Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Fish and Wildlife Research Institute Division, operating as Fish & Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI), is a state government research entity that delivers ecological monitoring, marine species protection, and fisheries-independent survey services to federal agencies as a prime grant recipient, with no federal contract prime footprint. FWRI operates as a division of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, and competes exclusively in full-and-open federal grant programs without set-aside eligibility.

FWRI's federal customer base centers on marine and coastal ecosystem research. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration dominates the portfolio—167 awards carrying $10.9 million in combined potential value—primarily under NOAA's Cooperative Research Program (CFDA 11.472), Marine Fisheries Initiative (CFDA 11.433), Marine Mammal Data Program (CFDA 11.439), and Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Science program (CFDA 11.451). The Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service ranks second with 145 awards across the Service and Region 4, anchored by the Sport Fish Restoration program (CFDA 15.605), which funds freshwater and marine fisheries monitoring statewide. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers accounts for $2.9 million in combined potential value across seven awards, concentrated in Jacksonville District nekton and bat monitoring work. The Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Coast Guard, and National Resources Conservation Service account for the remainder. Awards per year have remained flat to slightly declining—16 awards in 2022, 23 in 2023, 23 in 2024, and 21 in 2025—with 22 awards totaling $287 thousand facing completion within the next twenty-four months.

Representative prime grant work spans marine species conservation and fisheries science. A $2.913 million NOAA purchase order (August 2025–August 2030) funds the Southeast Right Whale Early Warning System, requiring aerial surveys to detect and monitor North Atlantic right whales from Cape Canaveral to Savannah during winter calving. A $6.921 million NOAA cooperative agreement (September 2024–August 2029) for the Gulf-wide Video Survey Effort (G-FISHER) program supports reef fish assemblage characterization across the Gulf of Mexico using video imaging and standardized monitoring protocols. A $3.059 million Department of the Interior Sport Fish Restoration formula grant (July 2025–June 2026) underwrites comprehensive freshwater fish population monitoring across at least 20 Florida waterbodies using electrofishing and supplementary techniques, plus creel surveys on recreational catch and habitat sampling. A $441,965 NOAA Cooperative Research Program grant (January 2026–December 2028) supports smalltooth sawfish recovery research, including operation of the Sawfish Hotline database, fishery-independent juvenile habitat sampling in the Charlotte Harbor Estuary and Indian River Lagoon, and long-term acoustic tagging of nursery populations. On the contract side, FWRI holds a $1.37 million, five-year Blanket Purchase Agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District for nekton monitoring in the St. Johns River; two FY 24 and FY 25 BPA calls totaling $554,599 have been issued under that vehicle.

FWRI's subcontract footprint is minimal—only 6% of awards are sub-awards. Named grant sub-recipients include the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (recreational fisheries observer programs and sampling databases), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (harmful algal bloom dynamics and toxic diatom forecasting), the University of South Florida (southeast US marine biodiversity observation network), The Nature Conservancy (Florida Reef Resilience Program disturbance monitoring), and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (sponge restoration strategy development). FWRI operates within formula grant and cooperative agreement frameworks rather than competitive IDIQs or GWACs, meaning the vendor does not sit on multi-award federal vehicles that would position it to team with defense or civilian contractors on task orders.

Federal work concentrates on fisheries-independent monitoring—population surveys, species abundance and diversity assessment, acoustic telemetry tracking, genetic analysis, and stranding response for marine mammals. Deliverables include survey databases, population trend analyses, catch composition data, habitat utilization assessments, and scientific publications supporting stock assessments and endangered species recovery planning. Work is performed throughout Florida's coastal and estuarine waters, with subordinate field laboratories in the Southwest, Southeast, East Central, Northeast, and Tequesta regions managing regional monitoring programs under FWRI oversight.