Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #644FY0001 Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution
Requester:		J. Seward Johnson			Organization:		Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution
Project Title:		Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution			Date Submitted:		2/7/01 12:50:52 PM
Sponsors:		Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Statewide Interest:		Address alarming rise in skin & immune system disorders, etc. See attached.
Recipient:		Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution			Contact:		Stephen D. McCulloch
		5600 U.S. 1 North			Contact Phone:		(561) 465-2400 604
		Ft. Pierce 34946
Counties:		Brevard, Broward, Dade, Duval, Flagler, Indian River, Martin, Monroe, Nassau, Palm Beach, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Volusia
Service Area:		Private Organization
Project Description:
To construct a state-of-the-art facility for marine mammal research, medical response & rehab. & vet. training on the campus of Harbor Branch, adjacent to the River Lagoon. 3 purposes - 1. marine mammal hospital, working to rescue, study & rehabilitate stranded marine mammals; 2. a pathology lab which can analyze important data regarding cause & effect relationships between environment & marine mammal moralities. Data collected from all marine mammal strandings will be provided to the State's wildlife management agencies & U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service to provide useful info. as an aid to develop long range conservation strategies; 3. Vet. training facility for delivering instruction in marine mammal surgical & other vet techniques to vet. students in Florida, thereby opening up the field of marine mammal vet. science to students in Florida. The aim of this first ever teaching facility is to not only use on-site training but also live video conferencing techniques and streaming internet video. This three-pronged strategy aims to ensure the health & viability of Florida's wild dolphin populations is not only maintained, but also improved.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
Using emerging video conferencing & internet technologies, deliver vet. instruction statewide to vet. schools, public aquaria & oceanariums. Ascertain level of health risk affecting Florida's central east coast dolphin population. Develop a database of zoonotic diseases to enable public health experts to determine potential transmission rates to humans. Dolphin Research & the compilation of case histories for known dolphin individuals (via HBOI's existing dolphin photo-id program) provide a powerful tool for learning & teaching about the lives and needs of the animals & their unique natural environments. Additional data collected will be provided to Florida State wildlife management agencies for the purpose of developing sustainable management practices. Increased media attention for the state of Florida highlighting commitments to conservation efforts of threatened dolphin species, protection of vital Florida habitats.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:						$1,250,000
Total cost of the project:			$2,500,000
Request has been made to fund:				Construction
Type of funding match:		Private
	Total Cash Amount:		$404,000		Total In-Kind Amount:		$629,000
Was this project previously funded by the State?							No
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?							No
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?							No
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?							No
Is there a documented need for this project?							Yes
	Documentation:		National Marine Fisheries Service Marine Mammal Stranding Program; University Affiliation with UF
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?							No