL AREA CONTINGENCY PLANU.S. Coast GuardAugust 10, 2009


$86,000 Total

SATELLITE EARTH IMAGES FOR THE REGULATORY DEVELOPMENT OF WATER QUALITY STANDARDSNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationJanuary 8, 2010


$100,000 Total

SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE HABITAT AND ECOSYSTEM INTERNET MAP SERVER AND ARCGIS SERVICES - 2010South Atlantic Marine Fisheries Commission U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationMarch 31, 2010


$35,223 Total

GAME - GEOSPATIAL ASSESSMENT OF MARINE ECOSYSTEMSU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyApril 1, 2010


$241,911 Total


BOATING AND ANGLING GUIDE TO DUVAL COUNTYDuval County Audubon SocietyJune 9, 2010


$9,234 Total

#SWG - FLORIDA LAND COVER MAPU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJuly 1, 2010


#SWG - MAXIMIZING THE VALUE OF FLORIDA’S PRIORITY SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION THROUGH DATA COORDINATION & QUALITY ASSURANCEU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJuly 1, 2010


#SWG - HISTORICAL AND MODERN PATTERNS OF BIODIVERSITY IN CORAL REEFS WITH EMPHASIS ON SPP OF GREATEST CONSERVATION NEEDU.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceJuly 1, 2010


$126,996 Total

IMPLEMENTATION OF REGIONAL INTEGRATED OCEAN OBSERVING SYSTEMS SUPPORT OF REGIONAL COASTAL OCEAN OBSERVING SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEAST COASTAL OCEAN OBSERVING REGIONAL ASSOCIATION: DATA MANAGEMENT - FWRI (YEAR 2)South Carolina Sea Grant U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationAugust 1, 2010


$26,422 Total

IMPLEMENTATION OF REGIONAL INTEGRATED OCEAN OBSERVING SYSTEMS SUPPORT OF REGIONAL COASTAL OCEAN OBSERVING SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEAST COASTAL OCEAN OBSERVING REGIONAL ASSOCIATION: MODELING - FWRI (YEAR 3)South Carolina Sea Grant U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationAugust 1, 2010


$20,194 Total

FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY WATER QUALITY PROTECTION PROGRAMU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOctober 1, 2010


$113,018 Total

SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE FOR SERVING MAPS OF CORAL AND LIVE/HARD BOTTOM ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT AND EFC-HABITAT AREAS OF PARTICULAR CONCERN VIA THE INTERNETSouth Atlantic Marine Fisheries Commission U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJanuary 1, 2011


$38,250 Total

SPRINGS COAST SEAGRASS REMOTE SENSING PILOT PROJECT, PHASE IISouthwest Florida Water Management DistrictFebruary 2, 2011


$25,000 Total


REMOTE SENSING AND GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM ANALYSES FOR FRESHWATER FISHERIES - SEGMENT 3U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceMarch 1, 2011


$134,439 Total

CHARLOTTE COUNTY BOATING AND ANGLING GUIDECharlotte County Board of County CommissionersApril 5, 2011


$9,235 Total

ENHANCEMENT OF A RECREATIONAL FISHERIES COMPONENT OF THE MARINE RECREATIONAL FISHERIES GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM - SEGMENT 22U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceMay 1, 2011


LIFE HISTORY SUMMARIES AND CREATION OF THE ECOSPECIES DATABASE TO PROVIDE WEB-ENABLED INFORMATION TO SUPPORT SOUTH ATLANTIC FISHERIES MANAGEMENT COUNCIL HABITAT MANAGEMENT AND SOUTHEAST DATA, ASSESSMENT, AND REVIEWSouth Atlantic Marine Fisheries CommissionJuly 1, 2011


$75,000 Total

UPDATE GEOGRAPHIC RESPONSE PLANS FOR SECTORS ST. PETERSBURG, KEY WEST, MIAMI, JACKSONVILLEU.S. Coast GuardJuly 20, 2011


$15,000 Total

REVISION OF AREA CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR SECTORS KEY WEST, MIAMI AND ST. PETERSBURGU.S. Coast GuardAugust 17, 2011


$85,510 Total

REVISION OF AREA CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR SECTOR JACKSONVILLEU.S. Coast GuardSeptember 1, 2011


$45,000 Total

REVISION OF AREA CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR SECTOR MOBILE U.S. Coast GuardSeptember 30, 2011


$95,203 Total

COORDINATED CORAL/HARD BOTTOM ECO-MAPPING AND MONITORINGFlorida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Coastal Management ProgramOctober 6, 2011


$85,321 Total

WEB APPLICATION AND DEVELOPMENT TO SUPPORT ECOSYSTEM BASED MANAGEMENT IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC REGIONSouth Atlantic Marine Fisheries Commission U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJanuary 1, 2012


$38,250 Total


REMOTE SENSING AND GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM ANALYSIS FOR FRESHWATER AQUATIC SYSTEMS - SEGMENT 4U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceMarch 1, 2012


$136,334 Total

PROCUREMENT OF GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM LICENSE FEES, MAINTENANCE, AND SOFTWARE IN SUPPORT OF THE TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY AWARDUniversity of South FloridaMarch 9, 2012


$2,202 Total

LIFE HISTORY SUMMARIES OF SPECKELD HIND AND WARSAW GROUPER SUPPORTING SOUTH ATLANTIC FISHERIES MANAGEMENT COUNCIL MANAGEMENT AND INCORPORATE INTO ECOSPECIES DATABASESouth Atlantic Marine Fisheries Commission U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationMarch 21, 2012


$18,000 Total

ENHANCEMENT OF A RECREATIONAL FISHERIES COMPONENT OF THE MARINE RECREATIONAL FISHERIES GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEM - SEGMENT 23U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceMay 1, 2012


PATTERNS OF BENTHIC HERBIVORE BIODIVERSITY ON FLORIDA CORAL REEFSWildlife Foundation of FloridaJuly 1, 2012


$10,470 Total

COORDINATED CORAL/HARD BOTTOM ECO-MAPPING AND MONITORINGFlorida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Coastal Management ProgramAugust 21, 2012


$85,810 Total

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

COORDINATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF FLORIDA’S MARINE SPORT FISH RESTORATION GRANTS - SEGMENT 1U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceMarch 1, 2011


$21,171 Total

COORDINATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF FLORIDA’S MARINE SPORT FISH RESTORATION GRANTS - SEGMENT 2U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceMarch 1, 2012


$18,527 Total

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2012-2013 Programs of the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

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Transcript of 2012-2013 Programs of the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute