OCEARCH’S ties to the River City are expanding.
The City of Jacksonville approved a 10-year lease of land owned by the city and buildings for OCEARCH to make Mayport Village its home-base.
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OCEARCH is a nonprofit organization that researches and tracks large apex predators such as great white sharks and other keystone marine species. It currently runs its headquarters out of Utah.
The master plan includes new docks and a shark research facility that will be open to the public, which as Action News Jax first reported in January.
The project also calls for stores, restaurants, offices, apartments and a seafood processing plant.
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Jacksonville City Councilman Bill Gulliford said the lease is a game changer for the entire community.
The councilman said OCEARCH will attract more people and make Mayport a destination spot.
There’s no set timeline for when OCEARCH will move to Mayport.
Gulliford said crews are close to finishing the design of the dock. The next step will be permitting and construction.