Addressing Cultured Oyster Mortalities: Project Results
March 10, 2022
The new off-bottom oyster aquaculture industry in Florida faces many challenges, such as limited seed availability and year-round need for biofouling control. Risks, such as storms and hurricanes, and economic feasibility are still being assessed. Further, recent unexplained oyster mortalities experienced by growers in late spring and early summer have resulted in losses of 50 to 90% of adult oysters reaching market size. This is not just a Florida issue but a problem facing growers in the Gulf of Mexico and Southeastern US. In response to industry concerns, a monitoring and assessment plan was initiated in 2020 to examine relationships
