Current Research Of The Marine Laboratory (1968)
by Robert M. Ingle
Director of Research

The Marine Research Laboratory of the Florida Board of Conservation is the largest State Conservation Research Department in the United States, and the largest Florida organization working entirely in marine research. The Laboratory was established in 1955 on the Maritime Base at Bayboro Harbor in St. Petersburg and employed one biologist and one laboratory technician. Since that time the personnel has increased to over 40 biologists and technicians, plus a large supporting staff. The Laboratory now occupies three main buildings on the west side of the Maritime Base. In addition, facilities include two large circular seawater tanks and docking facilities for our two major research vessels, the "R/V Hernan Cortex" and the "R/V Venus." We have field laboratories in Stuart, Key West, Appalachicola, and on the St. Johns River. The Marine Laboratory also has one of the largest marine directed libraries in Florida.

The "Hernan Cortez" is a 72-foot slightly modified St. Augustine shrimp trawler; is used to take most of the marine samples required by the Laboratory staff. It has recently completed the first major systematic sampling program ever attempted in the Gulf of Mexico, called "Project Hourglass."

This program ran for 28 consecutive months and sampled regularly out to almost 100 miles offshore. The vessel is now beginning systematic plankton-sampling cruises between Florida and Mexico, with special emphasis on the Straits of Yucatan. When demands on the vessel for our own research have been met, we have been making it available to universities and other similar organizations, at our expense.

The "R/V Venus" is a commercial hydraulic clam dredge, recently purchased by the Board of Conservation Marine Laboratory with the aid of Federal marching funds (PL 88-309), to study the effects of such a dredge in Florida waters. This vessel could be the answer to establishing a multi-million-dollar clam industry in the State of Florida. The production from this tremendous resource is almost negligible at this time, with only 5,000 pounds of clam meats recorded for 1966.

Because of the complexity and number of projects currently in progress, it is impossible to discuss each of them in detail. Consequently, the following are brief discussions of some of the major projects of the Marine Laboratory.

Red Tide Division

This Division is responsible for all research on the Red Tide organism and includes related biological and chemical studies.

1. Dinoflagellates. Detailed studies on the taxonomy and biology of the dinoflagellates associated with the Red Tide dinoflagellate Gymnodinium brevve are being conducted. Well over two hundred species are currently under study.

2. Diatoms. Similar work is being completed on the diatoms of the west coast of Florida and their possible relation to Red Tide occurrence. Over 175 species are under study.

3. Toxin Studies. Several marine toxins, including that released by the Red Tide organism, are being produced and examined. These toxins and their effects on marine organisms (especially as related to paralytic shellfish poisoning) are also being investigated.

4. Artificial Culture of Phytoplankton. Various species of diatoms and dinoflagellates are being grown under laboratory conditions to determine growth requirements. This section is also responsible for mass culture of the billions of Red Tide organisms needed per week for the toxin studies.

5. Oyster Parasites. The biology and occurrence of fungal parasites in oysters are being studied with and eye toward possible control measures. These parasites are capable of killing off entire oyster beds, temporarily halting a major Florida industry.

6. Chemistry. All chemical determinations needed for laboratory projects are accomplished in our own Chemistry Department. Florida analysis of various types of fish meal and fish protein concentrate are also being done by this Department. In addition, detailed study on the effects of humic acids (naturally occurring chelators) as a factor in the environment of Red Tide outbreaks is being initiated. This study is being supported by the Marine Laboratory, under contract to Dr. Dean Martin of the University of South Florida.

Fisheries Division

This Division is primarily responsible for studies on the basic biology of commercially important species of marine organisms.

7. Oyster Nutrition. Having recently developed the first workable feeding program which enables us to fatten oysters in the laboratory even during off seasons, we are now experimenting on the practical applications of this technique in the oyster industry. We are also feeding oysters under varying conditions of temperature and salinity, to determine for the first time the optimum conditions for oyster growth.

