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Monitoring the Health of Florida's Marine Organisms

The Fish and Wildlife Health Group at the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, based in St. Petersburg, Florida, is concerned with the health status of Florida's marine and estuarine organisms.

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The Fish and Wildlife Health Group at FWRI, based in St. Petersburg, Florida, is concerned with the health status of Florida's marine and estuarine organisms. Mortality events or diseases may be an indication of an environmental health problem. Non-native or invasive species may be present and threaten the health and survival of native species. Utilizing information and assistance from concerned citizens like you, the Aquatic Health staff can investigate and document mortality and disease events around the state.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Please call or e-mail us if you see any of the following incidents:

• A mortality event such as a fish kill, dead horseshoe crabs, or a sponge die-off
• A disease condition such as fish with lesions or tumors
• A harmful algal bloom or discolored water
• A species, such as green mussels, that you think may be an invasive species in the aquatic environment

If you have any questions concerning the health of organisms in the marine or estuarine waters of Florida, please e-mail us at FishandWildlifeHealth@MyFWC.com.

Please include as much of the following information as possible: exact location, date, and time you saw event; if the event is on-going; type(s) of organism involved; how many of each type of organism was involved; and any unusual environmental conditions such as heavy rains, a spill, or discolored water. Please give us your name and a daytime phone number where researchers can contact you if we have more questions.

Red lips were a classic symptom of a still unknown disease that killed millions of hardhead catfish Gulfwide in 1995.