FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute The Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) is the research division of the FWC. Petersburg, Florida.

FWRI conducts research throughout Florida that obtains wide-ranging data and information needed by fish, wildlife and ecosystem resource managers. The Institute employs more than 700 staff members and is headquartered in downtown St. More than 20 field stations enable other staff members to be strategically located throughout the state. FWRI integrates its research with the management efforts of o

ther FWC division by providing science-based assessments and decision support to the FWC Commissioners and others responsible for managing or regulating activities that depend on Florida’s diverse natural resources. In addition to the FWC, federal, state and local governments; universities; recreational and commercial fishing interests; recreational hunting and boating interests; nongovernmental organizations and the public use the results of FWRI’s research. Many of these entities also collaborate on research projects.

🦞 RECREATIONAL LOBSTER SURVEY — COMING SOON! 🦞 Do you have a lobster license to chase bugs this season? Or hold a packag...
09/04/2026

🦞 RECREATIONAL LOBSTER SURVEY — COMING SOON! 🦞
Do you have a lobster license to chase bugs this season? Or hold a package license (Lifetime Sportsman, Gold Sportsman, Lifetime Saltwater, Military Gold, Disability) that lets you fish for lobster — even if you never got out there?

In the coming weeks you could be selected for our annual survey! 📧
✅ Good catch
✅ No catch
✅ Fished
✅ Didn't fish

Every response matters, including didn’t fish! Your answers help us estimate harvest and support FWC’s efforts to maintain Florida’s lobster fishery for future generations. 🌊

📅 Watch your email for a GovDelivery message, with a SurveyMonkey invite link on Tuesday, September 8.

📸 Photo: Katy Cummings & FWC

09/03/2026

Replenishing Seagrass 🌱
For decades, FWRI scientists have carefully monitored seagrass health throughout Florida. 🌊

🟢 Since 2022 there have been about 2,000 nursery-grown turtle grass plants outplanted and monitored at restoration sites in Tampa Bay!

The goal of this project is to research a novel technique that can be replicated or adopted by other agencies and organizations. By studying innovative restoration methods, FWRI scientists aim to inform and improve the effectiveness of future seagrass restoration projects.

🔗For more information on seagrass research, visit https://myfwc.com/research/habitat/seagrasses/
👉 To see how this project started, visit https://bit.ly/YouTube_ReplenishingSeagrassFromSeedlings

🎥 Video: FWC

Sept 1st marks the first day of Gag grouper season in the Gulf! 🎣 Since 2019 researchers in the Movement Ecology and Rep...
09/01/2026

Sept 1st marks the first day of Gag grouper season in the Gulf! 🎣

Since 2019 researchers in the Movement Ecology and Reproductive Resilience (MERR) lab have been tagging Gag off the coast of Florida with electronic tags to determine when individuals leave nearshore waters and move offshore to join the spawning population. 🌊

Of 164 acoustically tagged Gag, 141 remain in the system. However, only about half of those Gag still have tags with functioning batteries and are still transmitting a signal.

The only way to determine their movements, and the movements of the 1290 Gag tagged with traditional dart tags, is through reports from anglers like you!

🔹If you find yourself on the water this month and are lucky enough to recapture a tagged fish, please report it. In return, we’ll share information on your fish’s movement so you can learn more about the history of your catch!

👀 Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for tagged fish and report them to the FWC Tag Hotline at 1-800-367-4461

📸 Photos: FWC

✨15 years of the Florida Shorebird Database ✨A special milestone for a program that has made tremendous contributions to...
08/31/2026

✨15 years of the Florida Shorebird Database ✨
A special milestone for a program that has made tremendous contributions to statewide conservation 🩵
The Florida Shorebird Database (FSD) serves as the central repository for monitoring data collected by the Florida Shorebird Alliance (FSA) partners across the state.
Over the past 15 years, the FSD has grown into a powerful tool for understanding and protecting Florida’s shorebirds.

👉 The FSA partners and many others use this data to guide conservation, management, research, and protection efforts at every scale, including;
🔹Establishing population recovery goals and measuring progress toward those goals
🔹Evaluating the success of management, restoration, and conservation efforts, such as bird stewarding, habitat enhancement, and posting
🔹Pinpointing areas in need of special protection (e.g., Critical Wildlife Areas) or increased law enforcement
🔹Identifying threats to nest success ..and more!

These actions are made possible by our dedicated FSA partners who contribute their time, expertise, and observations. The ongoing collaboration and commitment to data-driven science will continue to improve conservation outcomes for shorebirds and seabirds statewide for years to come.

