Groundbreaking shark research to improve ocean health set to leave from Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A group of researchers will soon embark on a trip from Jacksonville across the Atlantic with the hope of improving the health of the Mediterranean Sea by tracking sharks.

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The groundbreaking research, OCEARCH, now calls Jacksonville home with a renewed partnership at Jacksonville University.

One of the JU graduate students working with OCEARCH is Kenzie Horton. She came to Jacksonville because of the partnership.

“I was so inspired in wanting to be part of the next generation of scientists to really show that we can make a difference,” she said. “Sharks can be an indicator of the health of our oceans.”

Tagging sharks and tracking them can ensure the “Med is not dead,” Chris Fischer, OCEARCH’s founder, said. They’re set to embark from JU on Wednesday.

Since being founded nearly two decades ago, OCEARCH has tagged more than 400 different sharks across 46 different trips from South Africa to Jacksonville. Now the organization is gearing up to break ground on its new Mayport headquarters. It’s expected to be done by 2026.

“Florida really is the center of the ocean world as far as the number of people who use it,” Fischer said. “Now OCEARCH is going to have a permanent home with a permanent vessel in the region.”

New state finding will help OCEARCH build a second ship that will be focused on research across the Florida region.

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