News

Applicant Workshops for Oyster Culture Leases in Franklin County

March 6, 2020

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has been granted authorization to establish the Four Mile Aquaculture Use Zone in Apalachicola Bay and to execute 38 submerged land leases for use of the full water column. FDACS will accept lease applications from March 6 through March 20, 2020. Download the following support documentation. – Public notice of open aquaculture lease application period – Application for a state-owned sovereignty submerged land aquaculture lease – Map of proposed Four Mile Aquaculture Use Zone Pre-application workshops were held on March 4th and 5th in Apalachicola to provide information about the application process and to inform

USDA Releases 2018 Census of Aquaculture Results

December 20, 2019

Total sales of U.S. aquaculture products in 2018 was $1.5 billion, an increase of 10.5% from 2013, according to the 2018 Census of Aquaculture released in December by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. In 2018, there were 2,932 aquaculture farms with sales in the United States, down 5% from 2013. In Florida the total number of farms that reported aquaculture sales was 325, accounting for 11% of farms in the U.S. However, the number of Florida farms was down by 17% from the previous census in which 393 farms were reported.

2020 Oyster South Symposium is Coming Soon

December 10, 2019

The 4th Annual Oyster South Symposium is being held on February 21-23, 2020 in Wilmington, North Carolina. Sponsored by Oyster South, Inc. (a non-profit dedicated to advancing oyster aquaculture in the southern US), this event brings together producers, gear suppliers, distributors, chefs, food writers, vendors, researchers, students and managers from the southeast region to discuss pressing issues and relevant, practical research on oyster aquaculture. Registration is now open and includes admission to all informational sessions (all day Friday and Saturday), all breaks, lunch on Friday & Saturday, the ‘Shuck and Tell’ on Friday night at Wrightsville Beach Brewery, a new awards

Monthly Inventory Reports for USDA Farm Service Agency’s NAP Program

October 3, 2019

The USDA Farm Service Agency’s Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program, or NAP, requires clam growers to provide an inventory report at the beginning of the crop year, which is from September 1 through August 30 of the next year. Beginning in crop year 2020, clam growers are also required to maintain a monthly inventory. Monthly inventory records are to be kept up to date and submitted to the FSA county office by the 15th of each month for the prior month. Records are to be used for spot checks and in the event of a disaster occurrence. Failure to provide accurate

Financial Assistance Programs: Workshop Presentations, Handouts, and Video Recordings

August 16, 2019

A workshop on financial assistance programs for shellfish growers was held on August 15 at the FSU Coastal and Marine Lab. Co-hosted by the UF/IFAS Shellfish Aquaculture Extension Program and DACS Division of Aquaculture, representatives from two federal agencies provided information about their programs. The workshop agenda can be downloaded here; presentations and handouts are provided below. In addition, you can watch recorded presentations via the Financial Assistance Programs for Shellfish Growers video playlist on YouTube.

Hurricane Workshop Presentations and Marker Tag Program

August 2, 2019

A workshop on hurricane preparation and recovery for oyster growers was held Wednesday, July 31 in Franklin and Wakulla Counties by the UF/IFAS Shellfish Aquaculture Program. Presentations on oyster gear management, storm plans, and best management practices for shellfish gear are provided below. A program to provide tags to identify and mark oyster gear was introduced. Commercially available, durable marker tags will be made available to oyster growers with 2018-19 aquaculture certifications in Bay, Gulf, Franklin and Wakulla Counties. Growers may choose from 3 tag options. The number of tags received will depend on the number of growers who participate

Understanding Financial Assistance Programs for Shellfish Growers:

August 2, 2019

A workshop on financial assistance programs for oyster growers in the Panhandle is being hosted by the UF/IFAS Shellfish Aquaculture Extension Program. The workshop will be held on Thursday, August 15 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm at the FSU Coastal and Marine Lab, 3618 Coastal Highway 98, St. Teresa. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is responsible for the delivery of federal farm programs to help producers manage risks and recover from disasters. The Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program, or NAP, provides financial assistance to growers of non-insurable crops to protect them against natural disasters that result

Videos and Handouts from Microalgal Culture Workshop

July 16, 2019

To address interest in microalgae culture and techniques for molluscan shellfish hatcheries, a two-day workshop was held on June 5-6, 2019 in Cedar Key. Dr. Gary Wikfors, Director of the NOAA Fisheries Laboratory in Milford, Connecticut, lead presentations and hands-on demonstrations. The workshop was co-hosted by Dr. Huiping Yang and Leslie Sturmer of the University of Florida/IFAS Molluscan Shellfish Aquaculture Program with funding provided through the NOAA National Sea Grant College Program.

Hurricane Preparation and Recovery for Oyster Growers

July 2, 2019

A workshop on hurricane preparation and recovery for oyster growers in the Panhandle is being hosted by the UF/IFAS Shellfish Aquaculture Extension Program. The workshop will be held on Wednesday, July 31 and is being offered at two times and locations – from 2:00 to 4:30 pm at the FSU Coastal and Marine Lab, 3618 Coastal Highway 98, St. Teresa, and from 6:00 to 8:30 pm at the Wakulla County Extension Office, 84 Cedar Avenue, Crawfordville.

Microalgae Culture Workshop and Webinar

May 15, 2019

To address interest in microalgae culture and techniques for molluscan shellfish hatcheries, a two-day workshop is being held on June 5-6, 2019 in Cedar Key. Dr. Gary Wikfors, Director of the NOAA Fisheries Laboratory in Milford, Connecticut, will lead presentations and hands-on demonstrations addressing the following topics: microalgae function, mass culture strategies, bivalve nutrition, chemical ecology of cultures, phytoplankton as bivalve foods, media preparation and aseptic transfers, and quantification methods. The workshop is co-hosted by Dr. Huiping Yang and Leslie Sturmer of the University of Florida/IFAS Molluscan Shellfish Aquaculture Program with funding provided through the NOAA National Sea Grant College Program.