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.

Happy World Environment Day! DYK Florida is home to more than 100 different species of dragonflies? 🌿Say’s Spiketail is...
06/05/2026

Happy World Environment Day!
DYK Florida is home to more than 100 different species of dragonflies? 🌿

Say’s Spiketail is a threatened species of dragonfly found only in northern Florida and southeastern Georgia.

🔸This species is a habitat specialist that relies on shallow seepage streams found in dry, sandy landscapes like longleaf pine forests.

Biologists modeled habitat for Say’s Spiketail to help identify important conservation areas and better understand future risks to the species.

🔸As Florida’s landscape continues to change, this research can help guide conservation efforts for this unique dragonfly and the habitats it depends on.

Click the link in our bio to learn more! 🔗

📸 Photos: FWC

Calling all recreational anglers! 🎣There's still time to sign up for FWC's new pilot research program and get paid to fi...
06/03/2026

Calling all recreational anglers! 🎣
There's still time to sign up for FWC's new pilot research program and get paid to fish for science.

"Cast for Cash: It Pays to Fish for Science" invites private recreational anglers in the Tampa Bay region to record fishing trips using a camera temporarily installed on their boat.

In exchange for this data those selected will earn $250 per trip for up to 6 trips or $1,500 during a three-month research period.

To participate, anglers must...
🔸Hold a recreational fishing license with the State Reef Fish Angler designation.
🔸Live in a household that is in possession of a boat.
🔸Launch from the Tampa Bay region (Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee or Sarasota counties).
🔸Be 18 years or older and have no resource violations.

Applications are open! 📝
Click the link in our bio to learn more and apply today!

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

Tilapia Removal 🎣 🔹Since 2019, FWC and partners (from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection) have been hard...
06/01/2026

Tilapia Removal 🎣
🔹Since 2019, FWC and partners (from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection) have been hard at work to safely remove tilapia on the Silver River in Marion County.

After the success of removing over 2200 sailfin catfish from the Silver River in previous years, biologists are now focusing to blue tilapia, noted as the most abundant species on Silver River.

🔸It is believed that the abundance of tilapia is negatively impacting the native fish populations, especially Florida bass by interfering with spawning activities.

These removal events occur at night using electrofishing boats, focusing only on tilapia. So far biologists have performed 4 removal events, removing about 70 fish each time. 🐟

🔹By removing these fish biologists are hopeful that Florida’s native fish populations will begin to thrive and help these aquatic ecosystems recover and function properly.

📸 Photos: FWC

✨Manatees Released at Crystal River! ✨ FWC and Seaworld Orlando released Houndstooth and Cannoli in Kings Bay, Crystal R...
05/29/2026

✨Manatees Released at Crystal River! ✨
FWC and Seaworld Orlando released Houndstooth and Cannoli in Kings Bay, Crystal River! 🌊

🔹Houndstooth was rescued in January after being found weak and underweight in Crystal River. Just a few weeks later, Cannoli was also rescued from the same area in February in similarly poor condition.

Thanks to the dedicated care from our partners at SeaWorld Orlando, Houndstooth and Cannoli both made incredible recoveries!

💪Houndstooth Stats:
🔸Rescue: 10.2ft
🔸Release: 10.6ft, 1,340lbs

💪Cannoli Stats:
🔸Rescue: 7.4ft
🔸Release: 8ft, 745lbs

If you see a sick, injured, or distressed manatee, call our FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline 888-404-3922 ☎

Huge thanks to our amazing volunteers, staff, and partners, including U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service SeaWorld Orlando and Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership for making rescues and releases like this possible. 💙

📸 Photos: FWC

What is manatee photo-identification? 📸🔹Manatee photo-identification is a non-invasive monitoring technique that biologi...
05/28/2026

What is manatee photo-identification? 📸
🔹Manatee photo-identification is a non-invasive monitoring technique that biologists use to identify individual manatees based on the unique scars on their bodies.

These scars, primarily from boat strikes, but also from entanglements, cold stress lesions, or infections, create patterns that are unique to each animal.

🔹By recognizing these markings over time, researchers compile sighting histories of individual manatees, helping to determine survival rates, understand population trends, and support recovery efforts.

