For the first time in 17 years of Florida-based research, scientists have discovered a mating ground for the Endangered smalltooth sawfish. During an expedition early April to the shallow-water back-country of Everglades National Park, a research team captured, tagged, and released three adult sawfish (one male and two females) in an area previously known almost exclusively as juvenile sawfish habitat. All three had distinctive lacerations, apparently sustained during mating, that match the pattern of teeth on the animals’ saw-like snouts.

The FSUCML blog is now live! Graduate students share their latest research, visitors to the FSUCML share their experiences, and much more. Follow along as we continue to add new blog entries.

Dr. Grubbs described the experience as "the biggest day of my research career!" His team captured a female sawfish who started giving birth. This is the first time a live sawfish birth has been documented in the wild.

We are pleased to announce the 2017 recipients of the FSUCML Grad Student Research Scholarships and the first recipient of the Coastal and Marine Conservation Research Assistantship Award (endowed by FSU Alumni Tommy Warren and Kathy Villacorta).

Dr. Bob Steneck (Univ. of Maine) has studied Eastern Caribbean coral reefs and how local management of natural areas has had a strong positive effect on them, facilitating their recovery and improving their resilience.

For 15 years Ken Leach has taken his Oceanography students from North Gwinnett High School in Suwanee, GA to the Florida State University Coastal and Marine Lab for a hands-on learning experience.

President John Thrasher, First Lady Jean Thrasher, VP for Research Gary Ostrander and his wife, Frances Ostrander visited our lab to take a tour of the facilities, meet faculty and staff, and go on a scenic boat ride aboard our flagship research vessel, the R/V Apalachee.

Dr. Brooke is researching the changing environmental conditions on cold-water coral reefs located in Norway.

A graduate student from the University of Michigan arrived at the Florida State University Oceanographic Institute in 1958 (thanks to a travel grant from the Lerner Research Fellowship) with few funds, no boat, and no place to live. The director of the lab, Dr. Harold Humm, welcomed him to free lodging and a free boat to do what he was clearly prepared to do – study the ecology, range, and habitat of brachiopods and delve into the complex food web and predator-prey interactions of a diverse array of carnivorous snails. So started Bob Paine’s association with FSU.

Congratulations, Abbey (FSUCML graduate student), for receiving this exciting scholarship! Read an excerpt from Abbey's application essay, where she describes her passion for the outdoors.