Florida's diverse and abundant aquatic environments offer students a unique blend of opportunities they won't find anywhere else. And there is no shortage of subject material to study. 

   The state's marine ecosystems support some of the most economically valuable and diverse marine fisheries in the nation. At least eighty fish and shellfish species are harvested commercially or recreationally, with a combined annual value in the billions of dollars. More than three million recreational anglers make Florida the top fishing attraction in the country.

    Located in the north central part of the state, Gainesville is within easy striking distance from just about any type of aquatic environment you can think of. The vast Suwannee river estuary is within 70 minutes drive of campus, as well as a multitude of artificial and natural reef environments just offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. The upper northwest coast, known as the Big Bend, offers some of the most pristine seagrass beds in the country. 

For more information about Gainesville:
Click  Gaines.pdf to download (pdf files require Acrobat Reader). 

     Of course, when you're ready to take a break from the rigors of graduate school,  these same areas offer a wide variety of recreational possibilities. Bicycling, birding, canoeing, camping, hiking, kayaking, swimming, boating, diving, beach combing and fishing are favored local activities.

     Of course these areas also offer countless recreational possibilities when you're ready to take a break from the rigors of graduate school. Canoeing, kayaking, swimming, boating, diving, beachcombing and fishing come to mind, for starters.