News // Oyster Project

Another component of the Oyster Culture Demonstration Project is to document economic costs and benefits associated with diploid versus triploid oyster production along the west coast of Florida. To help collect cost and sales data, UF economists and a graduate student have partnered with oyster farmers to provide “real-world” estimates allowing for a better understanding of production methods, operational costs, and farm-gate revenues associated with growing the two ploidy types. Findings will be transferred into a financial spreadsheet that the user can adjust based on their unique farming and investment situation (e.g., farm size, # seed planted). To make this

The following graphs summarize the growth (shell height and total weight) of diploid (2N) and triploid (3N) oysters cultured in 9 mm mesh floating bags at the UF experimental lease within the Dog Island Lease Area near Cedar Key over a nine-week period (August 4 – October 6, 2016). Details during this culture period can be found in prior news articles. Oysters grown in the 9 mm bags were used to stock replicated field trials to continue to evaluate ploidy types (triploid versus diploid), but also to evaluate the following management practices: Stocking densities of 125, 150, and 175 oysters

After meandering around the Gulf of Mexico as a tropical depression, Hurricane Hermine gathered steam and headed straight for the Big Bend coast on September 2. The first hurricane to hit Florida in 11 years, Hermine did most of its damage with a 7-9 foot tidal surge and waves driven by 70-80 knot winds.

Single-set triploid oyster seed were produced in April by crossing Cedar Key stocks with sperm from tetraploid stocks obtained from Louisiana Sea Grant’s oyster hatchery. Diploids were also produced by using the same Florida stocks.