If you see an injured, orphaned, or distressed manatee, call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) ☎

🔗 More on manatee photo id: https://myfwc.com/research/manatee/research/photo-identification/

📸 Photos: FWC

Understanding the Western Dry Rocks Closure 🐟🌕 From April 1–July 31, this seasonal closure gives species like mutton and...
05/26/2026

Understanding the Western Dry Rocks Closure 🐟🌕
From April 1–July 31, this seasonal closure gives species like mutton and gray snapper time to reproduce, supporting healthy fisheries for the future 🌊

During this time, scientists at FWC are actively studying fish in the area 🔬

🔊 One key tool: acoustic telemetry
Some fish are tagged with small internal transmitters and an external tag for easy identification. When they pass near underwater receivers, their unique ID, date, and time are recorded. This helps scientists track their movements, habitat use, and spawning timing.

🎣 Anglers can help!
Caught a tagged fish? Report it and return the tag for a reward: (786) 647-8908
Your report can help fill in gaps beyond our receiver network!

🔍 Not an angler? You can still help!
Review underwater videos and help scientists identify marine life from home:
https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/fwc/marine-lens-florida-keys

Learn more about Western Dry Rocks research:
https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/wdr/ 🔗

📸Photos: FWC

Have you ever seen an Alligator Snapping Turtle? 🐢🔹Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtles are huge, iconic animals of the s...
05/22/2026

Have you ever seen an Alligator Snapping Turtle? 🐢
🔹Suwannee Alligator Snapping Turtles are huge, iconic animals of the southeastern United States, found in the Suwannee River system of southern Georgia and northern Florida.

This massive turtle inhabits the main river but is a rare find in the upper Suwannee, including the Okefenokee Swamp.

These shelled aquatic, dinosaur-like animals have proven to be very resilient to changing water levels, shifting between river channels and floodplain habitats.

Despite legal protections, accidental deaths from swallowed fishing hooks and entanglements are significant threats, with about 10% of caught and examined turtles carrying ingested hooks.

👉 To learn more about America’s largest freshwater turtle, visit https://bit.ly/Alligator-Snapping-Turtle

📸 Photo: FWC

Share the Shore this Holiday Weekend ☀Be on the look-out for ground-nesting shorebirds that use a wide variety of coasta...
05/20/2026

Share the Shore this Holiday Weekend ☀

Be on the look-out for ground-nesting shorebirds that use a wide variety of coastal habitats, including sandy beaches, barrier islands, marshes, and shell rakes to nest and raise their young.

👉 Here are a few things you can do to help shorebirds this nesting season:
🦩 Give birds space: Getting too close can force birds away from their nest, leaving eggs and small chicks vulnerable to predators, possibly getting stepped on and other elements!
🚫 DO NOT enter posted areas, even if you don’t see a bird. Some are well-camouflaged, making nest and chicks almost impossible to see to the untrained eye!
🐕 No dogs! Even the friendliest pup can frighten shorebirds. If you bring your pet with you, go to a dog-friendly beach, and keep them on a leash.
🗑️ Stash the trash! Garbage and other scraps attract predators, such as raccoons and crows that prey on eggs and small chicks.

Help protect Florida’s coastal wildlife this holiday weekend! 🌊

📸Photo: FWC

05/18/2026

DYK What the Largest Fish In The World Is?
… It’s the whale shark! 🐋🦈

Last month FWRI received exciting footage of a whale shark spotted near Dry Tortugas and Rebecca Shoal lighthouse.

Each whale shark has a unique spot pattern that can be used to identify individuals.

🔗 Have you seen a whale shark out on the water? Report your sightings at https://bit.ly/Whale-Shark-Sightings

📸 Video: Courtesy of Captain Gregg Zahn with Paradise Sandbar Adventures

🐟 Reemergence of an Endangered Species 🐟 There are five sawfish species worldwide, and the smalltooth sawfish is the onl...
05/15/2026

🐟 Reemergence of an Endangered Species 🐟

There are five sawfish species worldwide, and the smalltooth sawfish is the only one found in Florida. In fact, the smalltooth sawfish completes its life cycle in Florida state waters. Notably, Florida and the western Bahamas are the last places the species can be regularly found. 🌊

FWC researchers use multiple tag types on each sawfish and collect small fin clips to learn more about their movements, habitat use, and overall population health. .

🔹In recent years, the St. Lucie River, along Florida’s east coast, has reemerged as a nursery and highlights the importance of habitat protection and the continued need for long-term species conservation and management efforts.

Report sawfish sightings to 1-844-4SAWFISH or [email protected]

🔗For more info on smalltooth sawfish research and recovery efforts visit https://bit.ly/Smalltooth-Sawfish-Research

📸 Video/Photo: 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

https://linktr.ee/fwcresearch

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