The Florida RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence Program (FLRACEP), hosted at the Florida Institute of Oceanography (FIO), recently finalized a new 10-year Strategic Plan to support a resilient Gulf environment and economy. The next decade of Centers of Excellence projects will focus on research that generates long-term understanding of the West Florida Shelf and connected systems to support improved and dynamic management.

“Implementation of the FLRACEP Strategic Plan will provide local, regional and state resource managers with new understanding critical for managing complex linked ecosystems, including the Florida Shelf and Florida’s coasts and estuaries,” said Holly Greening, FLRACEP Program Management Team member and former Director of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program.

The key to this objective is funding short- and long- term research that focuses on processes. The plan includes scoping for synthesis projects, science-driven technology development to support improved monitoring and management, and science to support coastal sustainability and restoration.

Julien Lartigue, FLRACEP Program Management Team member and NOAA RESTORE Science Program Director, said: “We are looking forward to coordinating with the FLRACEP on the execution of this new strategic plan, which highlights shared interests with our program and the other Centers of Excellence in the Gulf such as understanding connectivity within the Gulf ecosystem, co-production, and synthesizing existing datasets.”

A summary of the first ten years of research is available on the FLRACEP website: https://florida-restore-act-centers-of-excellence-program-fio-maps.hub.arcgis.com/

About the Florida RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence Program

Funding for the Centers of Excellence and FLRACEP comes from the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act), which established a Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund in the Treasury of the United States. Florida Institute of Oceanography is the Gulf Coast State Entity responsible for administering FLRACEP. The program establishes Centers of Excellence in the State of Florida to conduct through a competitive grants process. To date, $10 million has been awarded to 10 Florida institutions to establish Centers of Excellence.

About the Florida Institute of Oceanography

The Florida Institute of Oceanography consists of 32 members including state universities. Established by the Florida Board of Governors and hosted by the University of South Florida, FIO provides support and shares marine science resources between the state’s universities and private, non-profit marine research entities. FIO operates the R/V Weatherbird II, R/V Hogarth, R/V Western Flyer, and the Keys Marine Laboratory (KML) in Layton, Florida.

After housing more than 5,000 rescued corals for three months due to unprecedented water temperatures that caused a massive coral bleaching event off the coast of Florida, the Florida Institute of Oceanography’s (FIO) Keys Marine Laboratory (KML) is now ready to return corals to the sea. FIO is hosted by the University of South Florida.

In recent days, water temperatures have cooled to normal levels to allow for the safe relocation of corals housed in the on-land seawater systems at KML. The health of these coral specimens have been assessed and cleared for return by coral health veterinarians. 

KML biological scientists, in partnership with restoration practitioners across the Keys, will now start moving these corals back to their ocean nurseries, a process that will take several weeks or even months. Coral nurseries are like floating Christmas tree farms that allow corals to grow under the care of researchers.

Ultimately from there, these corals will be reattached to grow on natural reefs using epoxy, cement, zip ties and nails. 

“The corals housed at KML came from nurseries where they were growing out in the ocean. Unfortunately, many of the corals that could not be relocated to land-based facilities and remained in the ocean died from the hot waters,” said KML Director Cynthia Lewis. “Conditions are now right for corals to return to nurseries to grow and one day be reattached, thus restoring the reef one coral at a time.”

KML maintains one of the largest temperature-controlled seawater systems in the Florida Keys, allowing for the study of corals and other marine organisms as well as offering a refuge for thermally-stressed corals to recover and grow. With 60 tanks ranging from 40 to 1,000 gallons, the lab played a vital part in rescuing and protecting thousands of corals, including several endangered and rare species, during one of the worst bleaching events in history. 

“Increased ocean temperatures pose a serious threat to coral reefs not only in Florida, but around the world,” said Tom Frazer, professor and dean of the USF College of Marine Science. “The work being done at the Keys Marine Laboratory will help to ensure that we have a viable population of corals to sustain longer-term restoration efforts.”

The laboratory is operated by FIO, which supports all institutions in the State University System. FIO receives core funding from USF. 

“USF can be proud of the incredible impact their investments in KML are having on the recovery of Florida’s most vulnerable coral reef ecosystem,” said FIO Director Monty Graham.

The lab, located in the middle of the Florida Keys, provided easy access for partners such as The Florida Aquarium, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Coral Restoration Foundation and others to relocate corals from reefs to the sea water system for temporary refuge. 

“Thanks to KML’s infrastructure, generosity and dynamic responsiveness, we were able to rescue highly stressed corals, pulling 10 percent of our coral stock onto land and out of immediate danger,” said Phanor Montoya-Maya, reef restoration program manager for the Coral Restoration Foundation. “This ensured that even in a worst-case scenario, we will have corals to restart our restoration efforts. Saving our reefs is a community effort, and this was never more apparent than this summer when our network pulled together during one of the most extreme environmental challenges many of us have ever faced.”

