Mote Research

What started as a one-woman operation in 1955 by the now-famous shark researcher, Dr. Eugenie Clark, has evolved into seven research centers home to more than 230 staff members, including about 40 Ph.D. scientists who lead their respective fields. 2005 marked the 50th anniversary of Mote's founding and a half century of advancing the science of the sea, concentrating on nearshore marine research.

Research Centers

• Aquaculture Research and Development
• Coastal Ecology
• Coral Reef Research
• Ecotoxicology
• Fisheries Enhancement
• Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Research
• Shark Research

Research FIELD STATIONS and PROGRAMS

• Florida Keys Tropical Research Laboratory
• Charlotte Harbor Field Station
• Mote Aquaculture Park
• Mote Library
• Dolphin & Whale Hospital
• Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital

MARINE POLICY RESEARCH

• The Marine Policy Institute at Mote

mOtE mARINE lABORATORY
Advancing the Science of the Sea since 1955

From its humble beginnings in tiny shed in a small Florida town, Mote Marine Laboratory has expanded to include a 10.5 acre campus on City Island in Sarasota, Fla., with field stations and public exhibits in Sarasota County, Key West, Summerland Key and Charlotte Harbor. Florida's extensive coastline and marine and estuarine environments have enabled Mote scientists to build the platform of marine research in the nearshore environment.

From the original focus on sharks, Mote research has expanded to include seven major areas of concentration, organized into seven research centers. While each center focuses on its own specialty, Mote scientists are able to partner with others within the lab to integrate efforts across a number of fields. This approach has led to discoveries that establish Mote as a global leader in many areas of marine science.

Mote Marine Laboratory is one of the world’s few remaining independent marine research laboratories and, as a nonprofit organization, is funded through federal, state and local grants and through the generosity of individual donors and foundations.

Over the last five decades, the world has learned many things about its oceans. One lesson has remained constant: There is still much to discover.

Mote scientists are committed to that process of discovery - advancing our understanding of the sea and what is needed to sustain it.