Inside FWRI
1,000th sawfish tagged!
Characterized by their long, flattened, toothed rostrum, often referred to as “the saw," the smalltooth sawfish is the only species of sawfish found in Florida.
FWC biologists have been studying this endangered species for over two decades, tagging and sampling mostly juveniles in the Caloosahatchee River, Peace River, Charlotte Harbor, and St. Lucie River. They recently tagged the 1000th sawfish as part of this research.
“Back when we started this work over 20 years ago, the thought of tagging a thousand sawfish wasn’t a goal,” said project lead Dr. Gregg Poulakis. “We just wanted to learn as much as we could to help promote recovery, since the species is only found in Florida and the western Bahamas these days. A thousand is certainly a milestone to appreciate, but there’s a lot more to do.”
By collecting fin samples, biologists can learn more about the biology and ecology of the smalltooth sawfish, including population health and stability.
Learn more about our Sawfish Research.
Science on Social Media
Channel Catfish vs Blue Catfish
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Researchers have been monitoring catfish species in the Apalachicola River to assess the quality and species composition of Florida’s panhandle catfish fisheries and determine the effects that non-native catfish, such as Blue Catfish and Flathead Catfish, have on the ecosystem.
Do You Know What To Do?
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What do you do if you see a marine mammal beached or stranded? When marine mammals beach themselves, it’s often a sign that something is wrong and they need rescuing.
Keystone Wildflowers
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Wildflowers do more than just look pretty across landscapes. Florida’s uplands are held together by plants like Gopher Apple, Queen’s Delight, and Summer Farewell. Flowering from late spring through fall, these wildflowers play important roles in Florida’s ecosystems.
Publication Spotlight
Chasing the Summertime Bugs
Every summer, the Florida Keys come alive as divers chase “bugs” – aka Caribbean spiny lobsters – during the 2-day recreational lobster sport season.
Since the 1990s, researchers have used aerial surveys to understand patterns of lobster fishing activity during sport season, referred to locally as mini season. Turns out, fishers aren’t scattering randomly, they cluster in “hot spots,” and many of them return to the same locations every summer.
This research provides knowledge of lobster fishing, supports boating safety and law enforcement, and fosters an abundant lobster population for fun and successful fishing adventures.
Renchen GF, Butler CB, Hutchinson E, Matthews TR. 2026. Chasing bugs: characterizing the spatiotemporal patterns of recreational lobster fishing in the Florida Keys. Ocean Coast Manag. 273: 108057.
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As the research division within FWC, FWRI operates programs statewide that focus on obtaining
the wide-ranging data and information needed by fish, wildlife, and ecosystem resource managers.
The FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute seeks to fill positions with caring and qualified individuals. FWRI recruits primarily scientists and science technicians. Business services and facility maintenance also require the expertise of qualified management, administrative, public information, clerical and maintenance staff. FWRI also offers both internship and limited volunteer opportunities. FWRI interns are college-level students or post-graduates who spend a semester working with a mentor to obtain career guidance and experience. FWRI volunteers provide general assistance to FWRI for a variable period of time.
MarineQuest
We invite you to join us for MarineQuest, FWRI's annual open house. This award-winning event is an opportunity for you and your family to learn about Florida's fish and wildlife and FWRI's exciting research.
