On Sept. 1, 2020, the University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant was formally recognized by a U.S. congressional resolution for 50 years of service to the State of Georgia. Our program, a federal-state partnership between the University of Georgia and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has been committed to improving the environmental and economic health of the Georgia coast for the past five decades through research, education, and extension.
In the Savannah area, Marine Extension and Georgia Sea is probably best known for our Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Island. The facility, Georgia’s first saltwater aquarium, opened in 1972 with a dedication attended by President Richard Nixon. While the aquarium is no longer the biggest in the state, it still boasts the largest collection of native marine species in Georgia. It is from this hub that we provide environmental education programs to the public, school groups and families.