FLORIDA
FL/FWC/FMRI
The mission of the Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI) is to provide timely information and guidance to protect, conserve and manage Florida's marine and coastal resources. FMRI Science Programs: Fisheries-Independent Monitoring - Staff in this program monitor the status and relative abundance of recreational and commercial fishes from six estuaries around the state. Fisheries-Dependent Monitoring - Program staff collect and analyze catch-and-effort data used to monitor trends in commercial and recreational fisheries throughout Florida. These data provide assessments of how management regulations affect harvest and fishers. Fisheries Biology - The Fisheries Biology program staff collect and provide data concerning the life history, biology, age structure, stock abundance, and fishery characteristics of important commercial and recreational fishes in Florida. Fisheries Stock Assessment - Program staff integrate the biological and fisheries data gathered in the three above programs and use these data to analyze Florida's inshore and nearshore fisheries stocks. This information is provided to the FWC for management purposes. Coral Reefs & Hard Grounds - Staff in this program provide information on the health and status of Florida's coral reefs and hard grounds, and assess long-term degradation as well as the effects of events such as hurricanes and vessel groundings. Habitat Assessment & Restoration - Program staff work around the state to collect data that resource managers must have to make effective decisions about the preservation, management, and restoration of seagrass, salt marsh, and mangrove communities. Aquatic Health - In this program, staff monitor and study marine organism diseases, die-offs, and fish kills and the causes that may be associated with these events, for example, infectious agents, parasites, contaminants, red tides, biological toxins, and poor water quality. Harmful Algal Blooms - Staff in this program study red tides and related impacts such as fish kills. They monitor coastal and estuarine algal blooms that adversely affect natural resources or cause a human health risk, and they assess linkages of plankton to animals higher up the food chain. Environmental Monitoring & Assessment - In this program, the ecological condition of Florida's marine aquatic ecosystems is assessed through the synoptic sampling of key indicators of environmental and biological quality. Endangered & Threatened Species (Marine Mammals & Marine Turtles) - Program staff study the life histories, population biology, ecology, behavior, and migrations of manatees, right whales, and marine turtles in order to address high-priority recovery actions in the federal recovery plans. Fisheries Stock Enhancement - This program is focused on breeding and rearing game fish and mollusks for release and on evaluating the use of hatchery-reared animals as a management tool to enhance coastal fisheries. Coastal & Marine Resource Assessment - Program staff use mapping techniques to create information products that are used by policy makers, scientists, and managers. They develop and manage geographic databases and analysis systems for internal and external use. Information Access - Staff maintain the Marine Resources Information Center (Library), the Publications Production Office, and implement relational database management strategies to ensure access to FMRI data. Computer Management - Program staff address the computing needs (hardware, software, network, communications, training, and web support) of all programs at FMRI. Website: "http://www.floridamarine.org/" [Summary provided by FMRI]