📸 Photos: FWC

08/28/2026

✨Celebrate International Whale Shark Day with the world's largest fish! ✨

Whale sharks, despite what their name implies, are not whales and are the largest fish species in the world.

Often seen foraging at the surface filter feeding, these sharks swim with their mouth open, letting water enter their mouth and filter through their gill slits. A mesh-like tissue on their internal gill slits helps catch plankton, fish eggs, and other small organisms, while allowing water to pass through.

To determine what whale sharks are eating along Florida’s west coast, researchers are using genetic sequencing to identify prey collected from feeding aggregations this past summer. This collaborative effort brings together the FWRI–UF MERR lab, whale shark researchers from NOAA, BWRI and USM, and geneticists at USF.

While adults are often found feeding at the surface, they can also dive to around 1000m deep!

Have you seen a whale shark in the Gulf this summer? 👀
👉Visit https://bit.ly/WhaleSharkCitizenScience to report your sightings today!

🎥Video: FWC

It Pays to Fish for Science! 🎣FWC’s pilot research program, Cast for Cash, invites private recreational anglers in the T...
08/26/2026

It Pays to Fish for Science! 🎣

FWC’s pilot research program, Cast for Cash, invites private recreational anglers in the Tampa Bay region to record fishing trips using a camera temporarily installed on their boat. This footage helps scientists collect data on released reef fish. 🐟

Selected participants can earn $250 per trip for up to six trips, with a maximum of $1,500 during the three-month research period.

👉Participants must:
🔸Hold a recreational fishing license with the State Reef Fish Angler designation.
🔸Live in a household with a boat.
🔸Launch from Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee or Sarasota
🔸Be 18 years or older and have no resource violations.

The next research period runs October through December. Apply by Sept. 10!
Visit https://myfwc.com/research/saltwater/fishstats/recreational-fisheries/cast-cash/ for more information! 🔗

📸 Photo: FWC
Don’t forget to tag us in your fishing trips using

08/25/2026

Welcome to Florida’s Ocklawaha River 🌊
Where tannic water meets the spring; this stretch of the Ocklawaha River is extremely tannic, with natural compounds found in plants that stain the water like tea leaves. 🍃

Water systems like these are dependent on water inputs from surrounding floodplains, vs the spring fed water from porous limestones out of the Florida Aquifer. Tiny particles from the calcium carbonate limestone become suspended in the water, giving the water it's blue hue.

While tannic water may appear "dirty", it's important to distinguish this natural stain from other sources of dark water, such as turbidity.

Have you visited the Ocklawaha River yet this summer?

🎥Video: FWC

National Honey Bee Day was August 15! 🐝🌼🔸But DYK honey bees aren’t actually native to Florida? They originated in Eur...
08/21/2026

National Honey Bee Day was August 15! 🐝🌼
🔸But DYK honey bees aren’t actually native to Florida? They originated in Eurasia and were brought to North America by people.

However, Florida is home to 315 native bee species, and they come in a variety of shapes sizes and colors!

🔸These bees play essential roles in pollinating Florida’s wild plants and help maintain healthy ecosystems.

How many native bees can you name? Swipe to see a few of the species you can find here in Florida! 👀

📸Photos: FWC

Summer filled with Science 🔆🔸As the 2026 Steidinger Scholars season comes to a close, we’re celebrating a summer full of...
08/20/2026

Summer filled with Science 🔆
🔸As the 2026 Steidinger Scholars season comes to a close, we’re celebrating a summer full of one‑of‑a‑kind, hands-on experiences. This year’s scholars didn’t just learn about Florida’s fish and wildlife research, they lived it!

Interns worked with FWC scientists, gaining first-hand lab experience and field skills in fish and wildlife research. Traveling throughout the state they helped with various research projects, helping inform management decisions of Florida's marine, freshwater and terrestrial habitats; including scallops, alligators, gopher tortoises, ghost forests, and bonneted bats.

With the help of these scholars, biologists were able to discover the threatened Southern Tessellated Darter fish found in a region of Ocklawaha River where they haven't been reported since 1995.

🔸These immersive opportunities reflect Dr. Karen Steidinger’s legacy of mentorship and curiosity, giving students real insight into the science that conserves Florida’s natural resources. We’re incredibly proud of their dedication, teamwork and enthusiasm.

✨ Here’s to another season of inspiring the next generation of scientists!

Interested in becoming a Steidinger Scholar?
👉 Applications open in December! Click the link in our bio to learn more! 🔗

📸 Photos: FWC

Address

100 8th Avenue SE
Saint Petersburg, FL
33701

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+17278968626

Website

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