News // General

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

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.

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.

To meet the annual training requirements for shellfish harvesting, handling, and transportation practices as required by the National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP Guide Section II, Model Ordinance Chapter X), a series of workshops has been organized around Florida by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Aquaculture with assistance from the University of Florida IFAS and Florida Sea Grant. Following participation of the shellfish harvesting training, a signed certificate will be issued. 

Triploid oyster aquaculture has become an integral part of the global molluscan aquaculture industry. Currently, triploid Pacific oysters account for 50% of the production on the west coast of the U.S. and nearly 100% of the eastern oyster seed production in the Chesapeake Bay. The industry widely recognizes the use of triploidy in oyster aquaculture because of their potential for fast growth, superior meat quality (especially in summer), year-round harvestability, and low environmental pressure on wild populations (due to their sterility). A fact sheet written by UF/IFAS faculty provides a review of production and performance of triploid oysters for aquaculture.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) developed the ERICA program to increase energy efficiency, reduce energy usage, and lower operating costs at commercial aquaculture facilities in Florida. This grant program is designed to provide grant reimbursement for technologies that significantly increase energy efficiency and renewable energy for eligible commercial aquaculture facilities and farms located in Florida. Eligibility Qualified applicants are those applicants who are certified under Section 597.004, Florida Statutes, and have a physical presence in the state of Florida. The applicant must maintain certification throughout the project implementation and the one-year energy data collection period. Application

One of the most intense Atlantic hurricanes in recent history, Hurricane Irma proved to be a fierce storm that left behind a path of destruction through Florida, from the Keys to Jacksonville and many areas in between. Many of Florida’s shellfish producing counties have been affected by the storm and assessment of losses is ongoing. Below is a summary of resource information being released through our state and federal agriculture agencies. More information will be posted as it is forthcoming. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Response According to a USDA News Release dated September 13, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced

Florida Sea Grant developed a new 4-year strategic plan this spring. One of the areas covered in the FSG strategic plan is aquaculture. Not only is shellfish aquaculture an important business sector in Florida, it is unique in that there is a history of dedicated federal funding for research and extension. The aim of this workshop is to help Florida institutions acquire a substantial amount of these funds to use in solving the highest priority issues affecting the shellfish aquaculture industry. Industry members, researchers, and agency representatives can help FSG identify and prioritize these issues in greater detail than what