Coral reefs are vital ecosystems that serve as critical habitat for numerous marine life, from fish and crabs to turtles and sharks. They also act as a first line of defense from storms, buffering coasts from wave action that can result in erosion and exacerbate flooding.  

When water temperatures get too warm, corals can become stressed, expelling algae living in their tissues and turning white. During such bleaching events, corals are more likely to experience die-offs. 

Unprecedented heat waves this past summer caused one of the largest coral bleaching events in history.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (July 12, 2023) – After a 4,000-mile journey, a 117-foot twin-hulled ship granted to the University of South Florida (USF) is docked at its new home port in St. Petersburg, where it will be operated by the Florida Institute of Oceanography (FIO) to offer transformative opportunities for students to explore and advance the field of ocean science.

Called Research Vessel Western Flyer, the ship was granted to USF by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and will be the most technologically advanced vessel in the FIO fleet. FIO is housed at USF and supports all institutions in the State University System.

While FIO’s other research vessels, Weatherbird II and Hogarth, operate primarily within Florida waters, the Western Flyer will embark on expeditions further afield – operating in waters off the southeastern U.S. and stretching into the northern Caribbean Sea. Capable of longer missions and with additional berths, the added capacities will allow more interdisciplinary expeditions including at-sea development opportunities for research, engineering, maritime trades and other STEM careers.

“The addition of this magnificent ship will strengthen the University of South Florida’s position as a global leader in sustainability, environmental and oceanographic sciences,” USF President Rhea Law said. “We are honored to accept this generous gift from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. The Western Flyer will provide new real-world opportunities for students, help us fill the talent pipeline to meet workforce needs and expand our research capabilities.”

The vessel will feature a sophisticated remotely operated vehicle (ROV), designed to reveal the deepest, most mysterious parts of the Gulf of Mexico. Western Flyer is a distinctively wide and stable ship with a moon pool, an opening in the hull that allows scientists to deploy equipment such as the ROV.

The ROV will be used to livestream video, data and shipboard activities using remote science technologies, with the goal of allowing people on land and on board the vessel to cooperatively conduct research in real time.

“Our rapidly changing oceans require diverse perspectives, innovative technologies and approaches, and science-based decision-making,” FIO Director Monty Graham said. “We are excited to create the programming we need so that the Western Flyer, with all of its high-tech functionality, becomes not only a dynamic platform for the research itself but one through which we can advance the ocean science workforce.”

The FIO team is using the Western Flyer to create a new model for ocean science education that leverages the power of sustained mentoring and cohort-based programming, networked workforce development opportunities and remote science technologies. The yearlong program, called Peerside, is launching this summer with a select group of postsecondary students who will explore careers in ocean science, develop beneficial industry connections and conduct ship-to-shore research. Funding for this new at-sea ocean STEM program is supported by the Schmidt Ocean Institute and Schmidt Family Foundation.

“Schmidt Ocean Institute is delighted to be supporting this program that will work towards education and training for a more robust ocean science workforce. Early-career experiences at sea are important for inspiring and encouraging the next generation of scientists, maritime professionals and educators,” Executive Director Jyotika Virmani said.

The Western Flyer will complement the constellation of ocean science powerhouses, community engagement and education programs housed in St. Petersburg. The recently established Maritime and Defense Technology Hub hosted by the St. Petersburg Innovation District, for example, houses the Florida Flood Hub for Research and Innovation. The USF St. Petersburg campus is also developing a Center of Excellence in Environmental and Oceanographic Sciences. USF recently received a $24.3-million appropriation from the state of Florida to fund the first phase of planning and construction of the Environmental and Oceanographic Sciences Research and Teaching Facility, which will house the Center of Excellence. 

“This initiative is well-timed,” said Tom Frazer, dean of the USF College of Marine Science, where FIO is housed on the St. Petersburg campus. “FIO’s new capabilities enhance our ability to develop a Center of Excellence that builds upon our college’s history of success and celebrates a cross-disciplinary approach to addressing the challenges of coastal resiliency and sustainability while advancing economic vitality in St. Petersburg.”

About the University of South Florida

The University of South Florida, a high-impact research university dedicated to student success and committed to community engagement, generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. With campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee, USF serves approximately 50,000 students who represent nearly 150 different countries. For four consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has ranked USF as one of the nation’s top 50 public universities, including USF’s highest ranking ever in 2023 (No. 42). In 2023, USF became the first public university in Florida in nearly 40 years to be invited to join the Association of American Universities, a prestigious group of the leading universities in the United States and Canada. Through hundreds of millions of dollars in research activity each year and as one of top universities in the world for securing new patents, USF is a leader in solving global problems and improving lives. USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.

About the Florida Institute of Oceanography

Established by the Florida Board of Governors and hosted by the University of South Florida, the Florida Institute of Oceanography (FIO) provides support and shares marine science resources between the state’s universities and private, non-profit marine research entities. FIO operates the R/V Weatherbird II, R/V Hogarth, the R/V Western Flyer and the Keys Marine Laboratory (KML) in Layton, Florida.