Map of Response Area

Gulf World Marine Institute (GWMI) is responsible through National Marine Fisheries Service and Florida Fish and Wildlife to help with the protection of endangered and protected species by conducting rescue, rehabilitation and release of stranded sea turtles and marine mammals. The Gulf World Marine Institute response area is large. For sea turtles, GWMI covers the coastline from South Walton Beaches in Walton County to St. George Island in Franklin County; this covers about 130 miles of Gulf coastline along with over 300 miles of inland shoreline. For marine mammals, GWMI’s coverage area nearly doubled in 2024, and the organization now covers all counties from the Alabama/Florida state border to the St. Mark’s River in Wakulla County, including Wakulla, Franklin, Gulf, Bay, Walton, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Escambia Counties. This coverage includes 233 miles of Gulf coast and 1,100 miles of estuary, bay and bayou shorelines. This area has one of the highest incidences of marine animal stranding in North America. An important part of our program is to inform locals and visitors to our area the importance of respecting and protecting the habitat of these marine animals, which support so much other sea life.