Aerial View of Sebastian Inlet

About Us

DID YOU KNOW...

• The state of Florida is the only nursery area for tarpon in the U.S.?
• A newly-hatched tarpon takes 23 days to travel from an unknown spawning site in
• The Atlantic to a suitable nursery habitat in the Indian River Lagoon, such as a mangrove marsh or mosquito impoundment?
• Fishing, as an industry, accounts for more than $6 billion of revenue per year in Florida?
• Businesses related to the marine and fishing industries in Florida produce more than 75,000 job opportunities and wages that total more than $1.7 million?
• On average, over 2.8 million anglers over 16 years old spend more than 45,000 days fishing in the Sunshine State and spend more than $3.2 million annually during their fishing trips?
• Hurricane Erin (1995) actually helped many types of sport fish larvae get into nurseries in the Indian River Lagoon by pushing them through Sebastian Inlet?

NOW THAT YOU KNOW...

• Find out what you can do to keep the fish populations healthy
• Take part in research, by fishing for your favorite sport fish and participating in our tagging program
• Tell your fishing friends about the Sportfish Research Institute (SRI) at Florida Tech

WHAT WE ARE DOING...

• Artificial reefs project 
• Fish tag and release program
• Studies on reproduction, early-life history, feeding and growth of tarpon, red drum, snook, snapper, tripletail and largemouth bass.
• Elementary and high school education programs and public exhibits
• Tarpon fishing tournament/fishing data collection