What is it?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Sea Grant College Program started in the early 1960s, to bridge the gap between public knowledge and university research with the main goal of conserving coastal resources while supporting economic advancement. Today, it has grown to 34 university-based programs throughout coastal and Great Lakes states, as well as in Puerto Rico and Guam.
The Florida Sea Grant office is one of these state programs. With the main goal of preserving natural resources and building resilient coasts for future generations while benefiting the economy and society, Florida Sea Grant uses science-based approaches and extension to educate and support Florida communities. The host institution is the University of Florida; however, research occurs throughout 19
Associated with UF/IFAS Extension, each coastal county with an office has an extension agent who develops outreach products and activities to engage Florida communities with their local water systems and help residents and local groups with water related issues.
Why it matters
Florida Sea Grant supports over 16 million coastal residents and in the 2023-24 fiscal year, the program helped to generate an estimated $37.9 million. Additionally, they created or supported 601 jobs and 245 businesses.
They work directly with each community to improve environmental hazard resilience, helping 19,849 people to adopt sustainable fishing practices. Additionally, almost 2,000 K-12 students benefited from Florida Sea Grant’s educational programs. They also work with natural resource managers and in this past year, they provided 543 managers with information and tools to continue restoring Florida’s ecosystem. With over 16 million acres of land protected, this program is an integral part of protecting and supporting Florida’s natural landscape and people.
What you can do
You can get involved by visiting the Florida Sea Grant website and searching for local opportunities near you. They offer a variety of citizen science projects and research opportunities. Additionally, you can support the program by simply interacting with their resources. From bite-sized educational podcasts like Marine Science Minute to workforce training opportunities, there are many ways to contribute to this program’s mission.
For students, there are several opportunities for internships, fellowships, and scholarships offered by the program. In 2023, Florida Sea Grant awarded 33 students with $745,977 to support their research in coastal issues.
Stay updated on their activities by following them on social media, reading their newsletter, and visiting their website. Florida Sea Grant serves you; take advantage of these resources to make our state a better place for future generations.
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