The Shellfish Aquaculture Extension Program manages an 8-acre submerged lands management agreement with approval of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for the purposes of research, education, and demonstration. The experimental lease is located within the boundaries of the Dog Island High-Density Lease Area, which supports commercial clam farms, in the Gulf of Mexico near Cedar Key. Originally utilized as the training site for job retraining programs conducted in the 1990s, this site allows for continuity of production data over several decades. Field trials for genetic selection and alternative species have been conducted on this site since 2002. In addition, a water quality monitoring station (YSI 6600 sonde) located adjacent to the lease is maintained to provide continuous data on water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity. 
