Project Summary

The Florida Oceans and Coastal Council was created by the State of Florida to guide research priorities for Florida’s vulnerable coasts and oceans. The Council's mission is to coordinate public and private research to address emerging management needs in the state and develop a statewide ocean research plan.

Background

The Florida Oceans and Coastal Council was created in 2005 to identify ocean and coastal research priorities, including climate change, and assist in translating the results of the research to guide resource management. It supports collaboration between institutions as well as an integrated network for implementation of ecosystem-based management in the state. The Council is co-chaired by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary and the Executive Director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) and includes 15 voting members and 3 non-voting members. The Council has collaborated on several reports to provide guidance to research institutions on the state’s priorities, identify research gaps, and provide recommendations on management needs.

Implementation

The Council developed annual research plans from 2008-2015. Public input on management needs was compiled by the Council and used to guide the annual research plans. All research plans included a climate change priority for coastal and ocean research; for example, increasing understanding of climate change impacts on marine ecosystems and biological processes through mapping, hydrological linkages, monitoring, research and modeling, and increasing understanding of ocean and coastal economics. Other research priorities included water quality, habitat mapping, modeling systems, ecosystem monitoring, public health, living marine resources, and habitat restoration.

Reports produced as a result of the annual research plans include:

• The Effects of Climate Change on Florida’s Ocean and Coastal Resources (2009)
• Climate Change and Sea-Level Rise in Florida: An Update on the Effects of Climate Change on Florida’s Ocean and Coastal Resources (2010)
• Florida Ocean and Coastal Economies Report: Florida Coastal Observing System Strategic Implementation Plan (2008)

Outcomes and Conclusions

By establishing climate change as a priority action, the Council has provided a unified framework for climate change research in Florida. The Council’s annual research plans and recommendations are intended to supplement existing agency research in the state.

Citation

Score, A. (2010). Florida Oceans and Coastal Council [Case study on a project of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection]. Version 2.0. Product of EcoAdapt's State of Adaptation Program. (Last updated May 2021)