8. Artificial Oyster Reefs and Related Studies. With the aid of Federal matching funds, we are building many acres of artificial oyster reefs which soon become productive and add greatly to the harvestable supply of oysters. Work was initiated in Appalachicola (the State’s most productive oyster area); will also include other areas in northwest and west Florida.

9. Oyster Reef Modification. We are also experimenting in Cedar Key, Florida, with the possibility of increasing the numbers of harvestable oysters through modifications of natural reefs.

10. Clam Research. This is the work, already mentioned, which utilizes the commercial hydraulic clam dredge, "R/V Venus." The major problem facing this potential clam industry is that present hand methods of harvester may solve this problem and has done so for many years for the hard and soft shell clam industries of the northeastern states. Our studies will test this type of gear under highly-controlled conditions, to determine its effect on various habitats and populations in Florida waters. On the basis of these studies, we will know whether such a device should be allowed in Florida; where it should be allowed to work, and what restrictions, if any, should be applied so that no other marine resources shall be damaged.

11. Fish Reference Collection. The Marine Laboratory’s fish reference collection is one of the largest catalogued collections of Florida’s marine fishes. It is available to scientists the world over, and acts as a storehouse of information on Florida’s important fish species.

12. Red Grouper Studies. The red grouper is one of Florida’s most important commercial fish. Our biological studies on age, growth, reproduction, and sex change have shown important implications, should conservation regulations ever be needed.

13. Pompano. The Laboratory has also been investigating some of the aspects of pond culture of pompano and a publication will be released shortly.

14. Stuart Field Laboratory. This laboratory is primarily involved in research on the biology and life history of the Florida spiny lobster, Systematic plankton sampling between Florida and the Bahama Islands is now in progress to learn more about the seasonally and the abundance of the larval and postlarval lobsters.

15. Key West Field Laboratory. The spiny lobster is also the main interest of this field laboratory, situated roughly in the center of Florida’s valuable lobster fishing area. Studies include work on larval abundance and occurrence, growth rates, and habitat preferences. An extensive tagging program has recently been initiated to study possible migration of subadults and adults. Projects on the growth of the edible Conch (strombus gigas), and on that of the green turtle are also in progress.

16. "Hourglass" Program. The "Hourglass" sampling program, mentioned briefly above, has produced prodigious quantities of data now being analyzed, and on which publications will follow. It is estimated that over five years will be required for some of these analyses. This information will be extremely important in the conservation and use of Florida’s fishery resources.

17. Larval Fish Studies. The biology of an animal is not complete without a thorough knowledge of larval history. We are now working on the seasonality, abundance, and occurrence of the larvae of several of the commercially-important species.

18. Spanish Mackerel and King Mackerel. Little is known of the basic biology and migrations of these two important commercial and sports fishes. Our studies are directed toward defining the populations of these two species in Florida waters, and to determine age and growth characteristics and seasonal sex and development.

19. Invertebrates. This section is primarily involved with analysis of "Hourglass" invertebrates at this time. We have found several invertebrate species which appear to have good market potential, but which are not currently being utilized. In addition, important data is being accrued on commercial species.

20. Invertebrate Reference Collection. Our catalogued invertebrate reference collection is now the largest in the southeastern United States. Like the fish reference collection, it serves as a depository of knowledge available to scientists all over the world.

21. Anadromous Fish Studies. The Marine Laboratory has recently obtained Federal assistance (through Public Law 89-304) to study biology of the American shad in the St. Johns River, and the Alabama shad on the west coast of Florida. Two additional field laboratories will be established to house these projects.

The research listed above does not constitute all the work currently in progress at the Board of Conservation Marine Laboratory, but it does give indications of the major areas of study. All research at the Laboratory is directly or indirectly aimed at a better understanding of our marine resources. This enables us to draw up more efficient regulations for the protection and utilization of these resources, based on biological facts. The result is a benefit shared by sportsmen, tourists, commercial fishermen, and Floridians as a whole. In addition, all research results are published, in one of our own publication series or in an appropriate scientific journal, making that data that we obtain available to scientists all over the world.