A special Clam Industry Workshop, co-hosted by the Florida Atlantic University-Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (FAU-HBOI), University of Florida IFAS, and Florida Sea Grant, was held on March 10 at the HBOI campus in Fort Pierce. A morning and afternoon session provided current information addressing two topics identified by the clam culture industry as critical needs.
Morning Session:
Water Quality—From a global overview
to the Indian River Lagoon
Topics and guest speakers included:
Shellfish Aquaculture: Impacts on environment, impacts of the environment on culture, and the role shellfish may or may not play in mitigating coastal eutrophication
Sandra Shumway, University of Connecticut, Department of Marine Sciences, Editor of Journal of Shellfish Research and Journal of Harmful Algae
Role of nutrients on harmful algal blooms in the Indian River Lagoon
Brian LaPointe, FAU-HBOI Marine Ecosystem Health
Land/Ocean Biogeochemical Observatories (LOBO) for intensive, real-time water quality sampling in the Indian River Lagoon
Dennis Hanisak, FAU-HBOI Marine Ecosystem Health
The Indian River Lagoon Protection Initiative
Chuck Jacoby, St. Johns Water Management District
Panel Discussion with scientists, agency representatives, and clam industry members
Afternoon Session:
Bivalve Hatchery Management from Algae to Zygote
Managing diseases in the hatchery through bacteriological monitoring—supplies needed, procedures, where to take samples and what they mean
Susan Laramore, FAU-HBOI Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory and Rolland Laramore
“Walk the Talk” through HBOI’s hatchery—operation, management and troubleshooting tips
John Supan, Director of the Louisiana Sea Grant Oyster Hatchery, Grand Isle, LA
