MarineQuest Saturday

Saturday, February 10, 2024
10 am - 4 pm
FREE admission

Event Location
FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
100 8th Avenue SE  |  St. Petersburg, FL 33701
View on map 
 

Event parking is downtown at the SouthCore parking garage, located at 101 1st Avenue South.

A free shuttle will transport visitors to the event entrance.

There will be a limited number of disabled parking spaces available near the event entrance, on 1st Street South between 6th Avenue South and 8th Avenue South.
 

Below are some of the displays featured during MarineQuest 2023. Check back for details on MarineQuest 2024 displays.

Outside

Conservation Social Science
Learn about social science and why it is an important part of conservation research. Test your knowledge with social science trivia, participate in social science data collection, interact with agency social scientists, and see examples of social science in action here in Florida.

Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida
You’ve played “pin the tail on the donkey,” now get ready to pin the seagrass on the manatee! Come learn about our efforts to feed manatees and restore their food sources in the Indian River Lagoon and leave with a sweet treat.

Fisheries-Dependent Monitoring
Visitors will be able to ‘catch’ a commonly found fish out of the FDM wading pool. Using the catch details (length of fish, date captured, and location) visitors will determine if they can legally harvest the fish they caught.

Florida Biodiversity Collection
Tour the collection and see a selection of natural history specimens of fish and invertebrates from Florida waters and beyond!

Florida Keys Fisheries Research

Freshwater Fisheries Research

FWC Law Enforcement and K-9 Program

FYCCN

Horseshoe Crabs / Florida Horseshoe Crab Watch

Inshore Fisheries Monitoring

Kids Zone

Let's Go HAB Hunting
Ever wonder what its like being a Harmful Algal Bloom researcher at sea? Here’s your chance to climb aboard a real FWRI research vessel and see the tools and instruments they use when studying red tides and other harmful algal blooms!

Manatee Research and Conservation

Marine Turtle Research
Come learn about Florida’s sea turtles, including basic sea turtle biology, threats to their survival, and what we can do to help.

Offshore Fisheries Monitoring

Reptile and Amphibian Research

Right Whale Research and Conservation
Stop by the Right Whale Research and Conservation booth to learn about the whale that visits our state every winter! The North Atlantic right whale is a critically endangered species threatened by fishing gear entanglements and vessel strikes. Come see how FWRI researchers study this rare species and what we are doing to help protect it. You can find us next to the big inflatable whale!

Sharing the Beach with Birds

Sharks and Rays
Our SHARKS and RAYS display is a hands-on interactive educational station that will teach Marine Quest visitors about shark and ray external anatomy, shark identification, fisheries, and conservation. Visitors will get to handle REAL sharks and rays!! They can test their knowledge of shark and ray anatomy and identification. FWC scientists will interact with visitors and teach them similarities and differences between sharks and rays, and how to use a scientific key to identify sharks based upon their external features. View live underwater footage of sharks and rays recorded during FWRI reef fish surveys in the Gulf of Mexico. Visitors will also learn about common ray species in Florida and how to do the Stingray Shuffle. Special poster displays will educate visitors about shark biology, fisheries, conservation, Shark Smart handling practices, and Shark Attacks.

Stock Enhancement Research

The Pollination Station

TrophyCatch
Learn about TrophyCatch, FWC’s citizen science program to promote fishing for largemouth bass. Each submitted catch provides valuable data to FWC and earns anglers rewards!

Wildlife Assistance Program; Nonnative Fish and Wildlife Program; Florida Shorebird Program

Wildlife Assistance Program (WAP) – The FWC's Wildlife Assistance Biologists work with individuals and communities experiencing conflicts with wildlife to find sustainable resolutions and to develop strategies to coexist with native wildlife. Come by our table to view a taxidermized coyote and bobcat and check out our pelts, skulls, and claws of common urban wildlife Learn how you can conserve wildlife by securing attractants, keeping pets and livestock safe, and using aversive conditioning techniques safely and affectively.

Florida Shorebird Program – Enjoy spending time at the beach?...so do birds! Come meet the unique shorebirds and seabirds that call the beach home and learn how they are adapting to a changing coastal habitat. Discover what it takes to be a good beach steward and learn more about shorebird and seabird species, research, and management!

Wildlife Health: Florida Panthers, Deer and more
 

Inside

Seagrass Ecosystems

Red Tide Information Room
Dress like a Scientist
Visitors of all ages will learn about the world of marine microscopic algae, especially those known to produce harmful algal blooms (HABs), with a focus on the red tide organism, Karenia brevis. Hands-on activities include: “Dress like a Scientist” and posing for a keepsake picture; playing the “Phytoplankton and HABs Memory Game”; finding hidden microalgae in line drawings made specially for the occasion - a beach scene or a galactic scene; and looking at HABs under the microscopes. Experts will be available to answer questions at the Red Tide Info corner, where visitors can get acquainted with equipment and posters that share state-of-the-art approaches used for HAB monitoring, research, and communication outreach.

Fish Feeding Ecology

Marine Finfish Biology
Visitors will learn the critical role of habitats in the conservation of fish species and hear from scientists about acoustic telemetry research conducted within various habitats surrounding Tampa Bay. Scientists will also explain the what, how and why of ageing marine finfish using otoliths.

Molluscan Fisheries

Fish and Wildlife Health

• Histology: Watch one of our scientists view various histological slides via microscope of different fish organs and diseases.
• Parasites/Skeletal Deformities: See various jars of specimens containing parasites as well as pictures of fish skeletal deformities and fish diseases.
• Microbiology/Bacteria: See bioluminescent bacteria, displays of bacteria plates of swabs from everyday objects, and displays of differential media used by scientists.
• Necropsy Lab: Giant Red Snapper display will be an interactive “larger than life” dissection along with matching game for kids to identify fish anatomy.
• Augmented Reality Display: Use your phone to interact with our “Fred the Redfish” display to view histology pictures of various organs.

Electron Microscopy
Electron Microscopy explores the microscopic world and introduces the public to three types of microscopes used in identifying specimens too small to see with the naked eye. The activity is an overview and comparison of three different microscopes we have here at FWRI: the light microscope, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope.

Explore Coral Reefs
Come visit the coral reef and learn what it’s like to be a coral scientist! Strap on a scuba tank and conduct a coral survey. Install the YouTube app on your phone so you can go on some virtual dives, or watch the video showing our work and scenes from Florida’s Coral Reef.

Survival of Seagrass