Ocean Team Collaborative Includes More Than 800 Jobs

Several research organizations in the Tampa Bay region have formed the St. Petersburg Ocean Team, a consortium that plans to raise awareness in the community and nationwide about the member organizations and the work they do, says St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker.

The Team's website boasts that Florida's oceanic economy is second in the nation. This collaborative group, comprised of marine science, oceangraphic and environmental research agencies and institutions in the Southeast, is likely to bring even more exposure to the Tampa Bay region's oceanic scene.

Members of the Team will address various issues including: red tides, hurricanes, climate change and offshore oil and gas exploration.

Team members and affiliate agencies and businesses employ more than 800 people and have an annual payroll in excess of $24 million. As the St. Petersburg Ocean Team membership grows, it is expected to attract research institutions, agencies and businesses to locate nearby.

"The St. Petersburg Ocean Team is one of the most important economic drivers in St. Petersburg," said Dave Goodwin, economic development director for St. Petersburg. "SRI St. Petersburg's recent relocation to St. Petersburg is a perfect illustration of that and is typical of the type of synergy that collaborative organizations such as the Ocean Team can accomplish."

Ocean Team members include: USF-St. Petersburg, USF's College of Marine Science and its Center for Ocean Technology, USF's Research Foundation, SRI St. Petersburg, Florida Institute of Oceanography, International Ocean Institute-USA, Tampa Bay Estuary Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Geological Survey Center for Coastal and Wetland Studies, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, The City of St. Petersburg, The Pier Aquarium and the U.S. Coast Guard-St. Petersburg.

Writer: Nancy Vaughn
Source: Dave Goodwin, City of St. Petersburg